With increased focus on the state of our mental health here in New Zealand, it is especially important to be aware of how everyday actions can affect our own state of mind.
Pink Shirt Day was celebrated last month on May 17, which saw schools and workplaces around the country not just donning pink to raise awareness of bullying and mental health, but raising funds for the Mental Health Foundation by holding morning tea events.
We Kiwis love a morning tea, and it seems the tea-break is more important than we might have initially thought. Visiting our local tea experts at Zealong Tea Estate, master blender Amy Reason explains that there are three main reasons drinking tea can be beneficial to our mental health.
The first is what she calls the “ritualistic component” of preparing the tea. This can be “as simple as putting on the jug and adding some milk,” all the way to a full-on ceremonial set-up, which is how Zealong presents teas for tasting during their guided tours. Things like using a favourite mug or cup, pre-warming the teaware, or quirks like turning the teapot three times all contribute to someone’s personal tea ritual, which can be calming and soothing.
Unfortunately, convenience has led to rushed tea-making. What’s important about the tea ritual is that you are creating a “self-care moment” by putting in time and effort, she says. By choosing good quality, whole-leaf teas over commodity teas, you become more mindful of the steps you take to prepare it, and of the quality of the product you’re consuming.
After the tea ritual is complete, we move on to what Amy calls “the magic of the first sip”. Drinking tea is a sensory experience, with aroma, taste, the warmth of the tea or holding the warm cup in your hands. Focusing on the senses can help to ground oneself, especially in moments of high anxiety. Thus, the cup of tea plays an essential role in enduring busy or stressful situations, creating a moment alone to breathe.
Conversely, brewing a pot of tea can be a way to connect with others, which is also an important aspect of maintaining mental health. And because tea is drunk all over the world, Amy believes it is the one thing you could offer to anyone without causing offence, creating connections with others which traverse cultural boundaries. “We are social animals, after all,” she says.
Finally, after drinking, tea works its magic on your mind and body. Studies have shown that drinking tea lowers cortisol, the stress hormone. Caffeine also helps provide energy, and together with a compound called L-theanine (found only in tea) results in a “slow burn” of energy throughout the day. This means that instead of feeling wired and exacerbating the effects of anxiety, the L-theanine helps reduce their severity, while still providing mental clarity and focus.
Whether green, oolong, or black, it’s clear why Amy calls tea “the liquid that makes the world go around”. As if we needed another reason to embrace the beloved tea-break!
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