How I Chose Which Teas to Include
I have been drinking some of these herbal teas regularly for many years, so I already knew I liked them and wanted to include them in this list. But I also wanted to add more variety, so I went to two popular supermarkets in the UK — Sainsbury’s and Waitrose — to pick up some teas I hadn’t tried before. I also searched online to find other well-known or interesting bedtime teas that people might like.
To really understand how each tea tastes and feels, my partner and I spent a whole month testing them carefully. For every tea, we drank two cups on two nights in a row. Then, we gave ourselves a break and spent an extra week drinking all the teas at different times of the day. This helped us notice the small differences in flavor and see which ones we liked best at different moments.
You can see pictures of 11 of the 12 teas we tried in the photos above and below. The last tea was a little shy and hid behind the coffee cup when I took the pictures, so it missed the photo shoot! But don’t worry, it’s still part of the list and taste tests.
A Note About How the Teas Are Ranked
It’s easy to look at lists like this and think that number 1 is the very best and number 12 is the worst. But that’s not really how it worked out for us. My partner and I did not find that any one tea was clearly more relaxing or made us sleep better than the others.
We do agree that sitting on the sofa and sipping a warm cup of herbal tea feels relaxing and nice. But none of the teas made us suddenly feel sleepy or tired in the middle of talking to each other. So, this list mostly shows which teas we enjoyed drinking the most because of their flavors.
Taste is very personal. If you think the tea at number 10, 11, or 12 sounds like something you might like, please don’t be afraid to try it. Everyone’s taste buds are different, and what we like may not be what you like.
Also, some words might look different, like “camomile” or “chamomile.” This happens because British and American English sometimes spell words differently. I have kept the spellings exactly as they appear on the tea packages.
All the photos in this article are my own. They show the exact teas I bought and tasted. But keep in mind that companies may change the ingredients or packaging of these teas in the future, so what you buy might look a little different.
1. Pukka Night Time Blissful Rest
Ingredients: Oat flowering tops (30%), Licorice root, Chamomile flower, Lavender flower (14%), Lime flower (10%), Valerian root (4.9%), Tulsi leaf
Among the three Pukka teas I included, Night Time Blissful Rest is my favorite. My partner also liked it a lot and ranked it third. We both agreed that it is a very gentle and lovely tea to help you relax before bedtime.
This tea smells nice, but the lavender flower is not too strong or overpowering. The taste is soft and flowery with a little bit of sweetness. It is the only tea we tried that contains oat flowering tops, which might be why the taste feels so mild and comforting.
When you drink it, it tastes exactly like what you might expect from a “sleep tea.” It isn’t too strong or strange, but smooth and soothing — perfect for sipping slowly in the evening.
You can find this tea in some supermarkets and health food shops in the UK, on the Pukka website, and on Amazon around the world.
2. Yogi Tea Bedtime Ayurvedic Blend
Ingredients: Fennel (31%), Chamomile flowers (17%), Peppermint (13%), Cardamom, Lemon balm, Lemongrass, Valerian root (6%), Sage (5%), Lavender flowers (3.5%), Nutmeg
This Yogi Tea has ten different herbs and spices in it. The flavors mix together in a way that none of them are too strong or take over the others, which we really liked.
When you drink it, you get a warm, soft feeling from the herbal taste. It feels calming right away. Many of the teas we liked shared this quality — they had a mix of herbal and flower flavors that were balanced and pleasant.
One interesting thing about this tea is that if you keep the tea bag in the cup a little longer, the taste actually improves. It becomes richer without getting too strong or bitter.
I bought this tea on Amazon, but you can also find it on the Yogi Tea website. Some health food shops in the UK, like Holland and Barrett, and stores like Walmart in the US also sell it.
3. Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Infusion
Ingredients: Chamomile, Spearmint, Lemongrass, Tilia Flowers, Blackberry Leaves, Orange Blossoms, Hawthorn, Rosebuds
When I asked my partner how this tea tastes, she said, “It has a rounded palette, with sweet notes.” I thought she sounded like a wine expert for a moment, but she was right.
This tea has eight ingredients, and all of them work together nicely. It is well balanced and smooth, making it a good choice for a relaxing bedtime drink.
You can taste a bit of spearmint in the tea, which adds a fresh and gentle flavor. We both liked that, and it might be especially helpful if you have eaten too much late at night and want something minty to help with digestion.
I bought this tea on Amazon, but you can also find it on the Celestial Seasonings website and in health food stores worldwide.
