Sweet Dreams Herbal Tea Recipe

What are the benefits of home-grown sleep tea?

Home-grown sleep tea offers a powerful blend of natural calm, therapeutic richness and deep personal connection to your wellbeing. At Earthsong Seeds, we’ve created a soothing herbal tea blend featuring chamomile, lavender, valerian and California poppy, all known for their gentle sedative properties.

Our own research into home-grown chamomile revealed that it contains 560% more essential oil than the standard found in shop-bought herbal teas, resulting in a richer taste and enhanced calming effects. Beyond the cup, growing your own herbs nurtures your mental health by encouraging time in the garden and moments of connection with the rhythms of nature. Harvesting your own remedies is deeply empowering, turning a simple cup of tea into a ritual of self-care. It is also incredibly cost-effective because once you sow the seeds, your garden can provide endless herbal tea for years to come.

When is the best time to drink herbal tea before bed?

The best time to drink herbal tea for sleep is about 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. This gives your body enough time to absorb the calming compounds while also creating a relaxing evening ritual that signals to your mind that it’s time to wind down. Pairing your tea with dim lights, quiet reading, or gentle stretches can make the bedtime routine even more effective for easing into restful sleep. It’s best to avoid looking at screens before bed as the blue light can disrupt our circadian rhythm and make it harder to fall asleep.

Which herbs can I use for a night time tea?

• Chamomile (flowers) – Best used as a simple tea. Put seven fresh flower-heads or a tablespoon of the dried flowers in a cup of boiled water and infuse in a covered pot for 10-15 minutes to enjoy her soothing nurture.
• Valerian (root) – A well-known herbal sedative that helps calm the nervous system, reduce restlessness, and ease the transition into sleep. The root can be harvested, dried and steeped for tea.
• Lavender (flowers) – The soothing aroma is indicative of its essential oils, that help relax the mind, ease tension, and promote a sense of calm before bed.
• California poppy (aerial parts) – The aerial parts (leaves, stems, flowers) of California poppy have gentle sedative and anxiolytic effects, helping quiet the mind and reduce mild insomnia.
• Skullcap (aerial parts) – Skullcap’s aerial parts are traditionally used to ease racing thoughts, nervous tension, and stress-related sleeplessness, supporting deeper, calmer rest.
• Wood betony (aerial parts) – The aerial parts of wood betony help relax both body and mind, easing headaches, stress, and nervous tension that can interfere with sleep.

Click on the herbs below to view options to buy seeds and plants:

Recipe: Lavender, chamomile and valerian herbal tea for restful sleep

Ingredients

• Chamomile flower (1 teaspoon of dried or 2 teaspoons of fresh)
• Lavender flower ( 1 teaspoon of dried or 2 teaspoons of fresh)
• Valerian root (1-2 teaspoons)
• Licorice root (1 teaspoon)
• 500ml of freshly boiled water

This will serve 2–3 cups of sweet dreams.

Equipment

• Tea spoon
• Tea pot
• Mug or teacup

Method

• Put all of the ingredients in a pot and cover with a lid to help retain the precious essential oils
• Add 500ml/18fl oz freshly boiled filtered water
• Leave to steep for 10–15 minutes
• Strain, sip and fall to sleep