How Coffee Helps Reduce Stress

Coffee lovers everywhere know how awesome it is, but do they know that there are actual health benefits from drinking it? The jury is still out on exactly how extensive the benefits of drinking coffee are, however new studies are coming up with some positively exciting news. One of these bits of news is coffee’s role in reducing stress. Read on to learn how this may be possible.

Caffeine

In moderation, coffee acts as a stimulant, which can help calm a person’s nerves. It is important to note here that people who drink coffee regularly, high blood pressure caused by stress, is actually lowered slightly. In people who do not drink coffee regularly, the caffeine can actually make stress seem worse because they are not used to the caffeine content in their system.

What this seems to mean is that if you are not a coffee drinker, sitting down and having a cup will not magically reduce your stress. In people who regularly drink up to six cups of coffee a day, stress has been shown to be lower.

Aromatherapy

For some people, just the smell of freshly brewed coffee can bring about feelings of peace and this can help lower stress levels. Whether it is scientifically proven or not, the aroma of coffee is very calming for a lot of coffee drinkers. There is just something about sitting with your favorite mug filled with a freshly brewed coffee that is calming. Some can sit and inhale that rich aroma and start feeling the stress melt away.

Comforting

For some people, sitting with a cup of coffee reminds them of happier times such as childhood memories. These fond associations can be instrumental in reducing stress levels. While brewing the coffee, they can start thinking about the pleasant memories and by the time they finish that first cup, they are already feeling better.

It is important to note that the studies being performed are on black coffee, with no additives. The other thing to remember is that while coffee is a wonderful beverage and deserves as much respect as possible, it is not a miracle cure. You cannot expect to drink a cup of coffee and have make your stress completely disappear.

What you can expect, however is that sitting and relaxing with a cup can help you calm yourself and think a little more clearly. To sum it all up, coffee drinkers everywhere already know what they are doing, so enjoy that cup of coffee with your head held high!