The 5 Best Teas for Sleep According to a Very Yawny Bon Appétit Editor

My speech was slurring, my tongue felt a little fuzzy, and I asked a room of my colleagues, “Why haven’t we ever discussed everyone’s favorite apple? Mine’s Winesap.” This was neither funny nor interesting. I put down my gigantic thermos of Mother’s Little Helper, a potent caffeine-free herbal tea by David’s Tea. But Mother wasn’t helping; she had me fucked-up on valerian.That was the last time I tested a sleepy-time tea at 3 p.m. on a Tuesday. On the one hand, an afternoon session seemed like the only way to determine the efficacy of the best teas for sleep; on the other, I was dozing off at work.The original Sleepytime Tea (you know the one, with the comatose bear in front of a precarious roaring fire) hit shelves in 1972. That thing sells over 4 million boxes a year; the people need their sleep. With herbal remedies (cough) becoming more and more mainstream, there are dozens of teas for sleep to choose from. And just wait until you hear about Ambien!Our top picksBest for unwinding at the end of the day: Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night Extra ValerianIf you're having trouble sleeping: David’s Tea’s Mother’s Little HelperFor late-afternoon stress: Steep Echo ReposeA classic, comforting pre-sleep sip: Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime ExtraTo help you relax: Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary Bedtime BlendHerbalists will note that each body reacts differently to herbs: Some might feel energized by valerian tea, while others might conk out after a watery cup of chamomile. I kept that in mind—and so should you, because this isn’t medical advice—as I sipped and snoozed my way through all the best teas for sleep. Some taste like gym socks, others like floral arrangements in a funeral parlor, and a few manage to have no flavor whatsoever. In this very unscientific test, I've uncovered the sleepiest and most delicious bedtime tea on the market.Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night Extra ValerianIf you’re really serious about getting a better sleep fast, you need to skip over the plain Nighty Night and hit the Nighty Night Extra Valerian instead. It gets me every time. After a 10-minute steep, there’s a pleasant, funky-earthy smell to this organic tea, with subtle notes of gym socks. But the scent is much stronger than the taste. This is a tea made from passionflower—an actual flower known to chill the nerves, not the name of a bath oil your mom bought from the last Avon lady on Earth. If you’re the kind of person who lies in bed thinking about those lost USPS packages, your cat’s fading eyesight, and what will happen to your health care in the near future, well, this is for you.Verdict: Legit. Despite the scent, the flavor is mellow and perfect if you need to unwind at the end of a long day overthinking how to respond to that one email. I would recommend it.Traditional MedicinalsNighty Night Extra Lemon Balm & Valerian TeaDavid’s Tea’s Mother’s Little HelperThis loose-leaf tea has an intense minty, citrusy, and medicinal flavor, which honestly just comes with the territory. The valerian root is in full effect. As mentioned earlier, it fucked me up in the office, so I save this one for seriously stressful nights, like, say, when you know you need to write a long story about tea the next morning and have really procrastinated. The scent is pleasant but also very strong, so I store this tea away from other teas lest they all start smelling like lemongrass.Verdict: Seriously snoozy and will get you ready for a good night’s sleep—but not subtle in flavor. Doctor it up with honey to cut through the bitterness.David’s TeaMother’s Little HelperSteep Echo ReposeSteep Echos’ teas are made from olive leaves (cool!) and have obtuse one-word names like Hush and Ascent. The packaging is nicer than any wallpaper I’ve ever owned, and I’ve owned some nice wallpaper. The flavor is just lovely (chamomile flowers, lots of rose), matching the fancy-boutique-hotel-on-the-seaside vibes of said paper. Need I say more? The longer the steep, the more potent it becomes, so I’d recommend taking the tea bag out after 3–4 minutes.Verdict: This tea had a calming effect, but was not a get-thee-to-dreamtown sleep aid. I’d recommend it for late-afternoon stress, after your boss pulled you into his office to reprimand you for something that definitely wasn’t your fault. Or was it?Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime ExtraIf your mom microwaved Sleepytime for you when you were young because it was past your bedtime, you’ll recognize the huge, snoring bear on the box from a mile away. Celestial Seasonings tried to rebrand, and thousands of calls and emails cried out, “Um, no.” So they brought the bear back, and the world is a better place for it. The herbs aren’t organic, so the yogi-wellness gurus I consulted don’t adore this one, but I do—and I think you will too. They’ve managed to cook up a flavorful herbal blend that’s slightly sweet, minty, and chamomile-forward without any bitterness. Plus, it’s heavy on the most powerful ingredient of all: nostalgia. Well, nostalgia and valerian, which is what makes this Sleepytime “Extra”.Verdict: You can consider this one the Coca-Cola of sleepy teas. The flavor is comforting, powerful, and downright good. It’s a solid choice that checks all of the boxes and can be found at pretty much any grocery store.Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime ExtraRebecca’s Herbal Apothecary Bedtime BlendThis was my first time as a human ever to consume catnip, which I knew had great reviews from my cat, Roger, but apparently is also a muscle-relaxing nerve-chiller. It’s a lemon balm tea with oatstraw, lavender, and skullcap, which came highly recommended from a flower-essence therapist friend of mine. True story, and real career. When steeped, this made a darker, gray tea that smelled like oatmeal and tasted very mellow, with hints of...hay? That was the most concrete thing I could put my finger on.Verdict: If you’re not a fan of chamomile/licorice/all those usual medicine flavors in most sleep-aid bevs, this is your cup of tea. As I drank it, I felt like I wanted something more, but maybe I’m just not appreciative of nuance. Snooze factor: It won’t knock you out right away, but it will give you a calm, relaxed energy. You could easily drink it during the day after a rough meeting or before that flower-essence therapist appointment.Rebecca's Herbal ApothecaryBedtime Blend TeaThis article was originally published in 2017.