This month I am hosting the “Detox-Free Healthy Tea Challenge” on Instagram to raise awareness about the dangers of detox teas and encourage healthy habits to try instead. Each week has a theme, and this week’s is mental health, so I thought I would round out the week with how tea affects my mental health.

A bit more of a disclaimer than usual: I am in no way a mental health professional nor will I ever be. I have also not been diagnosed with any mental illness. I am just sharing my experience and what helps me deal with the ups and downs of daily life. If you have or think you may have a mental illness, please consult a mental health professional for treatment.

Mental Health & Tea

I’m not the type of person that has a strict tea practice, or even drinks tea at the same time everyday. However, whenever I find myself getting extremely anxious or a little depressed, I realize that I haven’t had tea in a few days. So, I stop whatever I’m doing and make a cup of tea. Now by the time I get to this point, tea isn’t going to get rid of my anxiety or instantly lift my mood, but it certainly helps.

I wish I could say it was the caffeine, or the L-Theanine, or a specific herb that helps in these moments—but I drink something different almost every time. I think the real issue when I have gone a few days without tea is simply that I haven’t been taking time for myself. Like I said, I don’t have a dedicated tea practice that takes a specific amount of time. Usually I make tea to drink during breakfast or while I’m doing work; but, if I’m really busy I will try to get through my breakfast or get to work as fast as possible. In my mind, this leaves no time for waiting for the water to boil and my tea to steep. Therefore, it is not the tea itself that calms my anxiety in these moments, but the act of finally taking time away from schoolwork or whatever else I’ve been stressing over and focusing on myself instead. Of course, there are plenty of other ways to do this, but tea is what works for me.

Mindful Tea Time

Since I’ve realized how much tea affects my mental health, I don’t think I have gone a day without making a cup. Realistically, I realized this at the end of last semester and the long winter break has left me with less things to stress over and more time to focus on myself. But the realization also put things into perspective for me. It takes less than ten minutes to boil water and steep tea. No matter what is going on my life, I can take ten minutes a day to do that—especially considering the alternative is having to take a longer break to get my mental health under control.

When I do find myself with a bit more time, or I feel myself starting to become anxious or depressed, I like to have a mindful tea session. This is something that I first tried during the Sipping Streams 5 Days of Tea Transformational Challenge. Once I make my tea, I sit down in a comfy chair and try to be present for at least ten minutes while I drink it. I focus on how the tea tastes and smells, the warmth of the cup against my hands, and the sights and sounds of my surroundings. I let my mind wander as well, but I try to keep it on pleasant subjects, and bring it back to the tea as much as possible. I always come of these tea times relaxed and in a good mood, ready to take on the rest of my day—whether that be work or more self-care. I really enjoy these mindful tea sessions, and one of my New Year’s resolutions is to have more of them.

My Go-To Teas

I mentioned above that I like to drink a variety of teas, even when I go into “emergency tea time mode,” but I do have a few go-tos. Chamomile is known for being calming, so I always like to keep some on hand. I have also enjoyed Serenity from Baikal Herbal Tea (unfortunately, they no longer sell this blend, so I’m not sure what is in it that promotes relaxation). Lavender is another herb that is known for helping with depression and anxiety—my favorite lavender tea is DavidsTea Lavender Buttercream, especially as a latte.

If it’s not too late in the day, and especially if I’m still trying to power through some work, I will sometimes drink Sipping Streams Lavender Yerba Mate for some relaxation with an energy kick. Matcha is also great for this purpose because the high concentration of L-Theanine will not only prevents jitters from the also-high concentration of caffeine, but can help with relaxation as well.

There are a few teas that might help regulate mental health over time. For example, Chaga and other mushroom teas are gaining popularity for a variety of health benefits. Mushrooms are one of the only food sources of Vitamin D, which helps regulate mood. Additionally, more and more research is showing the strength of the gut-brain connection. Kombucha and pu’erh tea both have many of those beneficial microbes called probiotics that might help improve mental health through this connection.

I also fully believe that the act of drinking any tea that you genuinely enjoy can help with your mood, and so sometimes I turn to my favorite teas that may not have specific mental health benefits. Honestly, I have too many favorites to list here, but in general I personally favor white teas, black teas, and fruity blends.'

I know this post was a little different from my others, but I felt like it was an important post to share. With many people obsessing over their health this time of year, I wanted to focus on how important mental health is as well. I think taking time to do relax and do something you enjoy is the most basic form of self-care, and for me drinking tea is how I do that.

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NOTES:

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I am not yet a Registered Dietitian and am therefore not certified to give nutrition counseling. Please consult your doctor or other healthcare provider before following the advice in this article.