The clocks have gone back, the evenings are darker, and for many families bedtime suddenly feels like harder work. If you've found yourself wondering about chamomile – or reaching for a chamomile tea yourself – you're in good company. It's one of the most familiar calming plants there is, and it has been a favourite for thousands of years.
The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all used chamomile. The Egyptians are believed to have dedicated the herb to their gods, while the Greeks and Romans valued it as medicine.
That long history is reason enough to take a closer look. But what does the research actually show, and how can chamomile help create a calmer evening for your family?
Why Parents Are Reaching for Chamomile
Chamomile feels like a safe starting point. It's gentle and recognisable, and it doesn't carry the same worries as stronger sleep aids. Many parents enjoy a cup themselves at the end of the day, and it doesn't leave them groggy the next morning. So as more families look for natural ways to help children wind down, it's often one of the first ingredients they consider.
That makes it all the more important to be clear about what it can and can't do.
What Chamomile Actually Is, and What's in It
German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla, sometimes listed as Matricaria recutita) is a small, daisy-like flower in the Asteraceae family – one of the largest families of flowering plants. Its dried flower heads contain a range of plant compounds, including flavonoids.
Researchers most often discuss the flavonoid apigenin. GABA is the brain's main calming messenger, and apigenin interacts with GABA-A receptors, the same receptor family targeted by some anti-anxiety medicines. In a 1995 animal study, apigenin bound to the benzodiazepine site of these receptors and reduced anxious behaviour in mice, with only a mild sedative effect appearing at a dose ten times higher.
So for the last three decades we've understood a plausible reason chamomile might feel relaxing. But a study in mice is a long way from a child at bedtime, so what have we learnt since?
What the Research Says, Honestly
Chamomile is one of the most studied calming plants. It has a long tradition of use, a plausible mechanism through apigenin, and a growing body of human research. That research is still developing, especially in children, so it's worth being clear about both sides.
Where the Evidence Is Encouraging
- Sleep quality – a meta-analysis of 12 trials found chamomile significantly improved sleep quality.
- Staying asleep – a review of ten studies found chamomile helped most with night wakings and staying asleep.
- Relaxation – trials in adults with generalised anxiety disorder are positive, and longer-term use was well tolerated.
- Gentle on the body – across trials, side effects have been mild.
Where It Has Limits
Most of the research to date has been carried out in adults – which isn't uncommon as ethical approval is easier obtained for adult trials and often dosages are adapted for children rather than trialed on children.
But for transparency, where chamomile has its limits in the research is that in one study it improved sleep including the number of wakings when asleep but didn't result in an increase in total sleep time. And in a small trial in chronic insomnia, chamomile could improve daytime functioning but found no difference from placebo on sleep. So it can be viewed as supportive rather than sedating, which is a limitation but equally positive when considering it for our children.
The strongest body of research in children has mostly looked at infant colic, using chamomile combined with other plants to act as a relaxant for muscles, antispasmodic on the digestive tract and has anti-inflammatory properties.
What This Means for Your Child
Chamomile won't knock out an overtired child, and it isn't a treatment for sleep problems or anxiety. What it has the potential to offer is something gentler. It's a well-tolerated, time-honoured plant with encouraging research on sleep quality, and it fits naturally into a calming evening ritual.
Is Chamomile Safe for Children?
One of chamomile's real strengths is how gentle it is. A 2025 review of 72 trials found side effects were mostly mild, such as an upset tummy or drowsiness. As with any plant ingredient, a few things are worth knowing.
- Allergies – chamomile belongs to the daisy (Asteraceae) family, so children sensitive to ragweed, mugwort, chrysanthemum or marigold may react. Severe reactions are rare but have been reported back in 1989, so take extra care if your child has hay fever or other allergies.
- Babies under 12 months – avoid chamomile, including in tea.
- When to see your GP – ongoing sleep problems or worries deserve a proper look. Your GP can check for things like low iron, reflux or snoring linked to sleep apnoea. Also check first if your child takes medication or has a medical condition before any supplementation.
Chamomile and the Bedtime Routine
The strongest sleep evidence for children isn't about any one ingredient; it's about routine. In a study of more than 10,000 children aged 0–5, a regular bedtime routine was linked to falling asleep faster, fewer night wakings and more sleep overall. The more nights a week families kept to it, the better children slept. (Adults benefit from consistent bedtime routines, too.)
A natural bedtime routine for children doesn't need to be elaborate. Three or four calm steps in the same order each night is plenty. For example:
- The all-important countdown before the routine starts
- A bath or wash
- Pyjamas and teeth (and last toilet trip)
- A story or quiet chat
- Lights down and goodnight
Chamomile can sit within this as one familiar cue that the day is ending. That might be a small, weak cup of chamomile tea at bedtime or a chamomile supplement with dinner. And if some nights fall apart, that's normal. Consistency on most nights still counts.
What Else Supports Children's Calm at Bedtime?
- Enough sleep for their age – children aged 3–5 need 10–13 hours in 24 hours (including naps), and those aged 6–12 need 9–12 hours.
- Keep screens out of the bedroom – bedtime use of phones and tablets is linked to roughly double the odds of not getting enough sleep. Even having a device in the bedroom without using it is linked to poorer sleep.
- Dimmer evenings – children's melatonin is more sensitive to evening light than adults', so softer lighting in the hour or two before bed can help. Remember, let nature lead.
- Time for worries – a short chat earlier in the evening can stop big thoughts surfacing at lights out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chamomile safe for children?
Chamomile is one of the gentlest calming plants, and research shows side effects are generally mild. Avoid it if your child has a daisy-family or pollen allergy, and check with your GP or pharmacist if they take medication or have a medical condition.
What age can children have chamomile?
Avoid chamomile tea for babies under 12 months. For older children, choose a product designed for their age and follow the label. Kids Calm Gummies are formulated for children aged 3–12.
Does chamomile help children sleep?
Although trials in children are still needed, research in adults shows chamomile can support better sleep quality and the mechanism on the GABA receptor is plausible. It works best as a calming part of a consistent bedtime routine, not as a sleep aid.
How is chamomile different in a gummy vs chamomile tea?
The amount of chamomile in tea varies with the product and how long it's brewed, and loose flowers carry a slightly higher risk of contamination. Chamomile gummies for kids use a measured, quality-controlled extract, so your child gets a consistent amount each time without a drink just before bed.
Can my child take Kids Calm Gummies every night?
Yes, Kids Calm Gummies are designed for daily use as part of an evening routine, at the recommended dose of two gummies. Don't exceed that amount, and check with your GP first if your child has a medical condition or takes medication.
Kids Calm Gummies
Tonic includes chamomile in Kids Calm Gummies because it brings together what we look for in a children's ingredient. Chamomile is gentle and well tolerated, and families have used it in bedtime routines for generations. Each serving provides a measured chamomile extract alongside lemon balm, another plant traditionally used at bedtime, and magnesium, which contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system.
As with our other gummies, Tonic Kids Calm has been designed for children aged 3–12, two raspberry-flavoured gummies in the early evening can form part of a calming bedtime routine, with no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. Paired with the simple habits above – which are important foundations – it's one small, familiar step towards a calmer evening for the whole family.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
About the Author
Natalie Louise Burrows is a registered nutritional therapist (BANT, CNHC) and clinic director at Integral Wellness.
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