The answer is yes!  Of course it depends on what kind of tea you drink.  Too much caffeine can hype you up, so keeping it under too many milligrams of caffeine is important.  Many types of tea contain an amino acid called L-Theanine, especially green tea.  This amino acid found in tea leaves is shown to help reduce anxiety and help you feel relaxed.  Drinking a warm cup of decaffeinated tea is soothing and can be a relaxing pre-bedtime ritual.  Try drinking tea that contains L-Theanine and it can promote relaxation and improve your sleep.  

L-Theanine can elevate GABA, serotonin, and dopamine levels in the brain.  These chemicals are known to increase feelings of calm and promote relaxation. In addition, L-Theanine is known to decrease levels of chemicals in the brain known to cause anxiety and stress.  Although L-Theanine promotes relaxation it is not a sedative.  Just helping you destress and slip into a calm state assists in falling asleep and staying asleep.   

There are many benefits of L-Theanine such as reducing stress, improving sleep, lowering your heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and enhancing attention.  Yes, enhancing attention!  One of the great things about L-Theanine is that it promotes a relaxed state without causing sleepiness.  Using L-Theanine facilitates increases in attention and memory by decreasing stress hormones.  When you are anxious and stressed it negatively affects your ability to retain and to retrieve information.  Research shows using L-Theanine may boost your attention span and reaction time.  

It is always advised to consult your physician prior to adding any supplements to your diet.  If you are using medication to lower your blood pressure or have low blood pressure consult with your physician on what amount of L-Theanine is safe for you to use. 

So on these cool fall nights, steep yourself a warm relaxing cup of tea, and slip into a calm and relaxed state.  Sweet dreams!