Is your first action in the morning to make a cup of coffee? You’re not alone. Many of us rely on an early caffeine hit to get through the morning – but unfortunately, new research shows that this isn’t the best time to drink coffee.
Steven Miller, PhD student at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, discovered that the optimum times to drink coffee are between 9.30-11.30am and 1:30-5pm – not when you first get up.
The body naturally wakes when you rise in the morning so caffeine is less effective, Miller’s research shows. Additionally, drinking coffee when you get up gradually minimises its effects. Miller’s conclusions came down to the release of the stress-related hormone cortisol, Metro reports. Released in the morning, at midday and in the early evening, cortisol promotes alertness. Drinking coffee during these times reduces cortisol’s stimulatory effects and disrupts the body’s 24-hour clock.
To reap the full benefits of your daily cuppa, try drinking coffee outside the hours that cortisol is typically released. Have a coffee at morning or afternoon tea, instead. You’ll feel more awake throughout the day.
