CBD tea and my wind-down routine: what my sleep app showed me
For years I worked as a private chef on superyachts. Long days, late service, and by the time the last plate went out my head was still going at a hundred miles an hour. I'd get into bed and just lie there, running through tomorrow's menu. A few glasses of red took the edge off, but everyone knows that's a dangerous game, and it's definitely not something you can keep up for long.
What I was missing was a proper full stop at the end of the day. So I started building one: a wind-down routine, with a cup of tea as the signal that the night had officially begun. That habit is a big part of why I started Four Twentea, and Tranquilitea is the blend I made for it.
What my sleep app showed me
I'm a sucker for data, so I tracked my sleep the whole way through. Here's how my nights looked before and after I started taking my evenings seriously:
| Time to fall asleep | How the app rated my sleep | |
|---|---|---|
| Before my wind-down routine | 35 to 45 minutes | Light sleep, lots of waking |
| After my wind-down routine | 15 to 25 minutes | Smoother cycles, deeper rest |
I changed a few things at once, so I can't tell you which bit did what. But building a better routine made a difference for me.
My wind-down routine
A cup of Tranquilitea, about an hour before bed. Water just off the boil (give the kettle a few seconds after it clicks), four minutes, bag out. An hour gives me time to enjoy it and still nip to the loo before lights out, so I'm not up at 4am. Nothing like a night-time wee to ruin a good deep kip!
Lights down, phone away. The single hardest bit, and probably the most important. I put my phone on charge in the kitchen.
Get it out of your head. I scribble tomorrow's to-do list in a notebook, so it's on paper rather than going round in circles at midnight.
Track it, if you like data. Seeing the pattern made it much easier for me to stick to the routine on the nights I couldn't be bothered.
Why Tranquilitea?
When I started making my own teas, this was the one I'd be drinking every night, so it had to be good. I didn't want anything grassy or hay-ish, so I built it on honeybush, which is naturally sweet, then added herbs that have been part of evening brews for generations: camomile, lemon balm, verbena, passion flower and a bit of valerian. Valerian's earthy on its own, so it needs good company. It's caffeine-free, with 10 mg of CBD in every bag, and to me it just tastes like the end of the day.
A few things people get wrong about CBD
It won't get you high. Our tea is broad-spectrum, and in our 2022 lab tests THC came in below the lab's limit of quantification.
It's not a miracle cure. Don't be pulled in by anyone trying to sell you CBD-infused socks to sort out your ingrowing toenails.
Quality matters. Look for lab-tested products with a clear amount of CBD. Every bag of ours is made to contain 10 mg, our lab reports are online, and all four teas are Validated on the FSA's public list under application RP-438.
Build your own wind-down
You don't need to copy mine. Pick one or two things you'll actually stick to: a cuppa at the same time every night, the phone in another room, a notebook by the bed. A last-minute game of sudoku, a few chapters of Game of Thrones, whatever. Give it a couple of weeks before you judge it, and if you've got a sleep tracker, keep an eye on it. I'd love to hear how you get on.
If you fancy starting with the kettle, a box of Tranquilitea is £14 for 14 bags, or try all four blends in the Everything Bundle for £44 (normally £56).
The FSA advises healthy adults to limit CBD from all food sources to 10 mg a day. That's one bag of our tea. CBD is not recommended for under-18s, anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, or anyone taking medication.
FAQs
Does CBD tea help you sleep?
UK rules mean no brand can claim CBD helps you sleep. What we can tell you is that Tranquilitea is a caffeine-free blend of traditional bedtime herbs with 10 mg of CBD, made for winding down.
When should I have my evening cup?
I have mine about an hour before bed. That leaves time to enjoy it and a trip to the loo before lights out.
Is Tranquilitea caffeine-free?
Yes. It's all herbal: honeybush, lemon balm, verbena, valerian, passion flower and camomile.
Will CBD tea get me high?
No. CBD doesn't cause a high, and in our 2022 lab tests THC was below the lab's limit of quantification.
Can I drink it with sleep medication?
No. CBD isn't recommended for anyone taking medication, so speak to your GP or pharmacist first.