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What Is Chamomile Tea Good For? Sleep, Anxiety and the Evidence

Matricaria chamomilla (German chamomile) dried flower heads

Matricaria chamomilla (German chamomile) dried flower heads, the plant behind chamomile tea
Photo: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Chamomile tea is good for mild anxiety, for settling into sleep, and, less famously, for blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. The anxiety evidence is the strongest: a standardized chamomile extract outperformed placebo in generalized anxiety disorder over eight weeks, and a 2019 meta-analysis of twelve trials found meaningful improvements in both generalized anxiety and sleep quality. It also has a long record as a gentle stomach soother and a traditional remedy for colic and period cramps.

The tea is an infusion of the dried flower heads of German chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla. The active players are apigenin, a flavonoid that binds the same brain receptors as benzodiazepines, though far more weakly; bisabolol and chamazulene, which are anti-inflammatory; and a set of coumarins. A strong cup delivers only a few milligrams of apigenin, which is why the calming effect is real but gentle, and why two bags steeped for ten minutes under a lid works better than one bag dunked for two.

This page grades every common claim by the human evidence, then covers brewing, a sensible daily amount, side effects and drug interactions. The short answer to 'is chamomile tea good for you': yes for nearly everyone, with two groups who should be careful, people on warfarin and people with ragweed-family allergies.

What chamomile tea is good for

  • Anxiety — 220 to 1,100 mg of chamomile extract a day cut anxiety scores significantly more than placebo over 8 weeks
  • Sleep — a 2019 meta-analysis of 12 trials found better sleep quality; a cup of tea nightly improved sleep in new mothers and nursing-home residents
  • Blood sugar — 3 g of chamomile tea after each meal for 8 weeks lowered HbA1c, insulin and LDL in type 2 diabetes
  • Period cramps — small Iranian trials found less pain and anxiety with 2 cups a day in the days before a period
  • Upset stomach and infant colic — a chamomile-based herbal tea settled colic in 57% of babies versus 26% on placebo
  • Mild depression — an exploratory 8-week trial found lower depression scores alongside the anxiety benefit

Chamomile tea benefits, graded by the evidence

Strong = multiple human trials or a meta-analysis. Moderate = a few small trials. Preliminary = early, traditional or animal data.

  1. Eases mild to moderate anxiety

    Moderate evidence

    At the University of Pennsylvania, 57 people with mild to moderate generalized anxiety disorder took 220 to 1,100 mg a day of chamomile extract (standardized to 1.2% apigenin) or placebo for eight weeks; anxiety scores fell significantly more on chamomile. A follow-up study gave 1,500 mg a day for 12 weeks to 179 people with GAD and 58% responded, with lower anxiety maintained over a further 26 weeks. A 2019 meta-analysis of 12 trials found a significant benefit for generalized anxiety, though not for short-term situational anxiety. Note the trials used capsules; a cup of tea gives a smaller dose.

    Key evidenceAmsterdam et al., Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2009 (8-week RCT, 57 patients); Hieu et al., Phytotherapy Research 2019 (meta-analysis).

  2. Improves sleep quality

    Moderate evidence

    In 80 postnatal women with poor sleep, drinking a cup of chamomile tea daily for two weeks improved sleep-quality and depression scores versus usual care, although the effect faded by four weeks. In 60 nursing-home residents, 400 mg a day of chamomile extract for four weeks significantly improved sleep quality. A US trial in 34 people with chronic insomnia found modest, non-significant gains in sleep latency and night-time waking. Pooled across trials, the 2019 meta-analysis found a significant improvement in sleep quality. Chamomile helps you settle; it is not a sedative for serious insomnia.

    Key evidenceChang and Chen, Journal of Advanced Nursing 2016; Adib-Hajbaghery and Mousavi, Complementary Therapies in Medicine 2017.

  3. Helps blood sugar and cholesterol in type 2 diabetes

    Moderate evidence

    In a Tabriz trial, 64 adults with type 2 diabetes drank chamomile tea (3 g of flowers in 150 mL hot water) three times a day straight after meals, or hot water, for eight weeks. The chamomile group had significantly lower HbA1c, fasting insulin and insulin resistance, along with lower total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides and higher antioxidant enzyme activity. It is one well-run trial, so it needs replication, but the dose is easy to copy at home.

    Key evidenceRafraf et al., Journal of Endocrinological Investigation 2015; Zemestani et al., Nutrition 2016 (same 8-week RCT, 64 patients).

