Balancing work, self-care, family and a social life can be a constant juggling act but research reveals one hour and 49 minutes is the perfect amount of time to spend catching up with friends in order to have the most positive impact on our wellbeing.

In fact, even a shorter 24 minute chat can be as beneficial to people’s mental health as a bubble bath, while a further 25 minute conversation proves just as good as an exercise session. A sense of connection (67%), happiness (62%) and belonging (47%) are the top advantages of spending time with closest confidants.

As well as time, the research revealed we don’t need to spend a fortune either. Almost two-third Brits (72%) agree that quality time talking is the most important part of get-togethers compared to trying new experiences (14%) or ‘fancy’ aesthetic surroundings (10%).

According to plant-based Califia Farms Cold Brew Coffee who commissioned the research, summer is the perfect time to get together with friends, with over half (56%) agreeing that the longer evenings allow greater opportunity to schedule plans with their loved ones. A further 45% admit that summer presents more opportunities to host friends at home with having a picnic or BBQ (56%) and garden get-togethers (50%) coming out on top.

With the rise of sobriety, over half (55%) prefer to ditch the alcohol and instead connect with their friends over a coffee, saying that it allows for richer conversation (34%), greater connection (31%) and a further 31% citing the cost benefits.

In fact, 41% prefer to catch up in the comfort of their own home over a restaurant or bar, and one in four (24%) believe a one hour caffeine-fuelled catch up is more valuable than an entire night out, with popular reasons including price (32%), convenience (30%) and noise levels (26%).

It comes as Califia Farms partners with singer Rachel Stevens and her best friend to show how a refreshing Cold Brew coffee can fuel a nourishing heart to heart this summer.

Rachel Stevens comments, “Since spending time in LA, I’ve fallen in love with a smooth Cold Brew coffee over ice – which I think started as a Californian trend and has now firmly hit UK shores! Alongside catching up with Nikki, it’s one of my favourite things. Even when I don’t have a lot of time, I cherish our ritual of coffee and conversation at home. We block out time, make sure the children are entertained and settle down in one of our houses so that we can sit back, relax and have a good natter. It’s definitely quality over quantity for us.”

Sophie Webb, Marketing Lead for UK & Ireland at Califia Farms says “It’s great to see that Brits view their regular coffee catch ups as important, with 51% considering it a top bonding experience to have with friends. Our irresistibly tasty plant-based Cold Brew coffee makes this even more convenient and you can still enjoy the cafe experience in the comfort of your own home. We understand that life is busy and we all wish we just had a little more time to catch up with our friends, so our Cold Brew coffee ready to drink range is perfect for a refreshing pick me up & summer socialising.”