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When Is The Best Time Of Day To Drink Coffee?

Posted November 17, 2016 4:30 PM by lmno24

Many of us like to start our days with a cup of coffee. But, scientific research says pouring a cup of joe within minutes of waking up may not be the best for your body.

Ph.D. candidate Steven Miller at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda found that coffee first thing in the morning actually lessens the effects of caffeine and may lead to an increased dependence.

Why?

It’s all related to hormones and the body’s natural rest/wake cycle, known as the circadian clock. This is how our body responds to darkness and light and it plays a large role in sleep patterns, among other physical, mental, and behavioral traits.

The body naturally releases the hormone cortisol in response to stress. Cortisol helps the body metabolize and also helps with alertness. In essence, it helps keep your body balanced. The way the body naturally releases the hormone means that when you first wake up your body is producing peak cortisol levels. So feeding your body caffeine when it’s already keeping itself perked up diminishes the effects of the stimulant. When you drink coffee at these times, the body eventually produces less of the hormone and relies more and more on caffeine to compensate.

So when is the best time to drink coffee?

Research shows that peak cortisol levels are between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., noon and 1 p.m., and 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. So, having your first cup around 9:30 a.m. might do the trick. Taking it in advance of your body’s natural dip in cortisol may give that first cup a more potent effect.

It also turns out that the afternoon cup of coffee so many of us enjoy is timed just right; during another lull in cortisol production.

But, if you don’t work a typical 9-5 schedule, or you happen to be a particularly early riser—this rule can still apply. Scientists say you don’t need your first cup until at least an hour after you’ve woken up, even if that’s 11 a.m. on the weekends!

Other Sources:

http://neurosciencedc.blogspot.jp/2013/10/the-best-time-for-your-coffee.html

http://www.aol.com/article/2016/10/04/best-time-of-day-to-drink-coffee/21491710/

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Re: When Is The Best Time Of Day To Drink Coffee?

04/26/2017 2:01 PM

Interesting article.

Also, despite my 'addicted to coffee' persona that I portray here, I almost never drink coffee at home. For me it's a 'pry the eyes open and fake alertness' drink at work, or a 'warm up the insides' drink when camping. Occasionally, when we're doing a fancy dinner, I'll have a small cup of coffee with my desert, but that's more about not being the 'odd man out' and asking for cold milk when everyone else has a hot cup in front of them.

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