I was shocked by the drink (Image: Danielle Kate Wroe)
As the season of skimpy outfits, long nights and irresistible urges to spend evenings in beer gardens with mates arrives, it unfortunately also brings about sleepless nights due to rising temperatures. The fear of opening windows to let in mosquitoes and other unwelcome guests only adds to the discomfort.
You’ve likely tried everything from sleeping in shorts and an oversized cotton t-shirt, using a fan, to ice packs – but there’s one solution you may not have considered because it seems counterintuitive. That is, having a piping hot cup of peppermint tea before bed.
Upon hearing a nutritionist claim that hot mint tea was supposed to cool you down in hot weather, I was highly sceptical. How could a hot drink possibly make you cooler?
Surely, sipping on a steaming brew would be the last thing you’d want to do when you’re already sweating.
However, when I came across claims that hot mint tea could lower body temperature, my curiosity was piqued. Why? How?
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The tea is well worth a punt at less than £2 (Image: Danielle Kate Wroe)
I did recall my grandma once saying that she believed drinking a cup of tea on a sunny day was the secret to staying cool.
And here I was thinking it was all about sipping Aperol spritzes….
Intrigued enough by the prospect of feeling less warm, I decided to purchase some mint tea bags. I chose Tetley, available at Tesco for £1.75 for 20 bags, although own-brand options are priced at £1.45.
After brewing the tea and removing the tea bag, I found myself questioning why I was holding a hot drink on a hot day.
Initially sceptical, I succumbed to a TikTok trend by drinking mint tea before jaunting out to central Manchester, assuming it might combat the heat. I nearly dismissed it after the first sip, as I felt warmer rather than cooler.
Venturing on the tram, my hope was to stay fresh-faced, not melting makeup away in the swelter. Cautiously, yet curious, the first cool sip brought a surprising tingle throughout me.
Scepticism lingered until the second sip solidified the sensation: a refreshing chill from the menthol that made me feel significantly cooler without dropping my body’s actual temperature. And there’s science to it.
As per All Recipes’ explanation: “When you consume mint or mint-flavoured foods or drinks, the menthol interacts with the receptors in your skin and mouth, creating a cooling effect.
“It triggers the cold-sensitive receptors, which can make you feel cooler even though the actual temperature of your body remains the same.”
Nutritional wisdom from Simone Thomas, the wellness coach who spoke to the Mirror, echoes this cooling mint phenomenon.
Handy for growth in gardens or pots and not wallet-taxing from supermarkets, peppermint stands out as a top herb, according to Thomas, and she disclosed, “Easy to grow in the garden or in pots, and cheap to pick up in the supermarket, peppermint is the perfect pick me and up and offers a natural way to cool down as the herb’s menthol stimulates your body’s cooling receptors.”
Simone stated her preference, saying she “prefers it cool when it’s warm outside as it’s so refreshing.”
Learning that even a cold mint tea can alleviate heat waves brings assurance – a delightful, chilled out cure for sizzling days.
Mint tea, it appears, is brimming with health benefits, including cooling you down when you’re feeling overheated. According to BBC Good Food, it aids digestion, is free of caffeine, may improve your sleep, freshens your breath, and can even assist if you’re suffering from a stuffy nose.
I was so taken aback by the positive impact the mint tea had on my body that I opted for a cup before bedtime. The combination of the tea and a good book indeed prepared me for a restful night’s sleep – and significantly reduced my body heat before dozing off.
Regardless of the weather conditions outside, I might have discovered a new evening routine – and a new remedy for heatwaves.