South Africans know there’s nothing like sipping on a hot cup of rooibos tea.
Whether it’s during your lunch break or you’re curled up on the couch while watching Netflix, nothing compares to the warm, soothing and aromatic notes that this freshly brewed herbal tea offers.
Yet beyond its refreshing flavours, rooibos tea also serves another purpose: it helps promote better sleep.
ROOIBOS TEA: THE PERFECT SLEEPING AID
Rooibos tea boasts a myriad of health benefits, from lowering blood pressure and improving cholesterol levels to promoting heart health.
As a bonus, this tea goes a long way in reducing insomnia and regulating your sleep-wake cycle for the better.
According to Rooibos Limited, factors such as stress, anxiety and reduced sunlight exposure during winter can severely hamper your sleep cycle. This is where rooibos tea comes in handy, thanks to its effective properties:
“The unique antioxidants found in rooibos lowers [sic] the levels of cortisol (stress hormone) in the body, thereby calming the mind and promoting sleep. It works by triggering a chemical reaction in the brain, which helps to calm the nervous system, leading to relaxation.”
WHAT’S THE TEA?
Rooibos tea is renowned for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. These include aspalathin, which helps to lower blood sugar levels, and nothofagin, a type of flavonoid that neutralises free radicals and boosts your body’s immune system.
It’s also chock-full of calcium and magnesium. Calcium prompts the brain to use an amino acid called tryptophan to manufacture melatonin, a sleeping hormone. As for magnesium, it helps relax your body’s muscles.
Unlike coffee and some other teas, rooibos tea is also free from caffeine. If consumed in large quantities, caffeine can speed up your heart rate, heighten your anxiety levels and increase restlessness. Altogether, these can greatly reduce your sleeping hours.
What’s more, rooibos tea contains low levels of tannins. Tannins can interfere with how your body absorbs certain nutrients, such as iron, a vital element of your sleep health.
In other words, rooibos tea is an effective tool for you to catch up on all the Z’s that you’ve missed.
HOW TO INCORPORATE ROOIBOS TEA INTO YOUR SLEEPING ROUTINE
Ideally, you should drink a cup of rooibos tea at least one hour before you go to bed. This is crucial for allowing the properties of the tea to take effect, thereby allowing your brain and body to settle into a rested, comfortable state.
As you drink your tea, combine it with a relaxing activity, including gentle stretches, reading a book or listening to calm music.
Avoid scrolling through your phone or using your laptop or tablet, as these emit blue light. Too much blue light exposure interferes with your body’s ability to produce melatonin, which in turn leads to poor sleep quality.
SWEET DREAMS
A good night’s sleep is no longer the stuff of dreams. Thanks to rooibos tea, the pride and joy of South African culture, it can become a reality.
Treat yourself to a steaming hot cuppa before you hit the hay, and we promise you, you’ll be sleeping like a log, a baby and a rock combined!
