Sleep Latte vs. Sleepytime Tea: Which is Better for a Good Night’s Sleep?
The biggest problem with not being able to sleep is how difficult it is to pinpoint the problem.
Did you drink caffeine at the wrong time so you're feeling wired?
Are you stressed out about tomorrow?
Are you too excited about tomorrow?
Did you fall asleep for an hour or two, wake up because your dog barked at a noise that must have been down the block and now you can't get back to sleep no matter how much you toss and turn?
All of those issues are separate and could require their own set of solutions.
Most sleep issues are deeper than surface level. They often tie back to your lifestyle, your diet, your habits, your surroundings or just the way life is happening around you. So lasting solutions typically are going to require a commitment to living a different kind of life.
But sometimes we just need to get to sleep and we have a temporary problem preventing us from achieving that goal. That's where it's handy to have a wind down beverage available.
For ... well forever basically, that wind down beverage has been tea. Once upon a time it was just a chamomile tea and eventually it turned into that tea with the bear wearing a sleeping cap on the cover, but sleepytime tea has dominated the late night sleep beverage business for centuries.
Things are changing though. New powders, recipes and trends pop up every day and one of the latest, most enjoyable new beverages is the sleep latte.
What is a Sleep Latte?
Sleep lattes are more or less what they sound like - though you'll have to stretch the definition of latte a bit. Think coffee shop latte, not the old school combination of coffee and milk latte.
Unlike traditional teas, sleep lattes use potent extracts blended into a milk base that are fully consumed in every sip.
There's a huge benefit to blending the extracts directly into water. It ensures nothing is lost or left behind and makes the brewing or blending process a bit more fool proof. With sleep lattes, you reap all the benefits of the ingredients, maximizing their effectiveness in promoting relaxation and sleep.
Sleep Latte vs. Sleepytime Tea: What’s the Difference?
While sleepytime tea has been a bedtime staple for years, offering a soothing blend of herbs like chamomile and peppermint, there are key differences when compared to a sleep latte.
First, traditional sleepytime teas are typically made by steeping tea leaves or herbs in hot water. While this process does extract some of the beneficial compounds from the ingredients, much of it remains in the leaves, which are discarded after brewing.
In contrast, a sleep latte contains concentrated extracts that are fully dissolved and consumed, ensuring you get the full benefits of the ingredients.
Secondly, sleep lattes often include a more potent mix of sleep-supporting ingredients.
For example, l-theanine is commonly found in sleep lattes. L-theanine is an amino acid known for its calming effects, helping to ease stress and anxiety. In a way, it works to relax your mind at the end of the night by working as a vasodilator, keeping your blood pressure low and your body in a calm state.
Additional common sleep latte ingredients play a role in tandem with l-theanine:
- Valerian root extract is a well-known natural sleep aid that's been shown to cut the time it takes folks to fall asleep. In a variety of studies, valerian was found to almost double the chance of sleeping better when compared with placebo.
- GABA, a neurotransmitter, helps to calm the nervous system and has been shown to be a potent mix with l-theanine when it comes to falling asleep and staying asleep.
Do Sleep Lattes Really Work?
The short answer is yes, they do—if you choose the right one. Many people who have tried sleep lattes report significant improvements in their sleep patterns.
One satisfied customer shared, "This has become my nighttime ritual. It's real!! I slip off into a peaceful slumber after having this before bed and most times I'm ready to close my eyes it's before I'm finished. If you have trouble shutting down this is a great natural way to help."
The key lies in both the specific blend of ingredients and the amount of each in the latte. Be sure to inspect any drink you're considering for sleep purposes to know what stack of ingredients are being used and the amount of each ingredient. Small dosages of things like valerian root, GABA and l-theanine for example would make almost no impact on your ability to sleep.
But the right dosage can be potent.
In the best instances, when you consume a sleep latte, you’re not just sipping on a comforting drink—you’re getting a scientifically-backed blend of compounds that actively work to support your body’s natural sleep processes.
Think of the sleep latte as sleepytime tea’s more powerful, effective cousin—one that’s designed to give you the restful night you’ve been dreaming of.
