Benefits of Sleep Well Tea

Herbal teas have been around for centuries. Originally called tisanes they were made from an infusion of herbs steeped in hot water. Apart from having a beneficial effect on health, the fragrance of herbal tea is so appealing!   Using fresh or dried herbs is a delightful way to enjoy a tisane. Who doesn’t enjoy curling up with a good book and a steaming cup of herbal tea?  Why not create a ritual with a beautiful teapot and cups?

As a Medical Herbalist and Naturopath I am more of a fan of potent loose leaf herbal health teas than the chemically bleached flavoured teabag you often find in the supermarket. Rich in phytonutrients and with the healing power of potent herbs, health teas are easy to take and pack a subtle yet powerful punch.

Herbs are loaded with vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, essential oils, enzymes and chlorophyll so drinking a refreshing tea made from fresh organic herbs is a great way to get an infusion of nature’s healing energy, and boost your health at the same time.

Tea made from freshly gathered herbs captures almost 90 percent of the effective ingredients of the plant.   You may have, in your garden already, many herbs growing that are suitable for herbal tea but herbs are also readily available these days in dried form or in teabags. I particularly like the  PURATY teas because they are potent, which means they are going to do something. 

Using dried or fresh herbs is a delightful way to enjoy a tisane but I think it is really important to make sure that you are aware of the herbs that you are taking, that they are of good quality and standard, organic and spray free.   I wouldn’t recommend collecting herbs from beside the motorway to make herbal tea for instance!

One of the teas in the Puraty Range is the Sleep Well tea.

Sleep problems have become a prevalent health issue in our modern society - Can’t get to sleep, can’t stay asleep, and can’t get good quality sleep.  A lot of this is to do with the fast paced world we live in and the excess adrenalin and cortisol we produce just to get through the day.

Sleep problems can also be caused by exposure to chronic stress which compromises mental processes and digestive health , affects fertility, causes low immunity and metabolic problems.  Ill health and pain, emotional disturbances, aging, shift work, sleep apnea, jet lag, restless legs syndrome or even too much coffee and alcohol through the day can all cause sleep disturbance.

Sleep has such an important physiological function in the body – our body needs this down time to carry out normal physiological and hormonal processes.  Lack of good quality sleep causes all kinds of problems – lack of concentration, falling asleep while driving, continual daily fatigue, increased accidents, mood changes and reduced quality of life.

If you are having trouble falling asleep, wake frequently or early in the morning, experience insomnia, suffer from stress and anxiety and feel fatigued and tired all day due to a lack of good quality sleep, then Sleepy Tea may help you.

The unique blend of herbs in Sleepy Tea help to regulate sleep and promote healthy sleep patterns.

Herbal Adaptogens, anxiolytics and nervines , carminatives and adrenal restoratives have protective and modulating effects that help you gently drift off to sleep, regulate sleep so you stay asleep and improve your sleep quality – and it tastes great too.

If you are not getting a good sleep you might like to try a few of the following tips for improving sleep:

• Wind down into sleep, getting quieter as the night progresses. Watching a horror movie is not an option at this point!
• Clear your bedroom of all electronic appliances including the TV and sleep in a dark restful room
• Avoid caffeine in the late evening and afternoon, and don’t eat a meal too late at night.
• Make sure you are warm and the room is well ventilated
• A warm bath before bed can be very relaxing,
• Taking a magnesium supplement with your sleepy tea before bed can also be help.

By Joanna Vinsen Loveys, BNatMed HbT MNZAMH