Daniela has been a strong force at The Tea Spot since 2015. She is originally from Romania, where she studied tourism. Her life's journey took her to Italy for 24 years, and then on to Boulder, Colorado, in 2014, where she now lives with her sweet family.
She developed her love of herbal remedies from her grandmothers, Zoe and Paraschiva, while wildcraft harvesting alongside them in the coutryside of Romania. Daniela recently fortified this love of plant medicine by studying Herbalism through the Canadian Tea Association. We're lucky to have such a sweet, vibrant, caring person on our team.
Do you have memories being a child, without a care in the world? For me, life was a daily adventure, full of discoveries, fun and love! I fell asleep in seconds and in the morning I woke up with a big smile! In minutes I was jumping around like a goat, laughing and singing!
Here at The Tea Spot, we try to nurture one another and spread happiness, infusing the goodness of the tea leaf as we go! We are committed to always learning and improving. We learn from each of you as well, and share it forward. What I am sharing with you today, is how to recapture that epic rejuvenating sleep of childhood.
Sleep depends on many factors. It’s related to your age, your level of stress, and activity. As a general rule, the medical community advises the proverbial eight hours of sleep each night. But it can also vary, person to person. It’s said that if you need an alarm clock to wake up, you’re probably not getting enough sleep.
Things which can get in the way of a good night’s sleep:
- Insomnia - can be caused by tension, anxiety or stimulants.
- Anxiety - your feelings are sending important messages to your body and mind. By paying attention and giving some care to those feelings and physical sensations, you can work to restore balance in your life.
- Fatigue - many factors can contribute to this, including mental and physical stress, illness, a nutrient-poor diet, lack of exercise, and even improper breathing habits.
The good news is that adding some daily rituals to your evening routine can help. Research studies suggest they can help improve overall physical well-being and immunity, diminish anxiety, and even help improve confidence and productivity. [1,2]
Here are some basic tools and techniques that some of us at The Tea Spot employ when we’re looking for a better night’s sleep:
Exercising Daily
Even when you don’t get the chance to fit in a full workout, a brisk 30-45 minute walk, in the daylight preferably, gives us energy, relieves tension, and improves our mood. It can also help us unwind and decompress at the end of the day when we’re preparing to go to sleep.
Here in Colorado, we’re blessed with fantastic vistas and brisk air, as we oxygenate our cells outdoors, fill our brains and lungs with fresh O2, and build some endurance. Be present! Look around at the sky, the trees, the grass, the clouds... all the life around you! Enjoy!
Food, Glorious Food
Eating consciously makes a difference. Avoiding certain foods, like alcohol and sugar, which might disrupt sleep cycles can help. Ideally, digestion should be over and done with when we go to bed, so try to avoid heavy meals too close to bedtime.
Caffeine Timing
As tea lovers, if you struggle with sound sleep, avoid caffeine late in the day and see if you notice a difference. Stimulants can linger in your body far longer than you might expect.
Caffeine metabolizes differently for different bodies, so take note of your own reaction to it. Luckily for us, there are so many wonderful herbal tea options that actually nurture good sleep. I'll get to those shortly!
Hydration
Staying well hydrated throughout the day is important to all of us here at The Tea Spot! We’re lucky to be able to sip hot or cold brewed teas throughout the day, which contribute to our overall hydration every bit as much as water.
Simple Rituals
Relaxing in warm bath water, while sipping an aromatic herbal tea, lighting scented candles or putting essential oils in a diffuser can stimulate your senses, then guide you into better and deeper sleep!
Or if you prefer to shower, follow the ayurvedic wisdom... Water flowing over you is soothing and purifying. Let it wash your worries away.
Set the Scene
Turning off stimulating electronic devices in the bedroom will help you avoid the blue light of screens known to alert the mind and disrupt your natural circadian rhythm. Use your bedroom to sleep or to make love!
Going to bed when we’re sleepy!
We’re all different. Some people need only four or five hours of sleep, and others may want eight-plus hours. You might go through different stages throughout your life. So listen to your body.
Sleepy Teas to the Rescue...
This is where all of us at The Tea Spot can help you most! For creating a good night's sleep, certain flowers and roots can provide great support. Plus, sipping a hot herbal tea after dinner can help improve digestion and get us in the right frame of mind to unwind.
Lavender:
Crowd favorites for bedtime are herbal teas with lavender, such as our Lights Out sleepy tea and Pink Rose Lemonade, which can also help as a digestif. We find that lavender has the ability to lift our moods and help us ease into a state of relaxation at the same time, yet doesn't prevent us from waking up with vigor the next day. There is research to support this as well. [3]
Chamomile:
Chamomile is one of the most ancient relaxing herbs known to humankind, used since the time of the ancient Egyptians. It is widely thought that Chamomile is one of the best allies to nurture relaxation. It can help you unwind, fall asleep, and wake up well-rested. [4]
Most of us love our plump chamomile flowers straight up, but you can also find chamomile in some of our blends on our Sleepy Teas Collection.
Valerian Root:
Valerian root is often referred to as “nature’s valium.” This herb has been used since ancient times to promote tranquility and to improve sleep. It is the most commonly used herbal sedative. [5] The name valerian is thought to derive from the Latin valere, “to be in health” or “to be strong”.
It was of great importance to followers of Hippocrates, who used it to help alleviate women‘s ailments. It is also mentioned in the writings of Pliny as well as the medical works of the remarkable Hildegard von Bingen, the 12th-century Benedictine nun. Valerian’s root very strong odor (like old sweaty gym socks) is due to the volatile oils!
We have to keep it very isolated from all the other teas and herbs at The Tea Spot so they don't pick up the odor. We always blend it with yummy fruits and herbs to hide this earthy aroma.
We offer two teas with valerian root, which are our Lights Out sleepy tea and Cold Buster. Both are favorites with our team to drink before sleep, and pack a powerful punch.
Please note that valerian should be avoided during pregnancy and used with caution if you are undertaking activities that require fast reaction times, such as driving or operating heavy machinery. Ask a qualified health-care professional if you are under sedatives, anti-anxiety or antidepressant medication before taking valerian.
It is my hope that these suggestions will help you find some lovely rest, the next time you are looking for teas to help you sleep. Ciao for now! Daniela V.
REFERENCES:
1. Boosting Immunity: Creating Wellness Naturally. Len Saputo, MD, Nancy Faass, MSW, MPH New World Library, Nov 22, 2010.
2. Derkatch, Colleen. "The Self-Generating Language of Wellness and Natural Health." Rhetoric of Health & Medicine, vol. 1 no. 1, 2018, p. 132-160.
3. Koulivand PH, Khaleghi Ghadiri M, Gorji A. Lavender and the nervous system. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:681304. doi:10.1155/2013/681304
4. Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Mol Med Rep. 2010;3(6):895-901. doi:10.3892/mmr.2010.377
5. Bent S, Padula A, Moore D, Patterson M, Mehling W. Valerian for sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Med. 2006;119(12):1005-1012. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2006.02.