Chamomile Tea Before Bed: A Simple Evening Ritual

Chamomile tea is a mild, caffeine-free herbal tea made from dried chamomile flowers, valued for its gentle, honeyed, apple-like taste rather than any strong flavour. Steep it for 5 minutes in freshly boiled water, and it’s ready.

How to brew it

1. Use one to two teaspoons of dried chamomile flowers, or one tea bag, per cup.
2. Pour freshly boiled water over the flowers and cover the cup.
3. Steep for 5 minutes. Chamomile is delicate, so steeping much longer than this can bring out a slightly bitter edge.
4. Strain and drink plain, or with a small spoon of honey if you like it sweeter.

Building a simple evening ritual

Chamomile tea works well as part of a wind-down routine an hour or so before bed: dim the lights, put your phone away, and give yourself the five minutes it takes to brew and drink a cup slowly. The ritual itself, as much as the tea, is what helps mark the end of the day. Keeping the same routine most nights, rather than only reaching for it occasionally, tends to make it feel more effective as a signal to your body that the day is winding down. Some people pair it with a short bit of reading or journalling, using the brewing time itself as a natural pause between the day and bed.

Pairing it with lemongrass

If you find plain chamomile a little one-note, pairing it with lemongrass adds a light citrus lift without adding any caffeine. Our Camomile and Lemongrass Tea blends the two together in one pack, giving a cup that’s still calming but with a bit more brightness to it.

Chamomile flowers vs chamomile tea bags

Whole dried chamomile flowers generally give a fuller, more aromatic cup than the crushed chamomile often found in standard tea bags, because whole flowers release their oils more slowly and evenly during steeping. If you’ve only had bagged chamomile before, loose whole-flower chamomile is worth trying for comparison.

Where chamomile comes from

Chamomile has a long history in European herbal tradition, most commonly from German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), the small daisy-like flower used in tea. It has been part of everyday herbal drinks across Europe for centuries, long before it became a common supermarket tea bag. You can read more about the plant on Wikipedia’s chamomile entry.

Try it for yourself

Our Strong Pure Camomile Tea is made with whole chamomile flowers for a fuller cup. If mint is more your style in the evening, our guide to brewing peppermint tea covers that too.

Frequently asked questions

Does chamomile tea have caffeine?

No. Chamomile tea is naturally caffeine-free, which is part of why it’s a common choice for the evening.

How long does chamomile tea take to work?

This varies from person to person. Many people build it into a routine over several nights rather than expecting an effect from a single cup.

Can I add milk to chamomile tea?

Chamomile tea is usually drunk plain or with a little honey. Milk isn’t traditional and can mute the delicate floral flavour.

Can I drink chamomile tea every night?

Many people include a cup in their nightly routine. As with any herbal tea, if you have a health condition or take medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor first.

How should I store dried chamomile flowers?

Keep them in an airtight container away from light and heat. Stored this way, they should hold their flavour well for up to a year.

Is chamomile tea the same as regular tea?

No. Regular tea, whether black or green, comes from the Camellia sinensis plant and naturally contains caffeine. Chamomile tea is an infusion made from flowers, not tea leaves, and has no caffeine at all.