4. Pukka Night Time Berry
Ingredients: Rosehip, Hibiscus Flower, Chamomile Flower (15%), Lavender Flower, Licorice Root, Ginger Root, Echinacea herb (6%), Elderberry (4%), Blackcurrant Fruit (4%), Valerian Root, Blueberry Flavor, Blackcurrant Flavor
After brewing all the teas, I noticed this one looked very different. Instead of the usual yellow or orange color, it was a bright red because of the berries inside.
Its flavor is fruity, with a mix of sweet and slightly sour tastes. The echinacea herb might also add to this unique taste.
Usually, I don’t love herbal teas with a strong berry flavor, but this one surprised me. It was very tasty and balanced.
You can find this tea in some UK supermarkets and health food stores, on the Pukka website, and Amazon worldwide.
5. Tick Tock Bedtime
Ingredients: Camomile (20%), Apple, Rooibos (15%), Honeybush, Lemon Balm (13%), Liquorice, Lavender (3%), Aniseed, Blackberry Leaves
I love Rooibos tea and often drink it during the day because it has a warm, rich flavor. So, I was happy to find a bedtime tea that includes Rooibos as well as other typical bedtime herbs.
Tick Tock Bedtime has a strong, full flavor. It smells herbal but no single ingredient is too powerful. I could taste the Rooibos clearly, which made the tea feel warm and relaxing — perfect for sitting down and enjoying.
I bought this tea in Waitrose, a UK supermarket. It is also available in other supermarkets like Morrisons, some health food shops, and on Amazon.
6. Twinings Sleep Spiced Apple & Vanilla
Ingredients: Passionflower (35%), Apple Pieces (15%), Camomile (14%), Cinnamon Bark (10%), Natural apple flavoring (10%), Cardamom (6%), Cloves (6%), Natural vanilla flavoring (4%)
There are two Twinings Sleep teas on my list, but this one was our favorite.
It smells wonderful, with a sweet vanilla scent that is soft and inviting. The taste includes warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves mixed with apple, creating a cozy, comforting flavor.
Drinking this tea on a cold winter night felt just right. The mix of sweet and spicy flavors makes it perfect for relaxing before bed during chilly months.
I bought this tea at Sainsbury’s, and you can find it in many UK supermarkets, the Twinings website, and on Amazon.
7. Pukka Three Chamomile
Ingredients: African chamomile flower (70%), Egyptian chamomile flower (20%), European chamomile flower (10%)
If you want a pure chamomile tea without any other ingredients, this is the one to try.
We have tried many chamomile-only teas before, but this one has a strong, clear flavor that stands out. It uses three types of chamomile from different parts of the world, which makes the taste special.
There isn’t much more to say — it’s just chamomile, the kind of tea you might already know helps you relax.
You can find this tea in some UK supermarkets, health food shops, the Pukka website, and Amazon.
8. Clipper Snore & Peace
Ingredients: Chamomile (30%), Lemon Balm (15%), Lemongrass, Lavender (14%), Fennel seed, Rosehip, Spearmint
This tea has quite a bit of lavender in it, but the lavender taste isn’t too strong or unpleasant.
Some teas we tried had too much lavender for our taste — so much that I jokingly called it “extreme lavenderization.”
Here, the lavender smell and taste is strongest right after pouring the hot water. After a few minutes, the other flavors catch up and balance the lavender out nicely.
I bought this tea at Waitrose. It’s also sold in other supermarkets, on the Clipper website, and Amazon.
9. Twinings Sleep Valerian & Orange Blossom
Ingredients: Camomile (35%), Passionflower (35%), Lavender (12%), Orange Blossom (10%), Valerian Root (4%), Natural Blood Orange Flavoring (2%)
Valerian and lavender can sometimes give herbal teas a very strong and earthy taste. This Twinings tea balances those flavors well with sweet orange blossom and orange flavoring.
The taste is a mix of earthy herbs with a sweet note on top. It feels a little more medicinal than the other Twinings Sleep tea, but still enjoyable to drink while winding down.
I bought this tea in Sainsbury’s and it is sold in many UK supermarkets. It’s also available on the Twinings website and Amazon.
10. Dragonfly Tea – Night Sky Calm
Ingredients: Camomile, Lemon balm, Liquorice, Honeybush, Valerian, Oatstraw, Lavender, Sage
This tea surprised us because it tastes a little medicinal at first. The valerian and sage flavors are strong when you first sip it.
But then, a sweet aftertaste stays with you, which is very pleasant and balances out the stronger initial taste.
Dragonfly Tea also makes some great mint teas and one of my favorite daytime teas — an Earl Grey and Rooibos blend.
I bought this tea on Amazon. It is also sold in some supermarkets and health food shops in the UK and other countries, and on the Dragonfly Tea website.