Thinking about a cuppa makes us instantly happier
Stressed or unhappy? Then think about pouring yourself a cup of tea, quite literally, and you'll feel instantly happier. A study from London's City University said that we have become so used to associating the beverage with cheering us up that the very expectation of a cuppa is enough to makes us feel better.
"Memory is cued by many things - taste, smell, images," lead author Malcolm Cross said. "I think we typically associate tea with relaxation and being looked after."
An accompanying poll found that, when in a sticky situation, we are more likely to turn to tea than we are to pour a stiff drink or ask parents for advice.
Dr Cross added: "The cultural meanings in which tea is anchored shape our experience of tea, evoke particular feelings, ways of relating to others and mental states, and by doing so they come to constitute our physical experience.
"This is particularly true in Britain, where tea has a rich, multidimensional and long-standing cultural significance."