Does Chamomile Tea Help You Sleep? Benefits + Research

Chamomile is a popular herbal tea often marketed as a relaxing drink for the evening.

You’ve probably seen claims that chamomile tea can help to support better sleep, but is there any truth to this?

In truth, there is surprisingly little research on chamomile tea itself, with much of the research focusing on chamomile extracts. However, the available research does suggest that chamomile may help with sleep, potentially due to the effects of the bioactive compounds it contains like apigenin.

Additionally, several small studies have also found that chamomile may help to support blood sugar control.

In this article, we examine what benefits chamomile might have and what the science says. We also look at some possible downsides of chamomile so that you know both the potential positives and negatives.

Why Might Chamomile Tea Help With Sleep?

Chamomile tea contains a variety of bioactive compounds known as phytochemicals (plant chemicals). These compounds include:

• Apigenin
• Bisabolol
• Chamazulene
• Luteolin
• Patuletin
• Quercetin

Among these, apigenin is a major bioactive compound in chamomile, with research suggesting it represents about 0.4% of chamomile by weight.

Research findings from mechanistic and animal studies suggest that apigenin interacts with GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors in the brain. GABA is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in the central nervous system, so it can help to slow down the body’s impulses, thereby having a relaxant effect.

In short: Chamomile contains apigenin, which may impact neurotransmitters in the brain that reduce activity, which might promote better sleep.

However, while this mechanistic theory explains why chamomile may help with sleep, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it actually does help. To verify that, we have to examine chamomile’s impact on sleep in studies involving human participants.

What Studies Show About Chamomile and Sleep

Let’s now look at what the actual studies investigating chamomile’s impact on sleep show.

Firstly, a 2024 systematic review analyzed clinical trials on chamomile and sleep. Some of its main findings were that:

• Sleep quality: Chamomile generally lowered the time it took to get to sleep and there were improvements in staying asleep through the night.
• Sleep duration: There were no changes in the overall length of sleep.
• Daytime function: The review investigated whether chamomile improved daytime function measures. For example, if changes in sleep quality led to less fatigue throughout the day. However, there were no measurable changes.

While this sounds positive, there are two key points to consider:

1. Most of the included studies in the review were chamomile extracts. The effect of a high-strength extract made from chamomile may not represent the effect of simply drinking chamomile tea.
2. Many of the studies were small, and the entire systematic review included only 772 participants.

Based on this, further research specifically on chamomile tea is necessary before strong claims can be made about the tea improving sleep.

Chamomile Tea and Sleep Quality in Sleep-Disturbed Postnatal Women

One study that actually did look at the effect of chamomile tea rather than an extract was a randomized controlled trial involving 80 women with sleep problems after pregnancy.

This study found that 40 women consuming chamomile tea experienced improvements in their ‘physical-symptoms-related sleep inefficiency’ score compared to 40 women in the control group. However, these scores became similar at the 4-week mark.

These mixed results suggest that while chamomile tea may impact sleep quality, its long-term impact is unclear.

Chamomile Extract and Sleep Quality in Older Adults

An earlier randomized controlled trial investigated twice-daily chamomile extract supplementation on sleep quality in older adults.

30 adults supplemented with chamomile extract twice per day for 28 days, while a control group of 30 adults consumed wheat flour capsules.

The results showed that chamomile extract significantly improved sleep quality compared to the control group.

However, once again, this was a high-strength chamomile extract rather than simply adults drinking chamomile tea.

Is There a Right Time To Drink Chamomile Tea For Sleep?

If you’re looking to drink chamomile tea to wind down in the evening, it’s understandable that you might be wondering what the best time to drink it is.

However, this is not a question which has a reliable, evidence-based answer. If chamomile tea can help with sleep, even less is known about what the optimal timing for drinking it might be.

That said, an older 2011 randomized controlled pilot study provides some relevant information. This particular study investigated the effects of chamomile extract on insomnia with mixed results, but the participants were instructed to take a second daily dose of chamomile one hour before bed.

This does not necessarily mean one hour before bed is the optimal time to drink chamomile tea, but in the absence of evidence-based findings, it could be viewed as an educated guess.

Other Potential Benefits

As chamomile is a dried flower high in phytochemicals, scientific research has looked into whether it may have other potential health benefits.

Most of this research has focused on chamomile’s impact on glycemic (blood sugar) control, but studies have covered diverse topics including menstrual cramps and anxiety.

Blood Sugar Control

Several studies suggest that chamomile may impact how the body regulates blood sugar levels:

• According to a 2023 systematic review, chamomile consumption appears to beneficially impact markers of blood sugar control, including fasting blood sugar and long-term blood-sugar levels (HbA1C). These findings were based on 4 studies involving humans and 8 involving animals, but many of the studies used chamomile extract rather than chamomile tea itself.
• A 2022 systematic review stated that chamomile tea is effective for supporting blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes at a dose of 3 grams, three times per day for 8 weeks. However, this conclusion was based on only one small study, so it is relatively weak evidence despite being a systematic review.

It should also be noted that, due to the uncertainty of evidence, the authors of both systematic reviews specifically mentioned that further research is necessary to confirm their findings.

Anxiety

A 2024 systematic review of 10 clinical trials found that chamomile may have beneficial effects for anxiety. The authors noted that this may be due to chamomile’s active compounds like apigenin affecting neurotransmitters.

While some of the trials included in this review used chamomile extracts, three studies used chamomile tea, with an average dose of 1–2 cups per day.

Menstrual Cramps

A 2021 systematic review of 7 clinical trials found that chamomile may lower the amount of bleeding during periods as well as help to reduce menstrual pain and cramps.

However, these studies focused on chamomile extract, so it is difficult to ascertain whether chamomile tea would have the same effects.

Potential Downsides

There are some potential drawbacks of chamomile in the scientific literature which may be relevant to a small number of people. Documented adverse events have mainly revolved around the (rare) possibility of allergies and medical interactions.

As always, please consult your healthcare provider if you have any concerns about chamomile before you use it.

Allergies

Several case studies have presented allergic reactions to chamomile tea, including cases of anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction). Such reactions have been seen in adults as well as in young children.

However, based on the limited number of cases, allergic reactions to chamomile appear to be relatively uncommon.

Interactions

According to a 2020 systematic review, chamomile may increase the anticoagulant (blood-thinning) effect of warfarin.

The review noted that this may be due to chamomile tea potentially interacting with an enzyme called CYP2C9. This enzyme helps the liver to process warfarin, so consuming chamomile alongside warfarin could theoretically strengthen its effects.

Summary

Based on the existing evidence, chamomile tea may have some potential benefits for sleep quality and blood sugar control. However, the overall evidence is relatively limited, and many studies used high-strength extracts rather than the tea itself.

A smaller amount of research also suggests that chamomile may potentially have benefits for anxiety and menstrual cramps. Further research from high-quality studies involving human participants is necessary to confirm these findings.

Overall, if you enjoy drinking chamomile tea, it’s a caffeine and calorie-free drink that is well-suited for evening intake.

References