Chamomile is the most widely researched herbal sleep tea: it contains apigenin, a compound that binds to GABA receptors and has a mild sedative effect. Valerian root is stronger and more directly sedating. Passionflower shows benefit in small trials for reducing sleep onset time. What these herbs share is a Western approach — quieting the nervous system to allow sleep. Chinese herbal medicine takes a different route: rather than sedating, herbs like chrysanthemum, jujube, and longan aim to rebalance the conditions that make rest difficult, particularly the heat and agitation that keep a tired mind running. Both approaches have merit; the right one depends on what is actually getting in your way.
