A herbal tea with dried flowers, served warm in the evening, is often seen as a simple grandmother’s ritual against restless nights. However, behind this reassuring image, researchers and institutions like the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health of the National Institutes of Health
now analyze what is happening in the brain. This drink could act on the stress and sleep circuits, well beyond the placebo effect.
The role of apigenin for sleep
For doctor William Arias, specialist in functional medicine and clinical nutrition, this drink has a name: German chamomile (Matricaria recutita Or
Matricaria chamomilla). On his networks, he recalls that “chamomileis not just a grandmother’s drink, it is a powerful tool that science supports as an ally to improve the quality of sleep“.
The main benefit of chamomile for sleep is a flavonoid, apigenin. This molecule binds to benzodiazepine receptors, brain “locks” involved in relaxation. A study published on
PubMed reports competitive binding with an inhibition constant of approximately 4 micromoles and anxiolytic effects followed by mild sedation in mice. This curb on anxiety can shorten the latency to fall asleep and limit certain nighttime awakenings.
Doctor William Arias describes an action on cortisol, the stress hormone, and on melatonin, which regulates the sleep-wake cycle. Its indicative dose is around two grams of dried flowers per day, especially in the elderly, postpartum women or very stressed adults.
Clinical studies on chamomile and sleep
A team led by Zick published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine a randomized placebo-controlled trial on thirty-four adults suffering from mild insomnia. For twenty-eight days, participants took 540 milligrams of chamomile extract standardized to apigenin every day.
The researchers used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Insomnia Severity Index and did not observe an improvement in overall scores, but sleep onset latency decreased by approximately sixteen minutes in the chamomile group. For the NCCIH, the human evidence remains weak and chamomile should not be considered as a treatment for chronic insomnia, rather as a possible adjunct for better subjective sleep quality.
An evening routine and some precautions to take
It is recommended to drink chamomile tea forty-five to sixty minutes before bedtime.
The NCCIH describes it as a well-tolerated caffeine-free drink, but with a risk of allergy in people sensitive to Asteraceae and possible drug interactions; pregnancy, breastfeeding or prolonged treatment then require medical advice.