Green tea is known for its health benefits, but it can also affect your sleep. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, it can be beneficial to drink decaffeinated tea.

Many tea companies use a carbon dioxide process to remove the caffeine. This method is nontoxic and preserves the flavors of the leaves.

It Doesn’t Have as Much Caffeine as Other Caffeine-Containing Beverages

Decaffeinated green tea has a much smaller amount of caffeine than most other caffeinated beverages, which is a good thing if you’re trying to get some sleep. A single cup of green tea contains about 29 milligrams of caffeine, which is less than half the caffeine in a cup of black tea and more than a third of the caffeine in a cup of coffee.

While green tea contains some caffeine, it also has a lot of polyphenols and phytochemicals that are believed to improve health. These chemicals may boost your mood and help you feel more relaxed, which can make it easier to fall asleep at night.

But, it’s still important to be careful about the amount of caffeine you consume, as too much can interfere with your sleep. You should avoid drinking any caffeinated beverage at least four hours before bed.

Some people find that decaffeinated green tea is a great alternative to regular green tea because it has all of the same antioxidants and phytochemicals without any of the caffeine. However, many decaffeinated teas go through a chemical process to remove the caffeine, which can leave them with a slightly different taste. Instead, opt for organic decaf green tea that’s been naturally processed using carbon dioxide. This method is considered to be the safest and most natural way of removing the caffeine from tea leaves.

It May Lead to Waking to Use the Bathroom

Green tea is a good option for those who want to wake up in the morning without the caffeine jitters and associated feelings of anxiety or stress. However, it’s important to note that even decaffeinated green tea has a small amount of caffeine in it and may still keep you awake if consumed before bedtime. This is because drinking any fluids less than two hours before you sleep will increase your need to pee throughout the night. Nighttime peeing can disrupt your sleep and cause you to feel exhausted the next day.

In the case of green tea, consuming it at night can also lead to waking up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom because it has a diuretic effect. This can disrupt your sleep and make it difficult to fall back asleep. Drinking a cup of green tea at night can also reduce the amount of time you spend sleeping during the night.

If you are prone to sleeping problems, it’s best to avoid caffeinated beverages such as coffee and green tea. Instead, opt for herbal teas such as peppermint tea and chamomile tea which are more likely to relax you and help you fall asleep. Alternatively, try houjicha, which is a roasted Japanese green tea with a much lower caffeine content.

It May Cause You to Feel Exhausted

Green tea is a mild stimulant and can have an effect on your sleep. It typically takes four to six hours for your body to metabolize half the caffeine you consume. This is why you should avoid drinking green tea before bed if you’re sensitive to caffeine. This could keep you awake for the night and cause problems falling asleep.

The L-theanine in green tea reduces stress hormone levels and relaxes neuron activity in the brain, which can help you get to sleep faster. However, the effects of the tea can wear off quickly if you’re sensitive to caffeine. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, try a different kind of green tea or stick to herbal teas that are 100% free of the substance.

Decaf green tea is a great choice for people who are sensitive to caffeine but want to enjoy the perks of this superfood. It has a lower caffeine content than regular green tea and can help you get to sleep easier at night.

You can find decaf green tea online or at local health food stores. Look for a tea that has undergone the CO2 decaffeination process, which removes 96-98% of the caffeine without affecting the flavor or nutritional content of the leaves. The only thing to keep in mind is that even decaf teas still contain small amounts of caffeine, so if you’re especially sensitive to the substance, you should stick to herbal teas.

It May Cause You to Feel Uncomfortable

Decaf green tea is great for those who have a caffeine sensitivity, since it doesn\'t cause the heart palpitations, restlessness and headaches that come with too much caffeinated coffee or black tea. However, it\'s important to understand that it also may not have the same health benefits as its caffeinated counterpart, depending on how it is processed.

The decaffeination process can affect the health benefits of your tea, and it\'s hard to find a method that removes 100% of the caffeine. Most methods involve soaking the tea in a solution, such as water, carbon dioxide, methylene chloride or other chemical solvents. The choice of a solvent can affect the flavor and nutritional value of your cup of tea, and it\'s not clear which methods are safest or best for the environment.

Regardless of whether you choose to drink regular or decaf green tea, it\'s important not to exceed the recommended upper limit for daily caffeine consumption of 400 milligrams, as this can lead to jitters, stomach upset and insomnia. In addition, too much caffeine can interfere with the absorption of certain medications, including blood thinners, per UC Davis Health.

Both regular and decaf green tea contain antioxidants, which help fight free radicals that can damage cells and cause cancer, per Tufts University. The processing of green tea to remove the caffeine, however, can take away a significant amount of these healthy compounds.