This article explains when the best time to drink coffee is to maximize its benefits and minimize its side effects.
Coffee is one of the world’s most popular beverages. It contains a very popular stimulant called caffeine. Many people reach for a cup of this caffeinated beverage immediately after rising, whereas others believe it’s more beneficial to hold off for a few hours.
It is thought that drinking coffee too soon after rising decreases its energizing effects, as your stress hormone cortisol is at its peak level at this time.
Cortisol is a hormone that can enhance alertness and focus. It also regulates your metabolism, immune system response, and blood pressure. The hormone follows a rhythm specific to your sleep-wake cycle, with high levels that peak 30–45 minutes after rising and slowly decline throughout the rest of the day.
That said, it has been suggested that the best time to drink coffee is mid- to late-morning when your cortisol level is lower. For most people who get up around 6:30 a.m., this time is between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.
While there may be some truth to this, no studies to date have observed any superior energizing effects with delaying your morning coffee, compared with drinking it immediately upon rising.
Another reason why it has been suggested that you should delay your morning coffee is that the caffeine from coffee can increase cortisol levels.
Drinking coffee when your cortisol level is at its peak may further increase levels of this hormone. Elevated levels of cortisol over long periods can impair your immune system, causing health problems
Still, there have been no long-term studies on the health implications of elevated cortisol from drinking coffee.
Moreover, caffeine-induced increases in cortisol tend to be reduced in people who regularly consume caffeine
That said, there’s likely no harm if you prefer to drink coffee upon rising rather than several hours thereafter.
But if you’re willing to change up your morning coffee ritual, you may find that delaying your coffee intake a few hours may give you more energy.
Original article:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-time-to-drink-coffee#cortisol-coffee