Chamomile is the most widely drunk sleep tea in the UK and a reasonable starting point for most people — it's mild, widely available and genuinely pleasant to drink. The calming effect is gentle rather than sedating, making it well suited to an evening wind-down routine.

For something more targeted, look for blends that combine chamomile with valerian, lemon balm, passionflower or lavender. These botanicals are all traditionally associated with relaxation and are commonly found in functional sleep teas from brands like Pukka, Heath & Heather and Clipper. Valerian in particular is one of the most researched botanicals for sleep support and is often the active ingredient in more targeted night-time blends.

The practical difference is this: a pure chamomile tea is gentle and enjoyable as a daily ritual. A dedicated sleep blend with valerian or passionflower is a more targeted choice if you specifically want herbal support for winding down before bed. Both are caffeine-free and suitable to drink in the evening — the choice comes down to how targeted you want the formula to be.

Pure herbal teas — made from flowers, herbs, spices, fruits and roots — are naturally caffeine-free. This includes chamomile, peppermint, ginger, rooibos, valerian, hibiscus and the vast majority of single-herb and blended herbal teas.

The exception to be aware of: green tea, matcha, black tea and white tea all contain caffeine, as they come from the Camellia sinensis plant. Some blended teas — particularly those marketed as energy or focus teas — may include green tea as an ingredient alongside herbal botanicals, which would make them caffeinated.

If caffeine-free is important to you, check the ingredients list rather than relying on the front of pack description. Pure herbal infusions with no tea leaf content are always caffeine-free. Rooibos is a useful option if you want a full-bodied, rich-tasting tea without any caffeine — it behaves more like a traditional tea in terms of flavour profile but contains no caffeine at all.

Peppermint is the most widely recommended herbal tea for digestive comfort. The menthol in peppermint helps relax muscles in the digestive tract and is traditionally used to ease bloating and discomfort after meals. It's best drunk after eating rather than before.

Ginger is a close second — warming, slightly spicy and well suited to settling the stomach. It's particularly popular after rich or heavy meals and is one of the most palatable options for those who find pure peppermint too strong.

Fennel is less well known but commonly included in digestive blends for its traditionally soothing properties. Liquorice root is often added to digestive teas for its naturally sweet flavour and soothing qualities.

If you want the most practical approach: try peppermint or ginger as standalone teas first before spending more on a multi-ingredient digestive blend. If you find peppermint too intense on its own, a blend that includes peppermint alongside fennel or ginger is typically gentler and better balanced.

Rooibos is worth trying if you're looking for something that drinks more like a traditional cup of tea but without caffeine. Unlike chamomile or peppermint, which taste distinctly herbal, rooibos has a fuller body, natural sweetness and earthy warmth that makes it more familiar to people used to black tea. It takes milk well, which most herbal teas don't.

From a botanical standpoint, rooibos comes from the Aspalathus linearis plant native to South Africa. It contains no caffeine and is naturally high in plant compounds. It's one of the most versatile herbal teas in the collection — suitable at any time of day and accessible to people who don't normally drink herbal tea at all.

If you're trying to reduce your caffeine intake and miss the familiarity of a regular tea, rooibos is usually the most comfortable transition point. It also works well iced in summer, which few sleep or digestion teas do as naturally.

For most everyday herbal teas at normal consumption levels, combining them is perfectly fine. Layering chamomile with lemon balm, or ginger with peppermint, is common practice and mirrors what most functional blended teas already do.

A few practical points worth knowing:

• Valerian has a strong, earthy flavour that can be overpowering — most people find it works better in a pre-made blend than brewed alongside other teas
• Liquorice root is naturally very sweet and dominant in flavour; a small amount goes a long way in a blend
• If you're taking herbal supplements alongside herbal teas — valerian capsules alongside a valerian tea, for example — it's worth being mindful of total intake rather than treating them as entirely separate products
• People taking blood-thinning medication should check with a GP before drinking large quantities of ginger or chamomile regularly, as some herbs have known interactions at higher intakes

For most healthy adults drinking one or two cups of varied herbal teas daily, there are no meaningful concerns about combining different varieties.