Tea for Relaxation
The Question
Recently, I’ve posted several articles related to Tea Reviews. Tea over the last few years has become very important to me. It’s the first beverage I have every morning and two cups of it helps wake me up and start the day. Additionally, I may have one or two cups throughout the day depending on what I need to do, if I have time, etc. On one of the reviews, my aunt reached out to me to ask about what type of tea she should have to bring calm. Great question. I spent the better part of the day thinking about it for a couple of reasons:
- What does she normally drink,
- Has she tried herbal varieties,
- What have I tried that I like and can recommend, and
- Product availability ( no point in recommending something that she cannot source).
After lots of thought, I realized that the answer is a bit more complicated than I thought. I ended up divided by two thoughts.
The First Answer
After careful thought, I came up with two answers to share with her. The easy one I will cover first. There are a number of teas out there that can help soothe or calm you down. Typically, these range from the following:
- Green teas (especially mild ones) that can help you relax as they have less tannins and lower caffeine levels. Remember that caffeine gives us that jolt to the system so lower levels will help to relax us more. GunPowder is great for this.
- White teas (some of my favorite teas to drink) are available. A white tea is not oxidized and has minimal processing which retains more of healthy antioxidants. What I love about a white tea is the delicate flavors associated with them. They are more expensive but produce a very interesting cup.
- Herbal teas which are blends that may or may not contain traditional tea leaves from the tea plant Camellia sinensis. These have different herbs and produce a good relaxing cup.
- Chamomile tea is the tea that everyone refers to. This tea is made from the buds and flowers of the chamomile plant and has been known to have relaxing properties and has been recommended as a sleep aid.
- Ginger tea blends are my favorite for relaxing at night. Ginger has soothing properties for digestion. The blends that I have also contain turmeric which aid in inflammation reduction and other properties. Being a chef has taken a toll on my body so consuming these help from time to time.
Any one of these teas can be found loose or in bags at well stocked grocery stores or online at various sources. They all are a great choice. If you consume any of these, I would love to know about it (leave me comments).
Why is there a Second Answer?
Anyone that knows me understands that my brain is always thinking about everything. The answer above about the types of teas to drink is correct. However, I think we are missing the big point and that’s something to drink for calming properties.
My second answer on what to drink is simple:
- Drink any tea that you like (black, white, Oolong, herbal, etc.)!!
Now that may cause some confusion. However, in my mind sometimes I think we miss the point entirely. If we are looking for a beverage to drink to calm ourselves and relax, tea is a great choice. So are cocktails, espressos, sodas, water, etc. What we need to focus on more is the environment to calm ourselves in.
I can not tell you how many times I’ve been stressed out and need to relax. We all have the same thought from time to time. At that point, my brain says we need a beverage to relax with and I will pick something. For today’s example, I will use a white blueberry tea that I drink during warmer months (I promise to review it for you). I will choose the tea but the mindset changes.
I’ll go to one of my tea cabinets (I own two presently) to pick out one of my favorite cups to drink from. Over the last few years, I’ve been going to antique stores and purchasing incredible tea cups for the articles (picture use) and to use. I will measure out my tea based on what the vendor says (My Tea Method) and brew my cup. When it’s done, I pour it into the cup and get ready for the most important step:
I’ve already prepped a quiet spot to isolate myself and do ABSOLUTELY FREAKING NOTHING for 10 minutes other than drink my tea.
That’s it. All I’m doing is focusing on each small sip and cherishing each nuance of flavor and aroma. I don’t look at my phone, no social media, no television. I may have some quiet jazz on or classical music (thanks dad for torturing me with it when I was young. Hated it then but understand it now 
) but that is optional. The key point is to do nothing.
Calm is based upon our environment and how we are reacting to it. In order to be calm, we need to place ourselves in the right environment. To me, the tea is the catalyst for this. I tell myself that I’m going to enjoy this cup and take ME time to relax and enjoy it. I make it a ritual to do this a few times a week to refocus, recharge and let the BS of the day go. By the way, the beverage choice does not matter. A few days ago, it was a Manhattan. Before that, ice water. Before that it was the Berry Lemon Drop. It’s all about the action we take when we consume it.
Final Thoughts.
I’m not sure if this is the answer that she was looking for. I know; kind of long winded . However, I will always say this:
- We underutilize beverages in our life and do not fully focus on their impact daily.
From the morning cup of tea to Cold Juicing, we have an opportunity to take a moment to pamper ourselves throughout the day. Something we need to focus on more to calm our spirits, mind and body.
@artofthepair