  4. Reduces period pain

    Preliminary evidence

    Several small Iranian trials gave chamomile tea (typically two cups a day for the week before and the first days of a period) or 250 to 500 mg capsules to students with primary dysmenorrhoea and found lower pain scores, and in one trial less anxiety and distress, than placebo. A 2021 systematic review concluded chamomile helps but rated the trials low quality. Its antispasmodic and mild anti-inflammatory actions make the effect plausible.

  5. Settles an upset stomach and infant colic

    Preliminary evidence

    In a double-blind trial of 68 colicky infants, a herbal tea of chamomile, fennel, vervain, liquorice and lemon balm given up to 150 mL per episode eliminated colic in 57% of babies versus 26% on placebo over seven days. A chamomile and apple pectin preparation shortened diarrhoea in children in a German trial. In adults the evidence is tradition plus mechanism: bisabolol and apigenin relax gut smooth muscle and reduce inflammation in laboratory models.

    Key evidenceWeizman et al., Journal of Pediatrics 1993 (68 infants, double-blind).

  6. May lift mild depressive symptoms

    Preliminary evidence

    An exploratory analysis of the Pennsylvania GAD trial found that chamomile extract lowered depression scores more than placebo over eight weeks in people with anxiety plus depressive symptoms, and even in those without clinical depression. It is a single secondary analysis with 57 participants, so it is a hint rather than evidence that chamomile treats depression.

    Key evidenceAmsterdam et al., Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 2012.

Is chamomile tea good for you?

  • Yes, for nearly everyone: chamomile is caffeine-free, well tolerated in trials up to 1,500 mg of extract a day, and genuinely useful for taking the edge off anxiety and bedtime restlessness.
  • Expect gentle effects: a cup an hour before bed helps you unwind and modestly improves sleep quality; it will not knock out chronic insomnia or replace treatment for an anxiety disorder.
  • Be careful if you take warfarin or another blood thinner, because chamomile contains coumarins and a bleeding case has been reported; keep intake steady and tell your doctor.
  • Avoid it if you react to ragweed, daisies, chrysanthemums or marigolds, since chamomile is in the same family and can trigger hives or, rarely, anaphylaxis.
  • Like most herbal teas it blocks some non-heme iron absorption (about 47% in one study), so drink it between rather than with iron-rich meals if you are iron deficient.

How to brew chamomile tea

Amount

1 heaped tablespoon (2 to 3 g) dried flowers, or 1 to 2 bags, per 8 oz (240 mL)

Water

Just off the boil, 200 to 212°F / 93 to 100°C

Steep

5 to 10 minutes, covered

  • Cover the cup while it steeps: the calming volatile oils evaporate otherwise, and apigenin keeps extracting well past the five-minute mark.
  • Whole flower heads taste cleaner and are stronger than the dust in cheap bags; look for visible yellow centres and white petals.
  • For sleep, drink it 45 to 60 minutes before bed so you are not up for the bathroom.

How much per day

One to four cups a day is sensible. The diabetes trial used 3 g three times daily with meals, and the sleep studies used one cup nightly, so there is no need to exceed that; extract capsules of 400 to 1,500 mg a day were used in the anxiety trials.

Caffeine-free. One of the few bedtime drinks with trial data behind it.

Side effects, interactions and who should limit it

Side effects

  • Allergic reactions (itching, hives, wheeze, rarely anaphylaxis) in people sensitised to the ragweed and daisy family.
  • Drowsiness, especially with larger amounts or alongside sedatives; do not drink a strong cup before driving if you are sensitive.
  • Nausea or vomiting with very large doses or concentrated extracts.
  • Contact dermatitis or eye irritation from the flowers or from using the tea as an eyewash.
  • Reduced absorption of iron from a meal taken at the same time.

Interactions

  • Warfarin and other anticoagulants or antiplatelets: chamomile coumarins may add to the effect; a case of internal bleeding on warfarin plus chamomile tea and lotion has been published.
  • Sedatives, benzodiazepines, sleep medicines and alcohol: additive drowsiness.
  • Cyclosporine and other drugs cleared by CYP3A4 or CYP1A2: chamomile inhibits these enzymes in the lab and a transplant case report found raised cyclosporine levels; check with a pharmacist.
  • Tamoxifen and hormone-sensitive conditions: chamomile has weak oestrogen-like activity in vitro; evidence of harm is lacking, but avoid high-dose extracts.
  • Iron supplements: separate by at least an hour.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

A cup or two of ordinary chamomile tea is widely used in pregnancy and no harm has been shown, but safety has not been formally studied, so avoid concentrated extracts and large daily amounts. Roman chamomile, a different plant, has a traditional reputation for stimulating the uterus and is best avoided. In breastfeeding, a two-week trial in postnatal women reported no problems in their infants.

