Can a humble cup of tea help with anxiety, stress, or even depression?

On a pleasant evening in Mumbai, 40-year-old Charu Mehra reaches for her usual cup of chamomile tea. “I don’t know if it’s the ritual or the herbs, but it helps me wind down after a stressful day,” she says. Mehra represents others like her who take to tea for "some peace, some calm and a ton of relief."

As the world marked International Tea Day on May 21, conversations are brewing not just about flavor and tradition but also about mental health. 

Psychologists caution against considering tea as a treatment for clinical mental health conditions, further adding that tea cannot be taken as a substitute for therapy or medication.

A 2025 study published in the Frontiers in Public Health, aimed to investigate the effects of long-term green tea consumption on depression levels, hormones, and brain structure in, middle-aged and older adult men. 

A total of 280 volunteers participated in the study, divided into a tea-drinking group and a control group, found that BMI, depression level, insomnia severity, and systemic inflammation index were significantly lower in the tea-drinking group, and their testosterone levels were significantly higher than those in the control group. 

The study also concluded that long-term tea consumption may have the potential to delay brain aging in middle-aged and older adult men. However, this study was not specifically about Indians, even though it was conducted in China and Middle Eastern countries.

Herbal teas like chamomile, lavender, and lemon balm have also been linked to reduced symptoms of anxiety and insomnia. "Tea is the best stimulant at various times of the day, and it is high in antioxidants. However, its benefits lie in the way it is made- so over boiling is going to reduce the antioxidant level, and too much sugar is going to make it unhealthy. Infused teas are the healthiest," says Varsha Gorey, senior clinical dietician at Apollo Hospital, Navi Mumbai.

For many, tea time is also a social anchor; a deeply embedded habit that offers connection and comfort. The warm, repetitive routine of brewing and sipping tea can be a form of mindfulness, helping people slow down and self-soothe.

In cognitive behavioral therapy, experts often cite tea-making as the perfect example of engaging the senses of smell, touch and taste.

Whether it’s a cup of green tea before a big meeting or a mug of chamomile at bedtime, tea offers a moment of pause in a chaotic world. It may not cure what ails us, but in its own quiet way, it helps many feel a little more whole.

Health