Chamomile tea for sleep may help you feel calmer and sleep a little better, but the evidence is modest and mixed. A 2019 meta-analysis of 12 trials found chamomile improved sleep quality, but only one trial tested insomnia and it found no benefit. Many trials used extracts or capsules, not tea, and most were small. A cup in the evening is a reasonable low-risk experiment, not a treatment. Give it a couple of weeks and track how you sleep. Chamomile is generally well tolerated, but people allergic to ragweed or related plants are more likely to react. Ask a clinician first if you take warfarin, sedatives, or other medicines, or are pregnant or breastfeeding. For ongoing insomnia, CBT-I is the first-line treatment. This is educational information, not medical advice.
What does the research say about chamomile tea for sleep?
The research gives a modest, mixed answer. Here is what the studies found at a glance:
- Sleep quality: a 2019 meta-analysis of 12 randomized trials found a significant improvement after chamomile.
- Insomnia: only one trial in that review tested insomnia, and it found no significant change in insomnia severity. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says there is very little information on chamomile for insomnia.
- Daytime function: a small pilot trial in chronic insomnia found chamomile helped people function slightly better during the day.
- Specific groups: trials in older adults, in women after pregnancy, and in menopause have reported better sleep.
- Side effects: only mild adverse events were reported, in three of the trials.
Many of these trials used extracts or capsules, not brewed tea. So results may not carry over to a cup of tea.
How might chamomile affect sleep?
Chamomile is considered a mild sedative, which means it may relax the nervous system and promote sleep. A warm cup before bed can also work as a calming ritual.
Chamomile contains a compound called apigenin that gets a lot of attention online. We take a closer look in our guide to apigenin for sleep.
Does chamomile tea help insomnia or anxiety?
For insomnia, there is little evidence of benefit. The one randomized trial of insomnia in the 2019 review found no significant change. A 28-day placebo-controlled pilot of a standardized extract in people with chronic insomnia was small, and the NCCIH summary reports that it found no benefit for insomnia.
For anxiety, the picture is mixed. In the meta-analysis, three trials of state anxiety showed no difference. But people with generalized anxiety disorder improved on the Hamilton Anxiety Scale after two and four weeks of treatment. That does not mean tea can replace care for an anxiety disorder.
If worry is what keeps you up, see anxiety and insomnia.
Is chamomile tea or chamomile extract better for sleep?
Neither has strong proof. Trials used different forms, so it is hard to compare them:
- Extracts or capsules: a 2017 trial in older adults used extract capsules and reported better sleep quality scores over four weeks. A small insomnia pilot using a standardized extract found no benefit.
- Tea: a 2016 trial in postnatal women who drank chamomile tea reported improved sleep quality.
Extract products vary, and supplements are not approved to treat insomnia. Tea is simpler and lower commitment, so most people can start there.
How do you try chamomile tea for sleep? A simple plan
There is no proven best amount or timing. This is practical advice, not proven dosing:
- Choose plain chamomile tea. Skip blends with caffeine.
- Drink a cup about 30 to 60 minutes before bed as part of a wind-down routine.
- Watch your fluids. If you wake to urinate, try it earlier in the evening. See waking up to pee at night.
- Pair it with the basics: dim lights, no screens, and a steady schedule.
- Track for two weeks. Note how long it takes to fall asleep and how you feel in the morning.
- Stop if you notice itching, a rash, or breathing symptoms.
- If nothing changes, move on. Do not keep adding herbs. See our honest guide to supplements for sleep.
Does a cup of tea never seem to be enough? That can point to a deeper cause behind the scenes, like a stress response that stays switched on. If that sounds like you, book a consultation and we’ll look for the root cause.
Who should avoid chamomile tea or ask first?
The NCCIH lists these cautions:
- Allergies. People allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, or daisies are more likely to react to chamomile.
- Medicines. Interactions have been reported with warfarin and with some drugs processed by the liver. There are theoretical reasons to suspect interactions with others, such as sedatives.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Little is known about whether chamomile is safe.
- Hormones. Chamomile might have some of the same effects as estrogen, so ask a clinician if you have a hormone-sensitive condition.
If you take medicines, ask a pharmacist before making it a nightly habit.
What works better than herbal tea for sleep?
For ongoing insomnia, CBT-I is the first-line treatment recommended by the American College of Physicians. Tea cannot do what CBT-I does, which is change the habits and thoughts that keep insomnia going. Read about CBT-I.
If you want to explore other options, our guides to valerian root and L-theanine and glycine take the same honest look at the evidence.
