Sleepytime Tea  Review
 Promotes sleep:   Promotes Relaxtion:   Promotes Continued Sleep:    Hangover/Grogginess: 

Sleepytime Extra  
 Promotes sleep:    Promotes Relaxtion:    Promotes Continued Sleep:    Hangover/Grogginess: 

You may be surprised to hear that Sleepytime tea (by Celestial Seasonings) can actually provide almost intoxicating results.  I can relate the feeling to that of a low dose of Xanax.  When spending time at my brother’s house, I’d always hear him say “It’s almost time for my sleepytime tea.”  I never thought to give it a try for myself, since he doesn’t have any sort of sleeping problem.  I figured he just liked to drink tea before bed and never asked much about it.  Later, my mom, who often has trouble sleeping, was talking about how well Sleepytime EXTRA (from Celestial Seasonings) worked for her.  She gave me a couple packets and said that nothing has ever worked as well.  I tried it that night (the taste is pleasant) and noticed that before I had even finished, I was in a pretty deep state of relaxation.  I rushed to bed and was able to pass out pretty quickly.  I stayed asleep, too, which is normally very very uncommon for me.  

As the days went on, I would drink the Sleepytime Extra IN bed (because it kicks in fast and seems to dissipate after only about 20 minutes to half an hour).  I made my sleeping environment as relaxing as possible and got ready for bed beforehand (waiting to brush my teeth until after, of course.  It may work well, but not well enough to want to sacrifice white teeth!).   All in all, the tea worked very well.  

HOWEVER…, I became extremely depressed after a few days of making the tea a part of my daily routine.  I felt almost lost and couldn’t figure out why I was feeling the way I did, which only made it worse.  I was also anxious.   After doing some research, I found that the “extra”, in the Sleepytime Extra contained Valerian Root.  Valerian root is a herb that has been found to have sedative properties which actually tend to reduce anxiety as well.  This is just an example of how things may affect people differently.  

I’ve also come across information stating that Valerian root can interact with some anti-depressant medication.  Either way, your doctor or pharmacist should be consulted if you’d like to give this method a shot.  If your body tolerates it well, you likely will not be disappointed with the results.  

Sleepytime Tea Without the “Extra”

After the discomfort I felt from the Sleepytime Extra (and again, this won’t be the case for everyone, as I tend to be sensitive to anything that can induce depression or anxiety), I decided to give the regular Herbal Sleepytime a try.  It’s definitely helpful in inducing relaxation, and is often a part of my “before bedtime” regimen.  I wouldn’t say the effects are as intoxicating, but they certainly serve their purpose.  Celestial Seasonings is the brand that is most readily available to me, and they provide several options in the Sleepytime category, including Decaf Lemon Jasmine Green Tea, Sinus Soother Wellness, Throat Tamer Wellness (both helpful if you’re experiencing cold or flu like symptoms) and Vanilla Herbal.