We’ve included L-theanine in our Sleep Tabs, Energy Tabs, and Stress Tabs for a reason - this versatile amino acid can strike a balance between evoking a sense of calm while keeping you locked in mentally.
But as with any compound or supplement, timing is everything when it comes to harnessing the potential benefits of L-theanine. So, when is the best time to take L-theanine? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. You could make the case that there’s really never a bad time.
We have customers using our Energy Tabs for calm, clear focus in the morning and afternoon. Meanwhile, our Sleep Tabs are one of our most popular products because L-theanine helps create the ideal conditions for a good night’s rest.
L-theanine can be used midday to recenter yourself, it can be taken before a high-stress event to help you maintain composure, or after work to help you unwind. We’ll talk more about the best time of day to take L-theanine below and share other tips to help you make the most of it.
What is L-Theanine?
This amino acid is found naturally in green tea leaves, and one of the main reasons tea doesn’t leave you feeling wired the way coffee sometimes can. What sets it apart is how it works in your brain, not by knocking you out cold or lulling you into a trance but rather smoothing things out.
It promotes alpha brain waves. These are associated with calm, focused wakefulness. In this sense L-theanine could put you in the same kind of mental state you would feel during meditation or a flow state.
Your body doesn’t make L-theanine on its own, and unless you’re drinking a lot of green or black tea, you’re probably not getting much of it through your diet. This is why L-theanine supplements like those here at Tabs are worth adding to your regular routine.
But let’s get more specific about the potential benefits this amino acid has to offer before getting into the best time of day to take L-theanine.
Potential Benefits of L-Theanine
The great thing about L-theanine is basically anyone could find a way to add it to their daily ritual, whether for promoting clearheadedness to help you concentrate or to wind down from the stress of the day. Here are some of the most well-established benefits and uses:
- Supports a sense of calm without drowsiness. This goes back to how it promotes alpha brain wave activity, which is associated with relaxed alertness.
- May help reduce the perception of stress. Research suggests L-theanine can influence cortisol levels and calming neurotransmitters like GABA to modulate stress responses.
- Can promote focused attention during mentally demanding tasks. L-theanine has been linked to improvements in attention and mental clarity when taken before tasks that require sustained concentration.
- May help smooth out the effects of caffeine. It has been shown to reduce jitteriness and improve focus quality for a more stable energy boost with fewer scattered thoughts.
- Could support sleep quality when taken before bed. It’s not a sedative, but it may help reduce nighttime overthinking or restlessness, supporting deeper, more restful sleep.
The best part? L-theanine is non-habit-forming and generally well tolerated with very few L-theanine side effects to be worried about. That said, when is the best time to take L-theanine to tap into all these potential benefits?
When is the Best Time to Take L-Theanine?
We want to be clear in saying there isn’t one perfect time to take L-theanine - it depends on why you’re taking it. That’s the beauty of it: this isn’t a compound that forces a single outcome. It’s flexible, gentle, and works with your routine instead of taking it over.
Whether you need to focus, unwind, or just feel a bit more grounded, L-theanine can help - and when you take it shapes how it supports you. So, it’s really just a matter of asking: when is the best time to take L-theanine for YOUR specific goals?
The Case for Morning Use
L-theanine can make a big difference in how you feel if your mornings start with caffeine or a lot of stress. It smooths out the harsh edges coffee or tea are notorious for, so you may not have to worry about the spike, crash, or jittery spiral getting in the way of your morning routine.
You stay alert, but without the background static. It can even help ease you into the day without fog or fatigue all on its own. We love using L-theanine on those mornings we wake up feeling anxious or overstimulated before the day has even really begun.
The Case for Afternoon Use
Your focus can start to fade by early afternoon, but the day is really just getting started. Rather than settling in for a nap to restart your day or loading up on more caffeine (and dealing with the ensuing crash), let L-theanine help you reset.
It can deliver just enough mental clarity to move from task to task without dragging or getting stuck in your head. It’s also a good time to take it if you’ve overdone it on caffeine and need to bring things back down to a steady baseline.
The Case for Evening Use
Evenings are when your brain tends to hang on to everything it didn’t finish from the day - emails, texts, to-dos, and just general overthinking. L-theanine can help melt the stress away and shift your mental state from cluttered to clear so you can wind down in the evenings.
It’s not a sedative, so it won’t knock you out, but it can quiet your thoughts and help you shift into a more relaxed state. But does L-theanine make you sleepy? Only in the right context.
It’s not going to make you feel tired on its own. It may ease you into a more relaxed state conducive to a better night’s rest. That said, you need to pair it with the right ingredients if you’re trying to use it for bedtime - our Sleep Tabs combine it with melatonin, valerian root, kanna, and saffron, California poppy, and more.
