Why Green Tea Is Best Avoided Right Before Bed

If you enjoy green tea, you may be tempted to sip a freshly brewed cup at night to unwind before sleep. But that soothing habit can quickly backfire once you’re in bed, because green tea contains caffeine.

An eight-ounce serving of green tea typically has about 25 to 45 milligrams of caffeine. For comparison, an average cup of coffee contains around 95 milligrams. That means green tea has less caffeine than coffee, but it can still be enough to interfere with sleep if you drink it right before bedtime. The same caution applies to black tea, oolong tea, and white tea: black tea contains the most caffeine at 64 to 112 milligrams, while oolong ranges from 29 to 53 milligrams and white tea from 32 to 37 milligrams.

A better choice is to drink green tea earlier in the day, and not too close to meals, since it can reduce the body’s absorption of nutrients from food.

Teas that are better suited for nighttime

The good news is that not every tea contains caffeine. If you are willing to swap out green tea, you can still enjoy a warm cup before bed by choosing an herbal tea. Most herbal teas are naturally caffeine-free, including chamomile, peppermint, hibiscus, and ginger tea. A few herbal teas, such as yerba mate, do contain caffeine, so it is worth checking the label before you buy.

If you prefer green tea in the evening, decaf green tea is another option. It is not completely free of caffeine, but it contains only about two milligrams. That low amount is usually unlikely to disrupt sleep. In fact, most decaf teas have only one to eight milligrams of caffeine, so decaf black, oolong, or white tea can also work as a bedtime drink.