I tried reishi mushroom tea for the first time — this is what happened to my sleep, and an expert explains why

Functional mushrooms seem to have infiltrated the sleep and wellness industry by promising a natural remedy for insomnia — and the star of this toadstool takeover is the reishi mushroom.

Mushroom sleep aids come in many forms, from gummies to hot chocolate, but reishi mushroom tea is a classic. So when I was offered the chancer to try herbal tea with functional mushrooms, I couldn't wait to give it a go.

After all, there are plenty of great sleep-inducing teas and a hot, caffeine-free drink is one of the best beverages you can drink to sleep better. Here's what happened when I incorporated reishi tea into my nighttime routine.

What happened when I tried reishi tea for better sleep...

Fellow sleep writer Becky George tried reishi mushroom hot chocolate for sleep last year and the results were promising. She said that it helped her create a calming bedtime ritual, fall asleep faster and stopped night-time awakenings.

Suffice to say, I had high hopes.

The tea I tried is teapigs Chamoile Lullaby Tea, which contains reishi mushrooms, chamomile, passionflower, and lemon verbana. According to the box — complete with an illustration of crescent moon taking a nap — reishi mushroom has been "used for centuries in traditional medicine when it's time to drift off to dreamland".

I decided to drink the tea around 8pm to help me drift off around 11.30pm (a four-three hour gap between tea and bed is a good option).

As soon as I opened the box, a strong earthy scent hit me. It smelled kind of like a Cadbury Fruit and Nut chocolate bar. I'd enjoyed passionflower, lemon verbana, and chamomile tea before and none smelled this strong, so I chalk the bittersweet scent up to the reishi mushroom.

After leaving the to teabag infuse for five minutes, I drank the woody-scented mixture. The taste was fruity with a citrusy note, but not too strong. I'm pleased to report it didn't taste like mushroom soup at all.

Drinking the reishi tea created a soothing feeling, but sleep-inducing? Not quite. I had been told by my fellow sleep writers, Becky and Eve, that their mushroom hot chocolate had made them "conk out" for the night.

I continued incorporating the a mug of reishi goodness into my evening routine for the next six nights, and while I wouldn't say it's a sleeping pill in a cup, I did feel it had a Pavlovian affect on me.

I found it sleep-inducing insofar as it provided me with a calming psychological signal to go to sleep. However, I might have achieved the same effect with a mug of traditional chamomile tea.

What are resihi mushrooms?

To get to the bottom of the reishi mushroom craze, I asked Amy Davis, registered dietician and consultant at Live Conscious Nutrition, if there's a good reason for it.

"Reishi mushrooms are a type of functional mushroom most commonly used for immune support and stress reduction," she says. "They are considered an adaptogen, meaning they help the body naturally respond better to physical and emotional stress."

Why do reishi mushrooms have a sleep-inducing effect?

When I asked Davis why the tea helped me to prepare for sleep, rather think knocking me out for the count, her insight reflected my experience.

"While reishi mushrooms won't directly act as a sedative," she explained, "they instead promote sleep by helping to reduce stress, anxiety, and other symptoms that might disrupt sleep, such as nausea."

The nutrition expert also says that the lullaby affect of reishi mushrooms strengthens the more you use them. "Functional mushrooms tend to work best when used consistently over time," she added.

What are the best ways to consume reishi mushrooms before bed?

Davis tells me it doesn't matter if you consume reishi mushrooms in tea, hot chocolate, or in a capsule, what matters is that you combine functional mushroom consumption with good sleep hygiene habits.

"When complemented with a relaxing wind-down routine that includes reading, journaling, and/or meditation, reishi can enhance relaxation and sleep even further," the dietician advises.

 What other mushroom types have a positive effect on sleep?

While reishi is widely considered the best functional mushroom for sleep, there are other mushrooms that can act as sleep aids.

"Lion's Mane is another great option because it supports cognitive function and overall nervous system health," suggests Davis. "Cordyceps could also benefit sleep because it helps regulate energy levels."

"A great option to reap the benefits of several mushrooms is to find a smart, third-party tested blend such as Lion's Mane + Mushroom Blend from Live Conscious," she adds. "Many of their benefits are amplified when they’re combined, as they often have complementary effects on the immune system and stress response."

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