Tea
Evening tea for restlessness
Three plants, each mild on its own, that together become something you can actually feel. Chamomile takes the edge off the restlessness, lemon balm loosens the tightness in the chest, and lavender shortens the passage into sleep.
This is not a tea that knocks you out. It is one that stops you lying there still going.
Drink it an hour before bed. Not right before, or you will simply be up again.
Ingredients
- 1 part dried chamomile
- 1 part dried lavender
- 1 part dried lemon balm
- 250 ml boiling water per cup
Equipment
- Airtight jar for the blend
- Strainer or tea infuser
- Cup
- Plate to cover with
Method
- 1
Mix equal parts dried chamomile, lavender and lemon balm.
- 2
1-2 tsp per cup of boiling water, steep 8-10 minutes, drink an hour before bed.
Dosage
1-2 tsp per cup. Steep 8-10 minutes, covered.
Drink one cup an hour before bed.
Shelf life
The dried blend keeps 1 year, dark and airtight. Drink the tea fresh.
Safety
Chamomile is in the daisy family. If you react to mugwort, ragweed or ox-eye daisy, drink a small cup first and wait.
Lemon balm can affect thyroid function with large, sustained use. If you have a thyroid condition, speak with your doctor before drinking it daily over time.
The blend is sedative. Do not drive straight afterwards if you feel drowsy, and do not combine it with sleeping medication without asking your doctor.
Not recommended in pregnancy beyond an occasional cup.
If you sleep badly for weeks or months, that is not a tea''s job. Then you need to find out why.
How the herbs work
Chamomile contains apigenin, which binds to the same sites in the brain as sedative medication, only far more gently. It calms without dulling.
Lemon balm eases anxiety and loosens the bodily tension that comes with stress.
Lavender slows the pulse and shortens the time it takes to fall asleep. The scent alone contributes, so breathe the steam as you drink.
The content here is general knowledge and folk herbal lore, not medical treatment. In illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding or alongside medication: always talk to your doctor first.