We’re going to be honest. Drinking chamomile tea in the morning seemed a little odd to us. We have our cup in the evening, about an hour or so before going to bed. We’d never thought about drinking it in the day before.
Until we started working on this post.
Obviously, we love tea. It’s why we started a site to talk about it. But first thing in the morning, it’s all about the coffee. Yeah, we know…. We can’t help it but we’re working on it. Tea tends to be something we drink later in the day.
But coffee can lead to jittery energy, followed by an energy slump that can last the rest of the day. We’ve started switched over to teas earlier in the workday but can you drink chamomile tea in the morning? Or is that a sure-fire way of falling asleep at your desk?
What is Chamomile Tea?
Chamomile is a herb. The tea is made by steeping the small flowers of the German and Roman varieties in hot water.
In British English, it’s spelt camomile.
It’s caffeine-free. You can buy chamomile tea loose to use in a teapot or infuser or in teabags that go straight into a cup or mug.
Most people drink chamomile because it’s believed to encourage sleep and relaxation. This is why chamomile tea is a popular late-night beverage.
Insider writes that its sleep-producing qualities come from apigenin: a chemical compound that binds itself to the brain and encourages feelings of sleepiness. You’ll find lots of advice online to drink a cup of chamomile 45-minutes before bed.
Can You Drink Chamomile Tea in the Morning?
Yes, you can.
You can drink chamomile whenever you want to. Traditionally, people drink it later in the day to wind down. But who’s to say that an early chamomile routine can’t benefit you.
There’s no God of Tea waiting to strike you down for blasphemy.
Aside from helping you sleep; chamomile is also believed to reduce feelings of anxiety. That’s one reason taking it earlier in the day could be beneficial. We’ve all felt overwhelmed or stressed at work at some point. Doesn’t it make more sense to drink a tea that relaxes us rather than taking a coffee that does the opposite?
That’s one argument in favour of drinking chamomile tea in the morning. We’re just worried that it might make us fall asleep at our desks or at least zone us out. Rarely ideal when you’re working or when you’ve got a lot of things to do.
It could be worth trying it on a Sunday afternoon though.
Morning Tea alternatives
You could always try drinking a different tea. Green peppermint teas are good for energy. You’ll get a boost without chamomile’s sleep-inducing effect. If you need caffeine, try black tea.
For a comforting tea using black tea, try chai.
Is it bad to drink chamomile in the morning?
No.
Try it and see what happens. Try it on a slow day. The kind of glorious day when you don’t have much to do. When you’re sitting around reading, watching television or in the garden. You may find yourself benefitting from its calm-inducing effect.
We’re going to give it a try. We’ll update you here with what happens. The only thing we’re worried about is that its effect may be amplified by a placebo! What if just by expecting to fall asleep, that we actually do?
Is it OK to drink chamomile tea every day?
It is.
Many people around the world enjoy a cup as part of their daily routine. Although, women in the third trimester of pregnancy are advised to stop drinking it. WebMD reported on a study that found some babies were born earlier, shorter and with a lower birth weight when the mother regularly drank chamomile. Another study found no link, but it’s still widely advised that pregnant women avoid it.