Chamomile tea for PMS: benefits and how to use it

Chamomile has been used for centuries as a calming drink for sleep, an upset stomach and general tension. A 2016 systematic review in Electronic Physician looked at decades of research on Matricaria recutita (chamomile) and found it studied for anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antidepressant and calming effects, among others, with premenstrual syndrome named specifically as one condition it may help [1].

The plant contains compounds like apigenin and bisabolol, linked to easing inflammation and muscle spasm, and others like glycine and certain flavonoids tied to calming anxiety.

People use chamomile tea for:

• Trouble falling asleep
• An upset stomach or mild cramping
• Everyday tension or worry
• Period cramps and the restlessness that can show up before a period

Sleep often gets lighter in the days before a period, and a warm, caffeine-free drink can be a steady anchor on harder nights.

Cortisol, the body's main stress hormone, is typically a little lower in the luteal week than in the follicular week, according to a meta-analysis of 778 women [3].

The irritability many people feel before their period has more to do with how the brain reacts to shifts in progesterone's byproducts (Dubey et al., 2017). A calming evening habit like warm tea can still help with that.

None of this makes chamomile a guaranteed fix. It's a plant with studied effects worth taking seriously, not a replacement for care when symptoms are severe.

The best evidence linking chamomile and PMS comes from a 2019 systematic review in the Journal of Pharmacopuncture, which pulled together eight randomized controlled trials and concluded chamomile is effective for easing PMS symptoms [2]. The trials pointed to real mechanisms: anti-spasmodic compounds like apigenin and quercetin that ease cramping, and anti-anxiety compounds like glycine that may calm mood symptoms.

Most of those trials tested chamomile as a standardized extract or capsule, not a cup of brewed tea. Tea delivers a much smaller, less consistent dose of the active compounds than a concentrated extract. That doesn't mean tea does nothing, but it means the research doesn't translate directly to drinking a cup and feeling calmer by evening.

Form	What the research tested	Evidence strength
Brewed tea (1 to 2 cups)	Mostly traditional use, not tested on its own for PMS	Limited
Standardized extract or capsule	Used in the 8 RCTs reviewed for PMS symptom relief	Moderate [2]
Essential oil or topical use	Traditional use for cramps, not tested for PMS	Not studied for PMS

Think of chamomile tea as a small support alongside other PMS treatment, not the main plan. If your symptoms are severe enough to disrupt your week every month, chamomile tea alone won't be enough.

Guidelines recommend options like SSRIs, which can work taken only in the luteal phase [4], along with certain hormonal contraceptives and CBT (ACOG Clinical Practice Guideline No. 7, 2023), decided with a doctor. Chamomile tea isn't a substitute for these treatments when symptoms are more severe.

For a fuller look at what helps, see PMS treatment: what actually helps, or read more on chamomile for PMS and chamomile for PMDD specifically.

Making chamomile tea is simple, and how you brew it affects how much of its calming compounds end up in your cup. Covering the cup matters more than people think, since some of those compounds can escape with the steam if it's left open.

1. Use one chamomile tea bag or about 2 to 3 grams of dried chamomile flowers.
2. Heat water until it's just below boiling, not a hard boil.
3. Pour the water over the chamomile and cover the cup so steam doesn't escape.
4. Steep for 5 to 10 minutes. A longer steep draws out more of the active compounds.
5. Strain if you used loose flowers, then drink it warm.

A slightly longer steep than you'd use for a quick cup of green tea makes sense here, since chamomile's compounds release slowly into hot water. If you only have tea bags, pressing them lightly after steeping releases a bit more of the plant's oils, though steeping too long can make the tea taste more bitter.

Researchers haven't set an established amount for chamomile tea on its own. The RCTs behind chamomile's PMS evidence used extracts and capsules with specific doses, not cups of tea [2], so there's no tested 'tea dose' to point to.

Most people who use it drink 1 to 3 cups a day in the week or two before their period, often in the evening as part of winding down. That's a reasonable, low-risk amount for most adults.

A caffeine-free cup can also be part of signaling to your body that the day is winding down. Drinking more than that adds habit and fluid more than extra benefit, since tea is a weaker dose of chamomile's active compounds than a supplement.

If you want something to help you track how the days before your period feel, alongside whatever calming habits you build in, Niyora is a PMS and PMDD support app. Its Moon feature lets you write down what's going on and see it from a calmer angle, which can sit next to a cup of tea rather than replace it.

Chamomile is generally considered low-risk, and mild side effects like stomach upset or drowsiness are uncommonly reported in traditional use. [1] reviewed chamomile's broader therapeutic effects, from osteoarthritis to mild anxiety, but didn't focus on safety data specifically. Still, it isn't risk-free for everyone.

• Allergic reactions, especially if you're sensitive to ragweed, daisies or chrysanthemums
• Drowsiness, which is often the point in the evening but worth noting before driving
• A possible interaction with blood thinners like warfarin
• Limited safety data in pregnancy, so many clinicians suggest caution or checking first

A DRSP chart can make daily symptom notes easier to keep, and a PMDD specialist can help if your symptoms consistently disrupt your life. For background on what counts as PMS versus something more, see what is PMS, explained.