Frequently asked questions

Does chamomile tea really help you sleep?

Modestly, yes. Trials in new mothers and in older adults found better sleep quality after two to four weeks of a nightly cup or a 400 mg extract, and a 2019 meta-analysis confirmed a significant improvement in sleep quality across studies. The effect is on settling and sleep quality rather than knocking you out, and in people with chronic insomnia the gains were small.

How long before bed should I drink chamomile tea?

About 45 to 60 minutes. That gives apigenin time to be absorbed and the warm drink time to leave your bladder before you lie down. Steep it covered for at least five minutes; a quick dunk extracts very little.

Does chamomile tea help with anxiety?

The best evidence is for a standardized extract at 500 to 1,500 mg a day, which reduced generalized anxiety significantly more than placebo over eight weeks. A cup of tea delivers less, but regular drinkers in the sleep trials also reported lower anxiety and depression scores. Think of tea as a daily support and extract as the dose used in the trials.

Can I drink chamomile tea every day?

Yes. Trials ran daily use for eight weeks to six months without safety problems. The exceptions are people on warfarin, who should keep intake consistent and tell their doctor, and people with ragweed-family allergies, who should avoid it.

Is chamomile tea good for your stomach?

It is a reasonable choice for a nervous or mildly upset stomach. Chamomile compounds relax gut muscle and reduce inflammation in laboratory studies, a chamomile-containing tea settled colic in a double-blind infant trial, and the 8-week diabetes trial that gave it after meals reported no digestive complaints. It will not treat ulcers or reflux disease.

Does chamomile tea lower blood sugar?

In one well-designed trial, 3 g of chamomile tea after each meal for eight weeks lowered HbA1c, insulin resistance and LDL in people with type 2 diabetes. It is a single study and the effects were moderate, so keep taking your medicine, but it is a cheap habit to add and worth discussing with your doctor.

Is chamomile safe for babies and children?

Small amounts of weak chamomile tea were used in the colic trial in babies over two weeks old, under medical supervision. Do not replace feeds with it, do not sweeten it with honey under one year, and watch for allergy. For older children a weak cup at bedtime is generally considered safe.

References

  1. Amsterdam JD, Li Y, Soeller I, Rockwell K, Mao JJ, Shults J. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral Matricaria recutita (chamomile) extract therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology (2009)View source
  2. Mao JJ, Xie SX, Keefe JR, Soeller I, Li QS, Amsterdam JD. Long-term chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized clinical trial. Phytomedicine (2016)
  3. Hieu TH, Dibas M, Surya Dila KA, et al.. Therapeutic efficacy and safety of chamomile for state anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia and sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials and quasi-randomized trials. Phytotherapy Research (2019)View source
  4. Zick SM, Wright BD, Sen A, Arnedt JT. Preliminary examination of the efficacy and safety of a standardized chamomile extract for chronic primary insomnia: a randomized placebo-controlled pilot study. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2011)View source
  5. Chang SM, Chen CH. Effects of an intervention with drinking chamomile tea on sleep quality and depression in sleep disturbed postnatal women: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Advanced Nursing (2016)
  6. Rafraf M, Zemestani M, Asghari-Jafarabadi M. Effectiveness of chamomile tea on glycemic control and serum lipid profile in patients with type 2 diabetes. Journal of Endocrinological Investigation (2015)
  7. Weizman Z, Alkrinawi S, Goldfarb D, Bitran C. Efficacy of herbal tea preparation in infantile colic. Journal of Pediatrics (1993)
  8. Hurrell RF, Reddy M, Cook JD. Inhibition of non-haem iron absorption in man by polyphenolic-containing beverages. British Journal of Nutrition (1999)
  9. Segal R, Pilote L. Warfarin interaction with Matricaria chamomilla. CMAJ (2006)
  10. Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Chamomile: a herbal medicine of the past with a bright future. Molecular Medicine Reports (2010)View source
  11. Chamomile: Usefulness and Safety. National Center for Complementary and Integrative HealthView source

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This page is educational and is not medical advice. Herbal teas can interact with prescription medicines. Talk with a clinician or pharmacist before relying on any of them, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a chronic condition, or take medication.