Can you drink tea before bed?

As you know, tea contains caffeine, which increases productivity and leads to a cheerful state. But many people prefer to drink this drink just before bedtime in order to relax and unwind a little after hard working days. In this regard, a completely logical question arises: is it possible to drink tea before going to bed and will it interfere with proper rest?

Tea or coffee: what can you drink before bed? Due to the fact that tea contains a lower dose of caffeine than coffee drinks, it is recommended to drink it a few hours before bedtime. In addition, it is known that some varieties of tea contain the amino acid L-theanine, which leads to a general relaxation of the body and has a beneficial effect on human sleep.

It should be noted that drinking black or green tea a few hours before bedtime can disrupt your rest schedule. Because of this, Michael Breus, MD, recommends drinking a cup of tea at least 4 hours before you plan to go to bed.

Green tea for healthy sleep

Physicians and neuroscientists are actively engaged in research in the field of sleep disorders (apnea), which leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and other detrimental diseases. In this field, it has been proven that the antioxidants found in green tea prevent the development of these problems by neutralizing the action of free radicals during sleep disorders.

But you should not get too carried away with green tea, because its use in large quantities can lead to a number of side effects. So, nausea may appear, the heartbeat will accelerate and breathing will become more frequent, swelling of the face and even an allergic reaction may occur. The average intake of green tea is no more than 10 cups per day.

It is important to know that different tea leaves have different caffeine content, which depends on:

• the age of the leaf and its variety;
• harvest time;
• tea gathering places;
• drying method;
• fermentation level.

You won't be able to find decaffeinated green tea, but there is a homemade way to minimize the amount. Before brewing, tea leaves are thrown into boiling water for about 20 seconds, and then the drink is prepared directly.

Tea drunk at night has a significant diuretic effect. That is why you may feel discomfort at night associated with frequent bladder urges. If, in addition to all this, there are problems with the kidneys, then swelling in the morning and difficult awakening are guaranteed.

Benefits of green tea for the body:

• relieves puffiness in the morning;
• reduces antioxidants and actively burns fats;
• fights stress;
• improves immunity;
• prevents tooth decay;
• restores water balance.

Thus, drinking green tea before bed is not recommended, because due to the caffeine content, you may not fall asleep. But it will be useful to drink it in the morning, after waking up and during the day.

Herb tea

What is the best drink to drink before bed? Of course, one that does not contain caffeine. It is herbal teas that in most cases have a beneficial effect on sleep, improving its quality. Among them:

• based on valerian;
• prepared from kava (intoxicating pepper);
• chamomile tea drink;
• lavender and lemon balm;
• tea from chicory inflorescences (many doctors recommend drinking chicory at bedtime because it does not contain caffeine; at the same time, the product calms the body, slightly lowers blood pressure and fights insomnia).

Chamomile tea and sleep

The positive effect of chamomile on the body has not yet been fully studied, but it is this plant that is a frequent component of drinks consumed before bedtime. Just chamomile provides a quick fall asleep, because it relaxes the human body. In addition, it has been observed that chamomile:

• fights insomnia;
• makes sleep longer;
• improves concentration during wakefulness;
• provides a calmer reaction of a person to stimuli from the external environment.

An important point when drinking a drink based on chamomile is that you should not exceed the norm of 100-150 ml of liquid before falling asleep. Thus, drinking black or green tea before bed is not recommended due to the high caffeine content of the drink. But you can enjoy a cup of herbal tea for the coming sleep, which will have a general relaxing effect on the body.

List of used literature:

• Levin Ya. I., Kovrov G. V. Some modern approaches to the treatment of insomnia // The attending physician. - 2003. - No. 4.
• Kotova O. V., Ryabokon I. V. Modern aspects of insomnia therapy // Attending physician. - 2013. - No. 5.
• T. I. Ivanova, Z. A. Kirillova, L. Ya. Rabichev. Insomnia (treatment and prevention). - M.: Medgiz, 1960.