Should you believe anything on the packages? Sure, there’s some stuff you can believe. Sleepytime is an herbal blend, with no actual tea leaves in it. It has chamomile, which makes most people sleepy – so yeah, it’s good to drink if you don’t want to get jacked up on caffeine before heading to bed. I’m currently drinking all kinds of Mothering teas to help me out with motherly stuff – some of this herbal stuff does work.

But I wouldn’t subscribe to all claims. Nine times out of ten if it seems kind of crazy it probably is.

How to spice up the morning tea? I’d check out loose, if you’re not drinking it already. I’ve been drinking loose tea for years now, and every time I try to sip Lipton it leaves me flat and sad. I’ve done many taste comparisons, and a good loose tea never fails. Full disclosure: I once worked for these guys – but I believe if you want to learn about loose tea and try it in an affordable and fun way, Adagio Teas is a fantastic vendor and a good place to start (http://www.adagio.com).