Anytime You Need to Recenter and Get a Clear Focus
Rather than thinking about the best time of day to take L-theanine, shift your mentality to think about the best circumstances for taking L-theanine.
Let’s be honest, some days hit harder than others - a messy schedule, unexpected stress, or just too much sensory input. L-theanine is one of those rare supplements you can take reactively without it messing up the rest of your day.
It helps you settle without slowing down. It can be your saving grace when you’re feeling scattered and need to re-ground without checking out.
Before a High-Stress Event to Maintain Composure
Whether you’re preparing for a presentation, interview, tough conversation, or something that usually sends your nervous system into overdrive, L-theanine can be taken proactively to ease your nerves and calm a racing mind.
Take it 30 to 60 minutes ahead of time, and it can help you stay calm, steady, and mentally present. You’re still fully “on,” but without the adrenaline-fueled tension that makes it hard to think or speak clearly.
More Tips on Taking L-Theanine to Tap into Its Therapeutic Potential
Knowing the best time to take L-theanine is just one piece of the puzzle. You need to understand proper dosages for different goals, complementary ingredients to pair it with, and more. Here are some more tips on making the most of every L-theanine serving.
Understanding Dosages
Figuring out how much L-theanine per day you should take is key to staying safe, keeping your tolerance low, and of course, experiencing all it has to offer. Just as with the best time of day to take L-theanine, there’s no universal answer here:
- 100 mg is often enough for mild stress relief or to smooth out caffeine.
- 200 mg tends to be better for deeper focus, social anxiety, or late-night mental chatter.
- 400 mg or more is sometimes used for sleep or acute stress, but that’s on the higher end - we always recommend starting low and adjusting gradually based on how you feel.
Now, how long does L-theanine take to kick in? You can expect effects to start creeping in within 30-60 minutes for most products and last up to 3 hours. Our tongue tabs kick in within 5-10 minutes, though. Start with a lower dose and work your way up until you find “the sweet spot.”
Complementary Ingredients to Pair With
L-theanine is great on its own, but the real magic comes from pairing it with complementary ingredients that suit your exact use case.
Trying to supercharge focus and concentration? You can’t beat the dynamic duo of caffeine and L-theanine. Want to get a better night’s sleep? L-theanine works great with melatonin, kanna, saffron, valerian root, and California poppy. Here are some other potential pairings:
- Magnesium: This combo may help relax the nervous system and support better sleep.
- Rhodiola or L-tyrosine: Pairing L-theanine with these may help promote sharper focus and better stress response during busy or demanding days.
- GABA: People who really struggle with racing thoughts at night may find this combination supports a more restful transition to sleep.
Just be mindful of dosage and timing when stacking multiple ingredients. This is the appeal of sticking with pre-formulated products like ours at Tabs. We’ve already done the heavy lifting of bringing together the best pairings in the perfect dosages.
But the real benefit of Tabs comes down to how convenient and discreet our products are. Simply drop a tab on your tongue, let it dissolve, and enjoy!
Can You Take L-Theanine More Than Once a Day?
You may find the best time to take L-theanine is not just in the morning, but also the evening. Is it safe to take this amino acid more than once? Yes!
It has a relatively short half-life of just 2-3 hours, so many of our customers do take Tabs 2-3 times a day. Just don’t exceed 5 tabs in a single 24 hour window.
Does L-Theanine Build Tolerance?
We don’t really have any strong evidence pointing to L-theanine building tolerance at this time, even with regular, daily use. Some stimulants push neurotransmitters aggressively, but L-theanine works much more gently, supporting balance rather than forcing a response.
That said, you can start using L-theanine in your daily routine without worrying about constantly needing to increase your dosage. Take the next step at Tabs today!
Final Thoughts on the Best Time of Day to Take L-Theanine
The key to maximizing L-theanine’s potential benefits comes down to timing, and we hope this breakdown on the best time to take L-theanine has left you feeling clear and confident in your options. The takeaway is there’s really never a bad time for this amino acid!
L-theanine works because it’s adaptable. You can take it when you wake up, mid-afternoon, before a stressful moment, or as part of your nighttime wind-down. It doesn’t knock you out or hype you up. It simply helps your mind and body find a more balanced rhythm.
Our blog has more resources comparing L-theanine vs L-tyrosine or ashwagandha and L-theanine if you’d like to learn more about all that L-theanine has to offer.
Otherwise, shop Tabs whether you’re chasing calm focus, better sleep, or less mental noise. Our tongue tabs bring the therapeutic potential of Tabs in the most convenient, discreet method possible. Try the Tabs that deliver balance you can feel today!