Bed Tea – Good for the Body or Not?

Tea is an addiction for many people, and it’s not the worst one to have. Drinking a cup of hot tea in the morning is both comforting and energizing, and it has some remarkable benefits. It gives them a much-needed energy boost without the side effects like caffeine crash, which coffee might bring. While tea has caffeine, it’s doesn’t have as much as caffeine, plus it has other health-friendly qualities to create a balancing effect.

What is Bed Tea?

In many Indian households, their day starts with a fresh cup of bed tea and a newspaper. Bed tea doesn’t refer to any specific kind of tea – it’s simple tea served in bed early in the morning. It’s the tea taken shortly after waking up. Usually, bed tea for Indians are tea with milk.

Drinking tea has lots of health benefits, but experts and scientists now believe that consuming tea and any form of caffeine on an empty stomach isn’t ideal.

What are the Benefits of Bed Tea?

People have lots of doubts and ideas when it comes to the right timing of drinking tea for the best benefit. Some people believe that drinking it right away in the morning is best for the health, and some do not. Here are some of the health benefits that a bed tea can give to your body:

1. Relieves constipation

A lot of people have constipation problems. Every morning, they can spend hours in the toilet and still, their poop won’t push through. Drinking tea, especially a milk-based one, is a great way to regulate bowel movement and cleanse the colon. Many teas have natural laxative properties that can help relieve constipation. Green and black tea comes with polyphenols and essential oils that can aid digestion by stimulating the gastric acids, reducing flatulence and negative digestive symptoms.

2. Good for the heart

If you have a family history of heart problems, morning tea can be beneficial for you if you make it a regular habit. Tea with milk can help cut the risk of heart problems, as it can help normalize blood pressure levels, stabilize your heart rate and reduce cholesterol.

3. Source of energy

Mornings are not always energetic and easy to look forward to, especially winter mornings. So, if you want to get rid of your morning blues and get energized on the start of the day, start drinking bed tea. Tea contains caffeine and antioxidants, and when you mix it with milk (which is rich in calcium), it can energize you right away. Having a milk-based tea regularly can help provide you with enough energy and strength to stay positive and recharged for the day.

4. Good for the brain

If you drink a cup of tea right before you work, you can have an enhanced concentration level, helping you work with much focus. Mixing tea with milk can bring you a much-needed cup that can charge your neurons and help your brain to function better. It also enhances your mood and reduces stress.

5. Relieves stress

When tea is prepared, especially those that are mixed with herbs like ginger and turmeric, you’re more likely to feel calm and relaxed in the morning. When you’re relaxed, you can better concentrate on the tasks you have planned for the day.

6. Aids in weight loss

If you’ve been trying to lose weight, add green or black tea to your everyday morning routine. These teas have strong antioxidants that help regulate weight loss. It helps with digestion, regulating your bowels and helping keep your tummy area flat. Just don’t add sugar or even milk to your tea, as it contains calories that contribute to weight gain.

Drawbacks of Drinking Bed Tea

Generally, drinking tea offers healthful benefits for the body. However, when taken on an empty stomach, it may lead to issues like dehydration, digestive problems, and disruption in metabolic activity. These are the reasons why drinking bed tea can be bad for you:

1. May cause insomnia

Tea can cause sleep disorders like insomnia, due to its high caffeine content. Black tea and milk tea are usual culprits for this problem, and drinking too much can cause obstruction in your sleep. Avoid taking more than two cups of tea everyday, as taking it in moderation will not cause any sleep problems.

2. Can cause dehydration

Tea is a diuretic, so it removes water from the body. In the morning after waking from sleep, our bodies are already dehydrated after hours of not receiving water. Drinking tea at this time can dehydrate your body much more, which can cause muscle cramps.

3. Can trigger anxiety

If you are consuming tea moderately, it can help relax your senses and calm your mind, but if you take it excessively, then it may cause anxiety. Drinking too much tea in a day, and taking a lot in the morning can create imbalance in your brain chemicals, leading to anxiety and other mental problems.

4. Causes bloating

Some people can feel bloated after drinking milk tea. This can be caused by the high lactose content in milk that can affect an empty stomach, causing bloating, acidity, heartburn, and other gastric issues. This becomes even worse for people who are lactose intolerant. To avoid this problem, avoid having a cup of milk tea on an empty stomach, and take it with your breakfast instead.

5. Can erode teeth enamel

Consuming tea early in the morning may erode the teeth enamel, because the bacteria in the mouth will break down the sugar, which leads to increased acid levels in the mouth. When acid levels are increased, it means erosion of the teeth enamel.

6. Can disrupt metabolic activity

Drinking tea on an empty stomach may cause imbalance of acidic and alkaline substances in the stomach. The acidic and alkaline substances mix together and intervenes in the working metabolism that causes stomach cramps.

So, Do You Need to Give Up Bed Tea?

No, you don’t really have to. The drawbacks to drinking tea first thing in the morning may be bothersome, but you can make some changes in the way you have it and when you have it.

  1. Avoid drinking tea on an empty stomach. Eat breakfast, bread, fruits, cereal, or some sort of solid food before you drink a cup of tea.
  2. Consume black tea or green tea with milk when you want to drink tea in bed. It’s a healthier choice.
  3. Drink water first, especially warm water, after waking up. This is more beneficial and helpful in managing the pH levels of the stomach.