Skip to content
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • For business
Menu
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • For business
  • En
Menu
  • En
Get the app
  • Mental health

Plant Power: The Benefits of Tea For Mental Health

The Hormona Team

My dad is fond of saying, in his lovely English/Irish way, that there is no problem a good cup of tea cannot solve. I’ve always been inclined to agree with that. In fact, the benefits of tea go are pretty remarkable, particularly for our mental health and emotions.

I struggle with my mental health and no matter how many times someone tells me exercise is great for it, I will not go on a run. As such, I am always looking for the best ways to look after my anxiety and depression in ways that suit my lifestyle, habits and overall dislike of public sweating.

There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life.” – Lin Yutang

Benefits of tea

Camellia sinensis is an extraordinarily useful plant. From the leaves, stems and roots, we can access and number of health boosting compounds and amino acids that are great for our physical and mental health. In tea, there are a few major compounds that benefit our brain functions and moods:

  • Polyphenols
  • Caffeine
  • L-theanine

Caffeine and L-theanine work together really well to give us a balanced state of drive and motivation, whilst feeling calm.

Whilst we have familiarised ourselves with the benefits of tea for helping with physical ailments including, nausea, digestive issues, aches and pains and coughs and colds; drinking a cup of tea can also provide numerous mental and emotional benefits.

Tea and mental health

  • Lower cortisol levels.
  • Aid with memory loss and brain functions.
  • Helps with meditation.
  • Contains antioxidants.
  • Increases certain neurotransmitters such as dopamine.

All in all, pretty good stuff. Furthermore, tea is affordable, easy to slide into your day/night-time routine, and, ensuring you buy from the right places, a sustainable product. So, Darlings, stock up your tea cupboards to calm, boost or relax your way to better mental health and wellbeing.

Please note: Some teas/plants can interfere with other medication and aren’t suitable for women whilst pregnant. Make sure you do any prior research or check with a doctor beforehand.

Teas

  • Green: A lot of us have heard how green tea benefits us. Green tea improves memory, aids attention, aids weight loss, reduces high blood pressure, lowers risk of depression. Furthermore, it detoxifies blood and has been studied for its benefits in helping Alzheimer’s.
  • Chamomile: Contains apigenin, an antioxidant that induces relaxation in the brain. Aids anxiety, stress and sleep. Also good for relieving menstrual pains.
  • Peppermint: Relaxes muscle, aids with stress and anxiety and improves brain cognition and memory. Caffeine free, peppermint tea is a good night-time brew. In addition, it gives minty breath, as well, which is a plus.
  • Oolong: Calming and improves mood, aid brain functions and attentions. Moreover, it increases the release of dopamine and norepinephrine.
  • Lavender: Aids anxiety, stabilising and sleep. Also, in a 2010 study, they found that oral lavender capsules were just as effective for treating general anxiety disorder as lorazepam.
  • Gotu Kola: Used in traditional medicine to aid fatigue, anxiety and depression.
  • Lemon Balm: Aids anxiety, depression and sleeping troubles.
  • Fennel: Aids anxiety and has antidepressant effects.
  • Liquorice Root: Aids stress and fatigue.
  • St John’s Wort: Aids depression and anxiety. However, it can interfere with other medications, such as the pill.
  • Ginseng: Aids brain functions, helps relieve stress and boost energy.
  • Ginger: Aids stress relief and tension.
  • Turmeric: Improves brain function and aids with memory. Additionally, helps to aid depression
  • Black Tea: Containing caffeine and L-theanine, black tea gives you relaxation and better focus. Moderate, regular drinking has also been shown to reduce levels of cortisol.

The very act of brewing and drinking tea can also have an influence on your mind. Taking the time to settle down and give yourself a rest from the stresses of everyday, is an important thing to do. Using said time to curl up with a hot cup of tea, sitting at your window, listening to music or simply closing your eyes and enjoying the peace and quiet, I think we can all agree, sounds like a terrific use of time.

Pop the kettle on, settle down, and look after yourself.

And if you still want to, go on a run, but we won’t judge you if you don’t.

Meanwhile, let us have a sip of tea. The afternoon glow is brightening the bamboos, the fountains are bubbling with delight, the soughing of the pines is heard in our kettle. Let us dream of evanescence and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things.” – Kakuzō Okakura

A Little Tea History

The exact origins of tea are somewhat muddled in history and legends, but the earliest evidence of tea was found in the mausoleum of Emperor Jing of Han in Xi’an, as early as 2 century BC. Believing to have first originated in the Yunnan Province during the Shang dynasty, tea manufacturing then spread to Sichuan before being taken to Japan by Buddhist monks. Tea held a firm place in traditional medicine before becoming a favoured beverage and held places within religious and spiritual spheres, as well as serving as a symbol of status. In the 17th century, the British began to cultivate tea in India, and it grew into a worldwide trade that remains as strong today.

My dear if you could give me a cup of tea to clear my muddle of a head I should better understand your affairs.” – Charles Dickens, Mrs. Lirriper’s Legacy

  • August 14, 2020
  • Mental health
The Hormona Team

The Hormona Team

Articles by the Hormona team are written by the amazing people that are, or have been, involved in Hormona and who all stand behind the cause and purpose of educating and empowering women to live better and healthier lives. It’s all of our goal to share personal stories, helpful information, tips, tricks and experiences to help other women in our community in their daily lives and on their hormonal health journey.

More stories

5 Meditation Techniques You Can Try At Home

beauty product nicely displayed

Self-Care Activities for Mental Health

Is Sober the new Drunk? 

RELATED POSTS

juice and a plate of fruit

How do high levels of progesterone impact our hunger?

Sweets. Takeaways. Cakes, ice cream, crisps, bubbles… What are we talking about? Well, aside from being a kickass

Read More »
Hormona app on table

Announcement: The Hormona app is now global.

Gang, we’ve got some big news! We’re thrilled to announce that the Hormona app is global! Yes, women

Read More »
Ciara_Hormona_Employee_02

Meet Ciara Horrigan, Regulatory Manager at Hormona

As you may have noticed, Team Hormona is expanding as we grow and introduce new features and exclusives.

Read More »
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • Partnerships
  • Contact
  • Career
  • Contact us
  • Partnerships
  • Contact
  • Career
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Sign up to our newsletter

Follow us
Instagram Facebook Linkedin Twitter

© Wlness Science Ltd 2023

Language
  • En
  • En
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. You can always opt-out if you wish. Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT