A survey found that 68% of Britons turn to tea in a dilemmaDr. Malcolm Cross, a psychologist at City University London, tested the anxiety levels of a group of people following a stressful situation and revealed that even a single cuppa has a significant calming effect.
His team gave 42 volunteers a mental arithmetic exam and afterwards offered half of them a cup of tea and the other half a glass of water.
The water group's anxiety levels soared by 25 percent compared to before the task, while the tea group actually reported a four percent reduction in anxiety -- despite the taxing test, they were more relaxed than when they started.
According to a survey carried out for the research, 68 percent of Britons turn to tea in a dilemma, making it Britain's most common response to trouble of whatever kind.
About 60 percent said the promise of comfort and warmth was the main reason for putting the kettle on, but 48 percent said they found calm through the drink's association with Britain and cultural icons such as the Queen.
"The ritual of making and drinking tea -- particularly during times of stress -- is at the very core of British culture," Cross said.
"This study shows that the social psychological aspects of tea enhance the effects of its chemical make-up on our bodies and brains.
"It?s possible that this culturally rooted, symbiotic function between mind and body explains why Britons instinctively turn to tea in times of need."
The survey of 3,050 tea drinkers was conducted by OnePoll during July, and commissioned by Direct Line insurance.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment
We appreciate your comment. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and suggestions with a community that really loves and cares for tea.