Should You Drink Matcha Before Bed?
Should You Drink Matcha Before Bed?
Posted on June 12, 2021 | by Steve O'Dell
If you’re a huge fan of caffeinated drinks but looking for a gentle alternative to your morning coffee or if you just want a sweet and delicious treat to enjoy before bed, matcha may be a great choice for you.
Matcha can provide a long-lasting low-impact type of energy without any of the crash or side effects traditionally associated with caffeine, and there are many ways to add it to your meal or drink.
Because matcha is caffeinated, it may seem like it’s not a great choice for your nighttime ritual. The truth is that matcha can be incredibly beneficial for those managing the effects of anxiety and depression, and can actually help to reduce your stress.
Every person is different.
Here at Tenzo Tea, we’re dedicated to providing the information you need to determine how matcha can add to your life, and the high-quality tools and ingredients to help you get started. Whether you’ve been drinking matcha for years or you’re ready to take your very first sip, here’s what you’ll want to know about enjoying a cup of matcha before bed.
What is Matcha?
Matcha has a long and exciting history that can be traced back nearly one thousand years. It originated in China but has since become a staple of Japanese culture, because Japan is such a hospitable environment for growing matcha, which is a type of green tea, due to the rain and moderate temperatures.
Matcha varies from other types of green tea in that it is actually ground into a fine powder and then mixed into the hot water, rather than being steeped, the way tea is traditionally made. This means that the matcha drink maintains more of its nutrients and antioxidants, which can contribute to a boosted immune system, improved oral hygiene, and supported heart health.
And those aren’t the only benefits of drinking matcha tea. Most notably, matcha is known for providing alertness and focus to those who enjoy it, without any of the side effects like headaches, indigestion, or crashes. It is a gentle and long-lasting energy boost that can also provide a sense of focus and motivation.
Matcha is a versatile and useful ingredient that can be mixed into many different types of recipes, from smoothies and lattes to oatmeal, ice cream, and more, another reason why it is so popular today.
Benefits to Drinking Matcha Tea Before Bed
Matcha tea may have caffeine content, but there are still many reasons why people will enjoy a cup of matcha before bed. You always want to consider your personal reaction to caffeine and how it might affect you, especially if you are also combining it with sugar and other additives. Here are a few of the benefits of drinking matcha before bed.
It Has Relaxing Properties
Matcha can be an excellent ingredient for those who experience feelings of stress and emotional distress. It is often used to reduce stress and provide a sense of calm, which can make it easier to manage the effects of emotional health issues.
When matcha helps to relax and calm you, it makes it easier to fall asleep, since you won’t be worrying so much about the projects, presentations, and responsibilities that often keep us awake through the night.
It Makes Us Feel Good
Matcha is an incredibly versatile and useful tool for boosting your immune system, improving oral hygiene, and supporting overall heart health. When all of these benefits come together, they can make you feel stronger and more energetic throughout the course of the day and improve your sense of overall wellness as you fall asleep at night.
It Can Improve Blood Flow
With all of the antioxidants and nutrients, matcha can be very supportive of your overall health, and one of the reasons it’s so great for the heart and the immune system is because it actually helps to improve your blood flow, which means more oxygen to all the essential systems of the body, like the heart, lungs, and muscles. This helps to reduce soreness and even increases your sense of calm.
It Reduces Tension
Not only is matcha an excellent option for reducing the tension that often affects our digestive system, but it can be helpful for joint tension as well.
If you work out regularly or if you experience the joint tension, then drinking matcha can help to reduce those feelings of tension and provide a sense of relief that allows you to rest easily throughout the night. Even if you spend most of your time in an office chair or sitting for work, matcha can be incredibly helpful.
What To Consider When Drinking Matcha Tea Before Bed
Even with all of the benefits of drinking matcha tea before bed, it’s important to consider your own reaction to caffeine to make sure that bedtime matcha is the best option for your personal health needs. Here are a few things to keep in mind when brewing your next sleepy time matcha.
How Sensitive Are You to Caffeine?
Every person reacts to caffeine differently. If you can have an espresso in the middle of the afternoon and immediately fall asleep, matcha tea probably won’t cause any difficulty sleeping. If you’re the kind of person who can’t drink caffeinated tea after lunch, then you’ll want to skip the bedtime matcha and enjoy it with your morning smoothie, instead.
Matcha Can Be a Diuretic
Like many drinks and ingredients that have caffeine, matcha can promote healthy digestion and may require the occasional bathroom trip. If you find you already wake regularly to use the bathroom, matcha might not be the best ingredient to add to your nighttime routine.
Matcha Can Last for Up to Ten Hours
Are you looking for all the benefits of matcha tea but worried that it will keep you up? Rest easy.
The benefits of matcha can actually last as long as ten hours, depending on your concentration, which means you can have matcha in the middle or end of the day and still enjoy its effects. Pushing your last cup of the day back a little at a time can be a great way to determine if bedtime matcha is a good choice for you.
Create a Comprehensive Nighttime Routine
Matcha is just one of the elements you might want to consider adding to your nighttime routine. If you’re looking to boost your rest, get a full night’s sleep, or find a way to fall asleep earlier, matcha can help, but there are other things that you’ll want to consider.
Try to avoid looking at blue light screens before bed, skip the foods that contribute to heartburn and indigestion, and set aside your responsibilities for the night, so you can focus on getting the rest you deserve.
When combined with a healthy, supportive drink of matcha tea, you’ll find you get a great night’s sleep and wake up feeling rested and refreshed in the morning.
Conclusion
There are so many benefits to matcha that you may want to consider adding it to more than just your morning routine. While matcha does have caffeine and is known for providing a low-impact but a long-lasting boost of energy and focus, it can also be a great option for a nightcap.
Matcha has been shown to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, which can make it easier to get to sleep at night.
If you can manage the effects of your daily responsibilities and stressors with the support of matcha, you may find that a restful and supportive night sleep can help you to tackle everything fresh in the morning. Matcha is also known for promoting healthy blood circulation, reducing the feelings of tension in the joints, and improving our overall health and wellness, all of which can mean a great night’s sleep.
When deciding if late-night matcha is a good option for you, consider your sensitivity to caffeine, whether you often have to get up in the middle of the night to use the facilities, and how close to bedtime you’ll need to drink your matcha. Matcha can actually have effects for up to ten hours after use, which is just one of its many benefits.
Whether you’re a morning matcha drinker or you love closing out the day with a matcha tea, Tenzo Tea has you covered. We’re excited to share our high-quality tools and ingredients, as well as our guides and recipes for all things matcha. Make your next cup with Tenzo Tea today.
Sources:
Origins of Matcha | Mother Earth Living
Vascular and Metabolic Actions of the Green Tea Polyphenol Epigallocatechin Gallate | NCBI
Bedtime Routines For Adults | Sleep Foundation