What the Research Shows
A meta-analysis found better sleep quality, but little on insomnia. A 2019 systematic review and meta-analysis in Phytotherapy Research searched 11 databases and included 12 randomized trials. It found a significant improvement in sleep quality after chamomile (standardized mean difference −0.73). Three trials of state anxiety showed no difference, but generalized anxiety disorder scores improved after two and four weeks. Only one trial studied insomnia, and it found no significant change in the Insomnia Severity Index. Mild adverse events were reported in three trials. The authors said chamomile appears effective and safe for sleep quality and generalized anxiety disorder, little evidence exists for insomnia, and larger trials are needed.
The insomnia pilot was small. A 2011 randomized, placebo-controlled pilot in primary care tested a standardized chamomile extract against placebo for 28 days in 34 adults with chronic primary insomnia. The NCCIH summary reports that this study found no benefit for insomnia. Other coverage notes that people with insomnia functioned slightly better during the day. It was a pilot, so it was not designed to settle the question.
Newer reviews describe inconsistent results. A 2024 systematic review of four studies on teas, extracts, and essential oils found that some participants had better sleep quality and shorter time to fall asleep, but results were inconsistent, especially for objective measures like total sleep time. No serious side effects were reported. The authors cited small samples and differences in how studies were run, and called for larger, standardized trials.
Safety needs attention. The NCCIH notes that allergic reactions are more likely in people allergic to related plants such as ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, or daisies. It says chamomile might have some of the same effects as estrogen, that interactions with warfarin and some liver-metabolized drugs have been reported, and that little is known about safety during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
This article is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk with a qualified clinician about your own sleep, health conditions, and medications.
If you would like to see how we might be able to help you with this deeper, schedule a free consult here.
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When to Seek Professional Help
- You have trouble sleeping at least three nights a week for three months or more. Ask about CBT-I, the first-line treatment for chronic insomnia.
- You develop itching, hives, swelling, or wheezing after chamomile. Stop it, and seek urgent care for any trouble breathing.
- You take warfarin, other prescription medicines, or sedatives, or you are pregnant or breastfeeding, and want to use chamomile regularly. Ask a clinician or pharmacist first.
- Your anxiety is constant or severe, or you feel persistently sad or hopeless, or have thoughts of self-harm. Contact a clinician right away, and in the US you can call or text 988 at any time.
- You snore loudly, gasp or choke at night, or feel very sleepy by day. These can signal sleep apnea.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does chamomile tea help you sleep?
It may help a little, but the evidence is modest. A 2019 meta-analysis of 12 randomized trials found that chamomile improved sleep quality. However, only one trial tested insomnia, and it found no significant benefit. Many trials used extracts or capsules rather than tea, and the studies were small. A warm cup can also be a relaxing bedtime ritual. Treat it as a low-risk experiment, not a treatment for insomnia.
How long before bed should you drink chamomile tea?
No trial has established the best timing, so this is practical advice, not proven dosing. A cup about 30 to 60 minutes before bed lets it feel like part of a wind-down routine and leaves time for a bathroom trip. If you wake at night to urinate, try it earlier in the evening or skip it. Give it a couple of weeks and track how you sleep.
Is chamomile tea safe to drink every night?
For most people, chamomile is generally well tolerated, and mild side effects were the only ones reported in the trials that tracked them. Research on long-term nightly use is limited, and some people develop allergic reactions, especially if they are allergic to ragweed or related plants. Chamomile can also interact with warfarin and drugs processed by the liver. If you take medicines or have health conditions, ask a clinician or pharmacist before making it a nightly habit.
Who should not drink chamomile tea?
People with allergies to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, or daisies are more likely to react. Ask a clinician first if you take warfarin, other medicines processed by the liver, or sedatives, because interactions have been reported or are suspected. Little is known about safety during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and chamomile may have some estrogen-like effects. Stop and get help for itching, hives, swelling, or trouble breathing.
Is chamomile tea or chamomile extract better for sleep?
Neither has strong proof for insomnia. Some trials of standardized extracts in capsules, for example in older adults, found better sleep quality, while a small insomnia pilot using an extract found no benefit. Tea trials, such as one in postnatal women, also reported improvements. Extracts vary by product, and supplements are not approved to treat insomnia. Tea is simpler and lower commitment, so most people can start there.
When to Work With a Sleep Consultant
If a cup of tea has not changed your nights, a deeper cause may be involved: your stress response, circadian rhythm, hormones, gut, or nutrient status. The Sleep Consultant looks for those root causes instead of handing you generic sleep-hygiene tips or another supplement.
