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By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

There’s nothing worse than getting less than adequate sleep. It leaves you cranky, still tired, often with a headache, and less productive the next day. There are all sorts of different medications that you can get to help you sleep, but nutritionists say that these may work in the moment, but often lead to dependency and other effects. So, instead, try using chamomile tea as your go-to sleep inducer!

Chamomile tea is a nice, light, herbal tea with a mild flavor. It’s perfect for sipping on in the evenings before bed. According to registered dietician Devinee Lingo, chamomile tea gets its relaxation-promoting benefits from an active compound called apigenin. Apigenin binds to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, which calms your nervous system and promotes relaxation – Perfect for unwinding after a long and stressful day.

But that’s not all that apigenin does. It has also been shown to reduce anxiety and depression, as well as improve sleep quality, and reduce the number of times that you wake up during your sleep!

In case you’re interested in drinking more hot chamomile tea, here are a few tips!

• Buy high-quality, whole-flower tea rather than prepackaged tea bags.
• Don’t directly biol the flowers, use water that is just under boiling temperature!
• Drink it 30-60 minutes before bedtime.
• Add other flavors such as honey or agave nectar!

So, before you head to bed, steep yourself a cup of chamomile tea and take advantage of all the relaxation benefits to wind down from your day!

For more health-related articles, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!