Can Tea Help Reduce Anxiety?

We live in a time of increasing mental health awareness and keeping track of all of the diagnosable conditions can be exhausting. We all have a friend, acquaintance or loved one that suffers from something or another and we all want to help. If you are one of the few who would say you are entirely mentally healthy, then count yourself lucky because that’s quite frankly, I’d say a blessing.

Anxiety is, in my opinion, the fastest growing mental health issue, and awareness of it is growing, which is super, smashing, great! More people are taking note of it, and we are all realising it is okay to talk about it. Studies suggest that at present, 40% of disability worldwide is due to depression and anxiety. The most recent Psychiatric Morbidity Survey suggests 1 in 5 people in the UK suffer from depression or an anxiety disorder. It is costing the NHS a remarkable £71 billion a year in hospital admissions. When you think about these types of statistics, we really need to find the most suitable and efficient ways to help in any small way possible.

While writing this blog, I researched some great ways to reduce anxiety, and a lot of them can be super easy and effective. To be honest I’ve been doing a fair few of them myself! Try Healthline for some mental health inspiration.

One starting step is to cut out caffeine and focus on teas that are low in caffeine or free from it altogether, (Click here for some of our suggestions). Lately, thanks to working here at BRUU, I’ve mainly been testing out the effects of certain teas and if they can help with anxiety specifically. It won’t be a surprise when I tell you I love tea, and in my spare time, I have been ‘testing’ all sorts, focussing on the ones that can reduce stress and anxiety. I’ve been drinking a lot of fruit teas at first and I found that they were about 35% - 40% positive as I felt relaxed and clear-minded. I felt as though I could focus on my tasks ahead and organise my schedule a little more efficiently.

Following on from that, in the past 3-4 days I’ve been drinking camomile and I can certainly, without a doubt, say that this is my favourite tea of all. When I’ve had a cup of Calming Camomile, I have felt a whole new level of calm, and way more clear-headed. I feel as though my mind is open to learning new things, and if that wasn’t enough, it has helped greatly with improving my insomnia. Camomile is thought to be a mild muscle relaxant, and in my opinion, relaxes your muscles to the point your body feels entirely comfortable and ready to doze off.

Obviously, there are other things you can do to reduce the symptoms of anxiety when they strike; a healthy diet, exercise, meditation, breathing techniques etc. But tea can, in its own small way, can help with having a more calm, mindful and healthier you.

…so, get the kettle on and see where your road leads.

Love Dean xxx

Those of you that found this article useful, click through and read this useful little guide produced by the University of the West of Scotland;
Complete guide to stress management and time management for students.