Using Boba as a Regulation Tool

How Drinking Boba Helps Us When We Are Overthinking and Panicked

Did you know that having boba can be a useful way to calm down and practice mindfulness when you are feeling overwhelmed? If you have never had boba, they are tapioca balls usually served in a room-temperature tea or like in this photo (I bought this drink over at the Bosa Donuts out in Chandler on Arizona Avenue and Galveston St.), they can be in a smoothie. Beyond being a sweet treat though, how does boba help?

When most of us drink something, we aren’t expecting a texture other than the liquid. Boba forces us to stop and notice the odd texture that comes up through the straw, supporting us paying attention to our senses. This is a core feature of practicing mindfulness, noticing what our body is feeling in the moment. If you have boba in a smoothie, the cold temperature does the same thing, drawing our attention to the feeling and keeping us out of our heads.

Another aspect that helps us ground ourselves when our head starts spinning when we are feeling anxious is that we drink boba with a straw. Similar to how babies will soothe themselves by sucking on their thumbs, even in adults, the act of sucking can help our bodies regulate.

Chewing something also regulates our bodies, as it is repetitive and forces our muscles to work, which we find focuses us and helps us feel less like we are spiraling out of control; you might feel the same way when you chew gum. The chewy texture of boba helps us!

So, if you panic or overthink a lot, feel free to test this out by grabbing yourself some boba to drink. You might be surprised by how well it works!