Calming Catnip Tea for Sleep
These days I’m really into making my own teas. I love a good cup of tea at night to help me relax, calm stress, and sleep better. I’m also very much into growing my own herbs for teas, and one I’m really looking forward to this year is catnip. Yes, catnip.
Catnip is not just for our feline friends, it also has incredible benefits to us homo sapiens. I’m sure you’re very familiar with the euphoric effects on cats, but catnip has been used for its medicinal properties long before we began giving it to cats.
Catnip tea was traditionally used as an herbal medicine for restlessness, nervousness, insomnia, anxiety, and even headaches. It may be used to treat gastrointestinal symptoms like indigestion, cramping, and gas. I even read that back in the day it was used to treat issues like arthritis, coughs, hives, fevers and other viruses. Crazy right?
I’ve been drinking catnip tea for a few years now and typically have a cup in the evening to relax and help me sleep. When mixed with hops flowers, it’s a recipe for a good night’s sleep.
Hops are obviously most commonly used in brewing beer but is also used to make medicine and can be used to help with anxiety, sleep disorders, tension, irritability and symptoms of menopause. Of course there is limited “scientific” evidence to support using hops for these conditions but I find this tea mixture helps me a ton.
How to make your catnip tea
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and cannot give medical advice. Everything I share here is based on my own experience with drinking tea to calm and rest. Catnip can cause drowsiness and/or allergic reactions if you have an allergy to other types of mints. Be sure to consult with your doctor before using.
While it is nice to have your go-to packaged tea blends for the stresses of life, there is just something about the journey of taking out the herb jars and creating the right combination for your needed experience. So put on something cozy, grab your favorite blanket and book, and put the kettle on.
To make my go-to catnip tea, mix ~2 teaspoons of dried catnip leaves with 1 teaspoon of hops flowers (or 2-4 hops buds) in a steeper and pour boiling water over. Let the tea mixture steep for about 5-10 minutes. Catnip tea has a woodsy and slightly bitter taste, so to sweeten the flavor you can add lemon juice and honey. Alternatively, you could add about ½ teaspoon of rose hips which adds a delicate floral flavor with a slight tart aftertaste.
AaaHhh, I can feel the calm already.
Growing catnip
Catnip belongs to the mint family and has oval-shape, dark green leaves and white flowering tops. It is super easy to grow and can grow to a height of 3 to 4 feet. Catnip can be super invasive and can take over your garden, which is fairly normal for plants in the mint category.
Catnip can be planted in your garden in spring or fall, from seed or plants. It will sprout in two to three weeks if started from seed. Cutting back the plants after the first bloom will allow enough time for it to completely regrow and bloom again.
To contain and shape of catnip plants, pinch them often while they are growing. The plants will also reseed all over your property if you let them so be warned! To prevent the plant from blooming, simply pinch off the top of the plant when flowers start to form. You may want to consider protecting your catnip with some type of enclosure to avoid unwelcome neighborhood cats. Unless you welcome the furry friends like I do.
How to dry your catnip herb
Now that you are growing your own catnip, it’s time to learn how to dry the herb for your tea. You may harvest an entire plant or just cut some stems. These can be hung upside down in a warm, dark area until they are completely dry. Then the leaves and flowers can be stripped from the stem and stored in a sealed container.
There it is folks. A great sleepy time tea to relax your soul and help you sleep at night.
I hope you enjoy. Peace & Love,
Nikki
Did you make this tea recipe or grow your own?
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