Time for a cuppa!
Published
Does the intensity of family life sometimes get on top of you? The mental health charity Mind has estimated that, in any given week, six per cent of Brits are struggling with generalised anxiety, while an earlier study found that three-quarters felt so stressed that they were overwhelmed or unable to cope.
Help is at hand! New research from the Tea Advisory Panel reveals that 52 per cent of Brits drink tea to relax, with many experiencing mood-boosting benefits. And several types of tea – including regular black tea – can improve stress management and sleep thanks to calm-inducting compounds like L-theanine and GABA.
Although four cups a day is the sweet spot for gaining health benefits, researchers in Japan found that simply inhaling the aroma from black tea lowered stress levels. Mental health benefits gleaned from drinking a cup of regular tea included the chance to take a break and the all-important ‘pick me up’ tea drinkers get from their brew.
Nearly half (42 per cent) of people in the survey said having a cup of tea could help people see the bright side of things and around the same number (40 per cent) said putting on the kettle helped to encourage someone to relax and open up.
Visit www.mind.org.uk
