Benefits of Drinking Green Tea Before Bed

Green tea as well as other types of tea like red, black or oolong tea are all prepared from camellia sinensis plant. Out of all of these types of tea, green tea has the highest concentration of antioxidants. This is because of the way the green tea is manufactured. They’re manufactured heating fresh leaves to dry or lightly evaporate them to preserve their quality.

Can I drink it before bed?

Green tea has a compound known as theanine, which is the compound in tea that is responsible for improving sleep. Not only is theanine used to reduce anxiety, mental impairment, stress but it also helps you relax by reducing nerve cell stimulation and stress hormones. Even though it helps sleep take note that it contains caffeine which may counteract theanine making sleep difficult. However, caffeine can be reduced by the way you prepare the tea. You can prepare it by using room temperature water instead of boiling.

General benefits of green tea

Green tea is a source of many good nutrients and compounds including;

A rich source of antioxidants

Green tea contains the largest amount of antioxidants compared to other types of tea. It is also anti-inflammatory which can reduce the risk of cancer.

Benefits of green tea for diabetics

Green tea is able to improve the condition of people with type 2 diabetes.

Benefits of green tea for colon

Green tea is able to help reduce the risk of colon and rectal cancer. Increasing green tea consumption by about 2grams per day could reduce the risk of cancer by 12%. This is only for non-smokers, however for smokers it doesn’t reduce the risk of cancer. Green tea is also able to relieve ulcerative colitis because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Green tea benefits for stomach

It can reduce the risk of stomach cancer. It can help in delaying the growth of tumours and carcinogenesis in our stomachs. On the other hand, the caffeine in green tea may have side effects such as stomach pain, diarrhoea and nausea.

Green tea side effects

Green tea is usually considered healthy when taken in moderate quantities – not more than 8 cups a day. However, in larger quantities it is unsafe to consume and can cause miscarriages in pregnant women.

Drinking green tea may lead to some side effects, such as sleeping problems, nausea, being nervous because of the caffeine. It is advised to be very careful when drinking green tea if you have these health problems:

Diabetes

The caffeine in green tea can reduce the ability to control blood sugar levels. Therefore, people with diabetes should be careful when consuming it and monitor their blood sugar.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Consuming the caffeine compound that is present in green tea may worsen the symptoms related to irritable bowel syndrome – in this case, increasing diarrhea.

High blood pressure

Taking green tea in larger quantities may lead to high blood pressure in hypertensive patients.

Osteoporosis

Drinking green tea can increase calcium in urine, worsening the condition of people with osteoporosis.

Liver

Consuming too much green tea can cause liver problems for some. It is recommended to take concentrated extracts of green tea with food. If a liver disorder occurs such as abdominal pain, change in urine colour (dark) you should consult a doctor.

Allergy

It is really rare for green tea to cause a serious allergic reaction. However, if you feel severe dizziness, difficulties breathing, swelling or itching it is recommended to see a doctor immediately.

Green tea drug interactions

Green tea may interfere, affect or be affected by a group of different drugs including;

1. Antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and trovafloxacin)
2. Contraceptive drugs (Ethinylestradiol, Norethisterone and Levonorgestrel)
3. Asthma medications(Metaproterenol and Terbutaline)
4. Anticoagulant drugs ( Aspiring and naproxen)
5. Depression medicine( Phenelzine and Tranylcypromine )
6. Stimulants( Pseudoephedrine and epinephrine)
7. Other drugs such as (Amphetamine, Ephedrine, Phenylpropanolamine, Adenosine, dipyridamole, Portizomib, Clozapine, Disulfiram and Fluvoxamine. In addition to estrogen pills, lithium, pentobarbital, riluzole, theophylline, verapamil, fluconazole, Warfarin, Mexiletine, Midazolam, Nicardipine, Terbinafine. )