Aldi's 'bargain' sleep tea was referred to as the new 'Prime' drink after flying off the shelves so quickly, and now I know why.
It's even got to the point where people are now selling the tea on eBay, which proves just how ridiculously popular this product is. When the Diplomat Sleep tea first came about last year, I regularly visited my local Aldi to see if I could get my hands on it and failed every single time.
Each Aldi trip ended up disappointment, until I visited last week and finally got my hands on the popular product. Shoppers have been saying that the sleep tea 'works better than sleeping pills', but as always, I was dubious, and wanted to see if it actually worked.
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These past few weeks I've been struggling with sleep, and have fallen into a bit of an unhealthy sleeping routine. Lack of sleep can seriously affect me, and for anyone that knows me, if I don't get my full 8 hours I'm a monster.
I've tried various products such as Nytol, a CBD candle, lavender pillow spray and a soothing Horlicks before bed, but nothing has helped me to drop off yet. I thought that the sleep tea would also be unsuccessful, but that's where I was wrong.
The tea
The product description for the tea on the back of the box is as follows: "It's time to relax and unwind. This perfect blend with Vitamin B3 helps support normal psychological function for a good night sleep. Enjoy this cuppa for a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle."
Blended with passion flower, camomile and apple, the tea is described as an 'expect caffeine free blend to help support normal sleep'. The box contained 20 fresh teabags, and looked fairly minimalistic in terms of labelling and design - but I didn't let that put me off.
I've tried various different herbal teas in the past, and been put off by their very bitter tastes. I'm a big tea drinker in terms of Yorkshire Tea, but I've never been fussed about fruity teas because I find them quite bitter.
In terms of scent, the teabags smelt like very strong apple, and they almost had a bit of a spiced scent like you'd find in a mulled wine. I poured some boiling water into a small cup, left the teabag in and took myself up to bed.
I was already feeling absolutely exhausted at this point due to two sleepless nights, but once I get into my own head about being able to sleep, I continue to struggle, so I wasn't holding much hope for this tea.
The Diplomat tea tasted okay - I wouldn't say it was absolutely delicious, but it certainly wasn't as strong as some other herbal teas I've tasted in the past. It had a subtle yet soothing flavour with strong notes of apple and a hint of camomile.
I drank the full cup in bed with my lamp on and avoided going on my phone. By 9:20pm I was fast asleep, and I slept completely through the night with zero disturbances - it was a miracle.
I was actually super shocked at how well this tea worked, especially because I woke up feeling incredibly refreshed and revitalised, which was something I hadn't felt for a good while. To make sure I was totally convinced by the tea, I tried having it all week just in case the good night's sleep was a one off or a fluke.
Since drinking the tea, I can confirm that my sleeping pattern has improved massively, and I'm genuinely so happy. Whether this is because of the actual tea, or the fact that it might be a placebo, I'm not sure, but it worked for me and that's all that matters.
The verdict
I understand that tea like this isn't for everyone, but I'd seriously urge anyone that struggles with stress, anxiety or lack of sleep to give this tea a go. Now I understand why people are saying this stuff is 'better than sleeping pills' because it worked almost instantly with me.
The taste of the tea is far more manageable than some I've tried, and it's not too strong or bitter. Let's just say, I hope when I visit my local Aldi there will be some more available, else I might have to turn to eBay at this rate.
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