If you want to know the benefits of drinking green tea before bed, this article will show you how green tea can help you lose weight, fight fatigue and much more.
You probably know that green tea is healthy. But do you know what makes it healthy?
Green tea is loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols which are good for your health.
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is one of the most important compounds in green tea. It has more potent antioxidant properties than vitamin C and E.
Green tea is also rich in zinc, chromium, selenium, and manganese. Plus small amounts of vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K.
Now, let’s see how drinking green tea before bed can improve your health.
Benefits of drinking green tea before bed
1. Green tea may increase calmness
Drinking green tea before bed can keep you calm especially if you struggle with anxiety and depression.
We know that anxiety and depression cause sleeplessness. So managing these conditions will help you sleep better.
According to this study, green tea reduces stress and anxiety. Another study found that drinking four or more cups of green tea per day can reduce depression.
2. Green tea may boost fat burning while sleeping
Did you know that green tea is an ingredient in every fat-burning supplement?
Several studies show that green tea boosts metabolism and increases fat burning.
Green tea has also been proven to increase energy expenditure and fat oxidation, leading to a faster fat loss.
3. Green tea may lower risk of type 2 diabetes
Drinking green tea before bed can improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar levels, research shows.
In fact, evidence shows that people who drink green tea regularly have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
In this study, researchers found that green tea can lower risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 42 percent.
4. Green tea may improve brain function
Drinking green tea before bed can make you smarter.
For one thing, green tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid which improves blood circulation in the brain. L-theanine also increases production of dopamine.
Second, the small amounts of caffeine in green tea are good for your brain. Caffeine has been proven to improve mood and memory.
5. Green tea may relieve headaches
Having a headache at night can make you lose sleep. Well, it turns out that drinking green tea before bed can relieve headaches.
Research shows that caffeine treats migraine headaches 40 percent better than artificial meds.
I may also note that green tea may reduce pain due to its strong anti-inflammatory properties.
6. Green tea may prevent bad morning breath
Drinking green tea before bed can prevent bad morning breath. And it can also freshen the breath of people with halitosis.
Green tea can remove bacteria which cause bad breath in the mouth due to its strong antibacterial properties. The polyphenols in green tea also fight bad breath.
This study found that green tea freshens the mouth better than mint and chewing gum.
7. Green tea may lower risk of cancer
As I mentioned earlier, green tea has strong antioxidant properties. Well, research shows that antioxidants prevent oxidative damage and lower risk of cancer.
This study found that drinking green tea can lower risk of prostate cancer by 48 percent. Another study found that women who drink green tea have 22 percent lower risk of breast cancer.
There are many other studies confirming the cancer-fighting effects of green tea.
8. Green tea may fight fatigue
Fatigue can prevent you from sleeping well and make you feel tired in the morning.
Drinking a cup of green tea before bed can reduce fatigue. L-theanine, the antioxidant in green tea, boosts mood, dopamine and brain function.
Some people report feeling energetic and fresh in the morning when they drink green tea before bed.
9. Green tea may lower blood pressure
One in every three American adults has high blood pressure. And data shows that high blood pressure was the primary or contributing cause of death for more than 410,000 Americans in 2014.
Drinking green tea before bed can lower risk of high blood pressure. The flavonoids in green tea lower risk of high blood pressure by 50 percent.
In a study conducted on obese and hypertensive patients, the results showed that taking green tea extract for 3 months can lower blood pressure, fight inflammation and reduce oxidative stress.
10. Green tea may prevent bowel buildup
Drinking green tea before bed can improve bowel movement and treat digestive problems like constipation, bloating, and diarrhea.
Green tea improves gut health which consequently improves bowel movement. In fact, green tea can prevent intestinal inflammation.
Note that green tea should be drunk hot if you want to improve gut health.
11. Green tea may lower risk of colds and flu
EGCG, the powerful compound in green tea I mentioned earlier can help prevent colds and flu.
Research shows that the antiviral properties of EGCG can fight the influenza virus.
If you currently have a cold, drinking green tea before bed may help fight it.
12. Green tea may improve heart health
Research shows that green tea can balance cholesterol levels, which consequently improves heart health. Plus, green tea can also improve blood circulation.
According to this study, green tea can lower LDL cholesterol levels which will in turn lower risk of heart disease.
In fact, observational studies show that you have a 31 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease if you drink green tea regularly.
13. Green tea may improve skin health
Green tea contains nutrients which keep the skin young and healthy. Manganese, caffeine, vitamin B, folate and amino acids can rejuvenate your skin.
Adequate intake of these nutrients will improve your complexion and repair dead skin cells.
The antibacterial properties of green tea can treat rashes and other skin infections.
14. Green tea may lower risk of Alzheimer’s
Drinking green tea at night won’t just make you smarter, it will lower risk of Alzheimer’s as you grow older.
Research shows that EGCG and other green tea polyphenols can alter the brain’s aging process and lower risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
15. Green tea may treat allergies
The antiallergenic properties of green tea can reduce symptoms of common night allergies like sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, itchiness, and so on.
According to this study, EGCG can prevent allergic reactions by blocking cell receptors which cause allergies.
If you have nasal congestion at night, drink green tea before bed to fix this problem.
How much green tea should you drink before bed?
Maybe you’re worried that the caffeine in green tea will stimulate you rather than relax you. But realize that green tea doesn’t have as much caffeine as coffee.
A cup of green tea contains 30-50 mg of caffeine while a cup of coffee may contain 100-200 mg of caffeine.
In fact, green tea has antioxidants which slow the absorption of caffeine.
Drinking one cup of green tea an hour before bed won’t keep you awake as some people would have you believe. It’ll keep you relaxed and help you sleep better.
You may lose sleep if you drink 3 or 4 cups of green tea before bed but one cup won’t keep you awake.
Final word
Green tea is one of the best beverages to drink before bed. It’ll help you sleep better, boost metabolism and improve your health.
But realize that adding sugar or milk to green tea can undo some of these benefits. Drink it without sugar or add a few drops of honey to sweeten it.
Research shows that it’s safe to drink up to 6 cups of green tea day.
Do you drink green tea before bed?
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