Der britische Economic & Social Research Council meldet: Trying to reduce feelings of stress by taking a coffee break might actually increase them - particularly in men, working alone, who believe it should help them perform faster - according to new research sponsored by the ESRC. (...) Existing theories about stress management suggest that caffeine consumption can trigger stress. (...) The Bristol research (...) was sparked by an anecdote from a man taking part in a stress management workshop, describing a trip to the United States with his small, cohesive business team. During the trip, he said, coffee was freely available, and the team over-indulged. Within days, stress levels had escalated and they believed that the extra caffeine had disrupted emotional feelings and relationships, and impaired their ability to perform normally. (...) Dr St. Claire said: “Our research findings suggest that the commonplace tea or coffee break might backfire in business situations, particularly where men are concerned. Far from reducing stress, it might actually make things worse.”