A young brooding hipster wearing a beanie hat is sitting outdoors with a coffee mug

Taking a Tea Break: A Tried and Tested Way to Support a Healthy Mind

by Northern Life

Majority of Brits turn to tea to help them relax, says new real-world research

The mental health charity Mind has estimated that, in any given week, 6% of Brits are struggling with generalised anxiety. At the same time, an earlier UK study found that three-quarters felt so stressed that they were overwhelmed or unable to cope.

The worrying statistics released by mental health charities show that the nation is very much in need of practical strategies to help ease their minds and bolster their mental well-being.

“…over half (52%) of Brits drink tea because it helps them relax.”

But there’s a supportive step we can all take that’s simpler than we think – taking regular breaks to enjoy a cup of traditional black tea.

“According to a new real-world research survey carried out on behalf of the Tea Advisory Panel (TAP), over half (52%) of Brits drink tea because it helps them relax,” says Dr Dietitian and TAP member Carrie Ruxton.

Fill your cup

Other mental health-related benefits Brits selected when asked how tea made them feel included, giving them comfort (55%), making them feel calmer (30%), and boosting their mood (29%).

Dr Carrie Ruxton says, “The TAP real-world research survey data tally with a review study – Tea and Herbal Infusions, Psychological Stress, Anxiety & Sleep Health: A Systematic Review of Human Trials & Mechanistic Studies[2] – which showed important mental health benefits of the Nation’s favourite hot drink.”

The review, authored by nutrition and wellbeing experts, analysed 33 studies, including eight clinical trials on humans, and found that several types of tea—including regular black tea—can improve stress management and sleep.

“Tea goes a long way in our national psyche, and we associate it with home, family, relaxation, and being cosy.”

“Nobody is suggesting that a regular cuppa tea can solve all of the nation’s mental health woes, but there’s good evidence that it can go a long way towards easing the symptoms associated with stress and anxiety,” Dr Carrie Ruxton adds.

What could be simpler than upping your intake of something you love to consume anyway? A nice cup of regular black tea.

“Almost all of us (98%) drink at least one cup of tea a day, while only about a third (37%) of us drink three to four cups a day,” says Dr Ruxton.

Additionally, four in 10 (42%) said having a cup of tea could help people see the bright side of things, while around the same number (40%) said putting on the kettle helped to encourage someone to open up. Dr Ruxton notes: “The benefits of tea are part cultural and part science. Tea goes a long way in our national psyche, and we associate it with home, family, relaxation, and being cosy. But there is also hard evidence linked to special bioactives found naturally in tea”.

Mind the science

Brits are clearly switched on when it comes to their feelings about their brew, as they also happen to be backed by science.

Dr Carrie Ruxton shares an example, commenting, “Researchers in Japan found that simply inhaling the aroma from black tea lowered stress levels when volunteers were asked to complete mental maths stress tests. Additionally, the aroma of Darjeeling tea, in particular, was shown to boost mood in advance of completing a stressful task.”

William Gladstone, one of Britain’s longest-serving Prime Ministers, once summed up the benefits of a brew in this ode to a cuppa

Additionally, a UK study found that drinking tea regularly for six weeks resulted in lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol compared with the group given a solution containing equivalent levels of the polyphenols known as flavanols.

Looking back through history, though, we can see that tea has been known for certain well-being benefits for quite some time. William Gladstone, one of Britain’s longest-serving Prime Ministers, once summed up the benefits of a brew in this ode to a cuppa: “If you are cold, tea will warm you; if you are too heated, it will cool you; If you are depressed, it will cheer you; If you are excited, it will calm you.”

William Ewart Gladstone 1809 – 1898

Dr Carrie Ruxton concludes, “Tea has been supporting Brits through tough times for generations. There’s no denying that the nation is presently climbing a mountain of stress and its resulting mental well-being issues. While anyone experiencing mental health symptoms is always advised to speak to their doctor as soon as possible, taking a break and relaxing with a cuppa is a tried and tested way to help ease the pressure of modern life – even if just for 10 minutes.”