Summer is here. Lighter days, warmer weather, and sticky temperatures linger long into the evening. If you prefer cooler weather over warmer temperatures, you may find it difficult to get to sleep in the evening.
Whether it’s the longer light nights with hues subtly peeking into your bedroom, heat clinging onto your sheets or even excess sweating on an evening, getting a good night’s rest can be challenging.
While there are a range of different lifestyle factors you can implement to help you get to bed earlier, one of the most underrated ones is tea. Learn about the best tea to help you sleep in this post.
Factors that affect your sleep on a hot summer evening
Before exploring the best sleep aid tea, let’s look at some of the external factors that may explain why you may not get proper sleep in the summertime. Note that this may not be applicable to everyone however, they can be contributing reasons why sleep can get hampered:
Light exposure
When you’re in the dark, your body is more likely to produce melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate your circadian rhythm, i.e., your sleep and wake cycles. However, due to daylight savings, there are longer daylight hours in the summer, which can trick your body into thinking it’s daytime at night. Because it can be light outside until around 9 p.m., often the release of melatonin is delayed, slowing down your ability to sleep.
More social activities
In summer, there are often more social gatherings to attend, such as BBQs, birthdays, getaways, and more, which can result in routines slightly changing and delaying bedtimes. The increased bedtimes can affect the sleep duration, making it harder to fall asleep on a summer evening.
Temperature
The most common reason many people can’t sleep on a summer evening is the heat. On average, the ideal sleeping temperature is between 16-18°C (60-65°F); however, on a summer evening, it can reach between 18-22°C. Due to the increased temperature, you may find it hard to fall asleep and likely wake up more due to the stickiness of a summer evening.
Exercise
In the summer, we all want to make more time for the outdoors. Due to the warmer temperatures, many people are encouraged to exercise often. If you exercise in the evening too close to your sleep, you may find it hard to sleep. Exercise elevates your body’s temperature, signifying that it’s awake. In order for you to sleep, you need to have a drop in your core temperature.
Tea to help you sleep on a hot summer evening- our top picks
While there are various measures you can implement, such as having a cool room, sticking to a routine, limiting light exposure, and more, one of the best ways is to calm down and cool down over a soothing tea. Here are three types of calming herbal tea that may help you with your sleep on a hot summer evening:
NutraRelax
NutraRelax is a caffeine-free herbal blend formulated to provide moments of mental calm. The main herbs in NutraRelax are chamomile, lemon balm, hawthorn berry, and lavender. Lemon balm and chamomile help support relaxation and a restful night’s sleep.
NutraHead
Have a clear head and unwind easily before bedtime with a cup of NutraHead. Herbs in this tea such as lavender, cinnamon, peppermint, willow bark, and more work together to help you calm and clear your mind from a long summer day. Lavender and peppermint in NutraHead help you relax and have a healthy sleep.
Chamomile & Valerian
One of our flagship teas we recommend on a hot summer evening is Chamomile & Valerian. This soothing blend supports healthy sleep, relaxation, and mental wellbeing. Chamomile & Valerian is also caffeine-free, so it does not increase alertness.
Conclusion
Overall, summer can present many benefits to your health and well-being; it’s just sleep that could be potentially limiting. To ensure you have a good sleep on a hot summer evening, try reducing your light exposure, avoid exercising at night, stay away from caffeine, and take time to unwind before bedtime.
To help you unwind, try our calming herbal teas such as NutraRelax, NutraHead and Chamomile & Valerian. They’re either caffeine-free or low in caffeine, filled with soothing herbs to cool you down and provide you with clarity before you go to bed.
Don’t always drink tea? Check out our post on 7 refreshing alternatives.
