One of the most often things repeated about Chamomile Tea is that it improves sleep quality. For many people, this means being able to fall asleep faster. I wanted to test this assumption. For my experiment, I used a total Sleep Quality score. I brewed a single mug of loose leaf Chamomile between 3 and 5 minutes at a temperature of around 200F. The beverage was consumed within 60 minutes before going to sleep.
After 60 days of data, here are the numbers. The Sleep Quality number is a score between 1 and 5, with 5 being perfect sleep.
30 Nights with Chamomile Tea = 4.17 average
30 Nights without Chamomile Tea = 3.77 average
Wow! At first glance, it appears that Chamomile Tea is really helping my Sleep Quality. But this test overlapped with my Side Sleep Experiment. So I went back and just looked at the Chamomile Tea data taken after I adapted to Side Sleep.
26 Nights with Chamomile Tea + Side Sleep = 4.077 average
14 Nights without Chamomile Tea + Side Sleep = 4.071 average
I’m not a statistics guru (yet), but it now appears the sleep improvement did not come from the Chamomile Tea. It came when I switched from being a back sleeper to a side sleeper.
Loose leaf Chamomile by cjhuang
According to Ori Hofmekler, the author of the The Anti-Estogenic Diet and The Warrior Diet, chamomile is a “powerful estrogen inhibitor”. His book covers how estrogens are in the modern food supply and our environment. Excessive estrogens can make us sick and overweight. So I will continue to drink Chamomile Tea as cheap insurance against estrogens.
I don’t find the taste of Chamomile Tea that appealing, but I discovered that adding a pinch of red roobios tea makes it taste much better. Roobios is a South African bark tea that has no caffeine and its own health benefits.
Roberta
Mar 13, 2012 — 1:06 pm
You should try taking magnesium before bed and then report back. I take something called Natural Calm. I think it helps.
MAS
Mar 13, 2012 — 1:07 pm
@Roberta – Already do.
Michelle
Mar 13, 2012 — 9:13 pm
Nice info, I have thought about trying this tea. Have you ever used Melatonin?
MAS
Mar 13, 2012 — 9:20 pm
@Michelle – I did 10 years ago, but got inconsistent results. I may try it again. I need to research it further. I’m most interested in something that deepens sleep around hour 4 to 6, not the early hours.
Ahrand
Mar 21, 2012 — 2:22 am
While you’re drinking tea, add some Xylitol sweetener.
It has been proven to diminish chronic ear/sinus/tooth/gum/gut infections over time.
Might improve your nightly headaches ?
I you really want to go hard-core (like I did)
Rinse your nose with dissolved Xylitol :
– intense headaches for a week
– then clear headed, no more headaches
MAS
Mar 21, 2012 — 10:43 am
@Ahrand – That is next on my list of ideas to try. JamesK post this comment on Xylitol.
https://criticalmas.org/2012/03/hunting-headaches-shampoo-up-my-nose/#comment-11741
I do want to use it in my Neti Pot. How much did you add?
Ahrand
Mar 21, 2012 — 2:13 pm
Aim for a 5% solution.
You could add Lactoferrin for additional help
Take into account some serious headaches in the first week.
MAS
Mar 21, 2012 — 7:26 pm
@Ahrand – Thanks. Tomorrow I start shopping for the gear.
Ahrand
Mar 22, 2012 — 12:11 am
Be sure to get 100% pure Lactoferrin with no additives (typically they’ll throw in iron, Vit. C …)
PS. If you want to reach your Eustachian tubes, you’ll have to do better then a Neti Pot, send me an email.
MAS
Mar 22, 2012 — 9:12 am
@Ahrand – Will do. Thanks for your help.
Shirley McKittrick
Nov 18, 2012 — 11:38 am
I found Chamomile Herbal Tea sometime ago and did order it by mail. In fact,
I purchesed several boxes. Since then I hve used it up and found it at WalMart but
they no longer carry the one I want.I purchased Chamomile Celectial Seasonings
Herbal Tea but it isn’t what I am use to.
Can you send me a picture of the box it comes in? This one I have does not
have the tea bags in individual bags. I have carried them with me whenever
I go somewhere, but don’t feel I can carry these like that.
If you hwave the ones I want, I will spend $35 or more for them.
Thank You
Shirley McKittrick
22 Walden Avenue
New London,CT 06320
MAS
Nov 18, 2012 — 9:33 pm
@Shirley – My chamomile was loose herbs and not in a pre packaged tea box.