In this BIT: One of our favorite teen-approved stress tips is drinking chamomile tea. Explore chamomile tea benefits, including how to fall asleep when stressed and more about this go-to healthy drink (for millions).
Chamomile tea is one of our favorite teas. It is caffeine-free, and it smells like summer! Drinking chamomile tea is a super easy hack to feel happier and calmer. Plus; it is the perfect solution to sleepless nights. This tea is highly popular, with an estimated amount of one million cups being drunk daily! That’s a lot of people who enjoy it and reap its benefits. So, what are chamomile tea benefits, and why can it give you a small bit of happiness?
Chamomile is a flower, belonging to the daisy family, and originates from Ancient Egypt. In fact, the Ancient Egyptians considered chamomile a gift from the divine, so much that according to The New York Times, “King Tut’s sandals were decorated in the bloom’s likeness”.
So, how does this tea calm us and give us happiness?
Drinking a warm beverage such as this tea stimulates our vagus nerve. If you want to learn more about the vagus nerve, and how this is our body’s best stress tip, plus how to activate it, see this BITS post. However, in short, the vagus nerve is the longest nerve in our body. When this nerve is stimulated, we feel calmer. One of the ways we can trigger our vagus nerve is through sipping a hot beverage, which is why when we enjoy a warm cup of this healthy drink, it offers a quick relief to stress.
Aside from just stimulating our vagus nerve, chamomile tea has in fact been proven to provide modest anti-stress capabilities. A study with patients with mild to moderate Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) showed that chamomile has modest anxiolytic activity (intervention that reduces stress) in patients with mild to moderate GAD, making it an excellent stress tip for teens.
In a number of clinical trials, colic infants were given a dosage of this tea. The results were shocking! 57% of infants stopped being collicy. These results showed that chamomile tea may be a useful treatment for colic children. Although we may not be colic infants, if chamomile can help calm crying babies, it can likely help us experience a decrease in stress.
Traditionally, chamomile tea has been used to help with insomnia. Research shows that it contains certain flavonoids (natural substances found in certain fruits, and vegetables) that bind to receptors in our brain and lead to relaxation and sleepiness.
Overall, the next time you’re feeling stressed, or overwhelmed, try adding a chamomile tea bag into hot water or buy this healthy drink from a coffee shop! In fact, your school cafeteria may even carry chamomile. Bonus: bring a thermal mug with this tea to school on days where you may experience additional stress, such as exam days, or when you’re feeling frustrated with your friends.
The next time you’re stressed, try drinking some chamomile tea, to access these chamomile tea benefits, and get a small bit of happiness.
For more happiness check out our Mood Boost page.
Featuring quick videos created for teens by teens.
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