On a cold winter night, brewing a pot of fine tea and savoring it slowly is such a wonderful enjoyment, warming both the stomach and the heart! The ancient verse, “When guests visit on a chilly night, tea serves as wine, the bamboo stove's water boils as the fire turns red,” paints a beautiful picture of evening tea for many tea lovers.
However, many tea enthusiasts refrain from drinking tea in the evening out of fear that it may cause insomnia. In fact, there are methods to enjoy tea at night without suffering from sleeplessness. If these methods don't work initially, you can try them a few more times.
1 First, people often say that they cannot sleep after drinking tea because it contains caffeine. Caffeine is a double-edged sword; it can keep you alert and energetic but can also prevent you from sleeping when it's time to rest. However, it's not accurate to generalize about insomnia caused by tea.
For example, some tea enthusiasts mention that they experience insomnia with some teas but not others. Is this due to different caffeine contents in different types of tea? Can we compare the caffeine levels across the six major tea categories?
The caffeine content in tea leaves depends on many factors, such as the variety of the tea plant, growing conditions, harvest season, picking standards, processing methods, and even brewing practices. In terms of processing, caffeine is relatively stable, and its content does not vary significantly during the processing of the six main types of tea. Generally speaking, however, fermented teas undergo a fermentation process which slightly reduces their caffeine content.
Moreover, each person's tolerance to caffeine in tea varies based on their physical condition, lifestyle habits, and the frequency and amount of caffeine intake. Some regular tea drinkers can still enjoy a good night's sleep after drinking tea before bed, while others might find themselves tossing and turning after just a small cup.
2 For those who tend to have trouble sleeping after drinking tea, here are some simple measures that allow you to enjoy a soothing cup of tea without affecting your sleep:
(1) Drink tea 3 to 5 hours before bedtime. For instance, if you go to bed at 11 PM, avoid drinking tea after 8 PM (and remember to wait an hour after meals before drinking tea). This usually won't affect your sleep since caffeine begins to take effect within an hour and its effects diminish in 3 to 4 hours for healthy adults.
(2) Rinse the tea once or twice. Caffeine dissolves easily in hot water, so after steeping for just 2 minutes, approximately 70% to 80% of the caffeine is released into the water. Discarding the first infusion, which contains most of the caffeine, can help reduce the risk of insomnia.
(3) Drink lighter teas. The effects of caffeine require a certain quantity to be noticeable, and individuals typically develop a certain tolerance to it. Common foods and beverages like cola, coffee, and chocolate all contain caffeine. Drinking a smaller amount of tea or opting for a lighter brew will limit the amount of caffeine extracted and thus lessen its impact on sleep.
(4) Drink more highly fermented teas. For example, fully fermented black tea. The fermentation process converts tea polyphenols into oxidized products like theaflavins and thearubigins, reducing their stimulating effects on the stomach. These oxidized polyphenols also interact with caffeine, thereby indirectly reducing the amount of caffeine absorbed and decreasing the risk of insomnia.
(5) Drink teas with a sweet flavor profile. The sweetness in tea primarily comes from soluble sugars like monosaccharides and disaccharides, as well as sweet-tasting amino acids like theanine. Numerous studies have shown that theanine has beneficial health effects in terms of neuroprotection, calming, and mood regulation, all of which are conducive to better sleep and without any side effects. For example, the theanine content in fragrant and sweet white tea is higher than in other types of tea.
(6) Drink aged teas. Firstly, teas that are suitable for aging are generally made from older leaves, such as aged white teas like Tribute Eyebrow and Longevity Eyebrow, which have lower caffeine content compared to younger shoots. Secondly, the caffeine content in aged teas decreases over time.
Of course, for those who do not experience significant sleep disturbances from drinking tea, these precautions may not be necessary.