Sen-cha makes me so sleepy!

[pixelsense]

Hi all,

I'm a pretty new tea-drinker... I've lately been very into drinking tea, mostly for it's health benefits. And also I've heard that teas can keep you awake. Coffee makes me feel bloated and make my chest feels very uncomfortable, maybe due to the caffeine which is supposedly make you awake?

Recently, I've just bought some Japanese Sen-cha from Fukujuen. I tried the samples at the tea counter and bought one tin home since i liked it. A few hours later when i reach home and it's time for dinner, i felt super sleepy. My face almost fell flat into my plate of food. And that's only from the small cup of samples that i tried earlier that day.

Subsequently I've been trying this tea again on weekends night and as usual, after only about a few mouthful, i started to get really sleepy... so sleepy that it's painful to keep my eyelids open. Actually i'm drinking it now and my eyelids are starting to get heavy.

I have this kinda sleepy reaction with flowered teas too, esp rose.

However, i don't get this kinda of reaction from the green teas that i usually drink at Japaneses restaurant. strange...

I need a tea that helps to keep my mind alert and awake, esp during working hours. I've heard good things about Rooibos tea, good for the brain. thinking of getting the samplers. Though not sure what will be my reaction to it. Only one way to find out

What kinda teas do you recommend for keeping your mind awake?

[bambooforest]

Firstly, does Fukujuen have an english site? It looks Japanese to me and very intriguing. Since you convey you bought it at the store, are you located in Japan?

I have never heard of sencha making anyone sleepy. I suppose that it is a possible reaction, but I have never come across it. If anything, I would think it would be neutral.

Either way, I love sencha.

I feel the greatest lift is from matcha. It is a lift the comes very quickly after drinking it. That being said, it may be more short lived than say sencha. But, it may have a more positive effect on you, worth a try.

[pixelsense]

Not sure they have an english site. They have a counter in one of the shopping centers in Singapore. I've actually wanted to get Matcha but coz of the expensive tea ware, i opted for the packed powdered Sen-cha.

What Matcha brands do you recommend? i wouldn't mind giving it a try now since that was my original plan.

I think it's bedtime for me... can't fight the Sen-cha zzz-monster that ...

[Wesli]

Heh, that's funny man.

Well, I would conclude that you are having an individual reaction to one of the chemicals in tea. It would be best to chat with a doctor about it. However, drinking hot fluids might just make you sleepy, as it does with some people.

Bambooforest is right, try matcha. Matcha gives the biggest lift out of all the teas I've tried. The problem is that it's not a long and steady ride, like other teas. It's more of a sharp climb followed by short peak, and a steady downfall.

If I were you, I'd experiment more with this sencha you're drinking to try to find out how this sleepy-causing action works. Try it in the morning, do you still get tired? Try it moments before lying down for sleep. Do you fall asleep faster? Slower? Try drinking it before and after exercising.

[pixelsense]

guess i will spend this weekend experimenting with drinking sencha.
thanks for the advice

[Chip]

Is it straight sencha, or is it kukicha? Or does it have anything else added to it?

A very curious reaction.

[pixelsense]

Description: The Sencha's bud is ground into tea powder.
The Ingredient label says : Maltdextrin, Green Tea

maybe it's the Maltdextrin?

[Chip]

I see...well, maltodextrin is added to a lot of foods more or less as a sweetener. It is also use as a carb supplement. I suppose it could cause a reaction such as the one you experienced.

I would recommend you first stop drinking the highly processed sencha "beverage" you have since this is causing such an adverse reaction. (though I am not a trained professional, somehow common sense tells me not to mess with this stuff)

Secondly, I recommend you try a pure sencha...or another pure tea, not a highly processed sencha beverage as is the one you are having problems.

Pure sencha would be a healthier alternative anyway.

[Wesli]

Chip is right, try experimenting with the purest of the senchas, and if you prefer the way your tea is powdered, then matcha is the stuff for you.

[pixelsense]

thanks, will definitely try the non-powdered form of sen-cha!

[Chip]

Yeah, I would try sencha leaf first. Matcha is very good also.

[skywarrior]

Description: The Sencha's bud is ground into tea powder.
The Ingredient label says : Maltdextrin, Green Tea

maybe it's the Maltdextrin?

Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate that is often used in recovery sports drinks to replete glycogen levels in muscles. You may be having a reaction to that.