Yes, Chamomile Tea Can Help You Sleep—But It Has So Many Extra Benefits
Whether you drink it, smell it, or soak in it, chamomile can help you sleep better, feel calmer, and stay healthier.
For such a dainty little flower, chamomile has some amazing superpowers. The compounds in chamomile can lull you to sleep, lower inflammation, work as an astringent, and even calm your entire nervous system. Make the most of the herb with these remedies from Laura Neville, N.D., a naturopathic physician based in Portland, OR.
Chamomile literally makes you tired
Chamomile tea is celebrated for its sleep-inducing powers—flavonoids in the plant bind to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain, acting as a mild tranquilizer. Sip a cup before bed as a delicious way to say goodnight.
It can ease lower back pain
Fill a clean sock with 1 cup dried chamomile. Tie up the end and submerge the sock in warm bathwater; add 1 quart Epsom salt and 5 drops lavender essential oil. “Your skin will absorb the chamomile, which works with the salt and oil to help relax muscles and relieve back pain,” says Neville.
And alleviate your anxiety
Chamomile can calm a busy mind: One University of Pennsylvania study of people with mild to moderate generalized anxiety disorder found that chamomile extract reduced symptoms better than a placebo. When you’re feeling anxious or upset, Neville recommends diffusing chamomile essential oil or drinking a cup of plain chamomile tea.
Chamomile can even lighten dark undereye circles
“Chamomile tea helps increase circulation and soothe irritation around the eyes, reducing dark circles,” says Neville. Place two tea bags in hot water for a few minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Place them over your eyelids and relax for 10 minutes, then take them off and dry your skin with a cloth. (Avoid this if you’re allergic to ragweed, as chamomile is in the same plant family.
And it can help lower your blood sugar
Another great reason to have a cuppa chamomile: Studies have shown that daily consumption of chamomile tea may lower blood-glucose levels in people with type-2 diabetes. For best results drink up before lunch and dinner.
It can ease an upset stomach
When combined with other belly-soothing herbs, such as peppermint and ginger, chamomile can help ease upset stomach, diarrhea, and even colic in babies.
And dial down period pain
German chamomile oil is known for reducing inflammation; add a few drops to a warm bath as a relaxing way to soothe both your cramps and your mood.
Marisa Cohen is a contributing editor in the Hearst Lifestyle Group’s Health Newsroom, who has covered health, nutrition, parenting, and the arts for dozens of magazines and websites over the past two decades. She has also appeared on two game shows, has seen more than 400 Broadway shows, and really wishes she knew how to tap dance.
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