Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/iprogressman/Getty Images/Frank Lee
Topics: Food and Drink, Health, Science, Coffee
Gerrard Kaonga
Topics: Food and Drink, Health, Science, Coffee
Coffee drinkers swear by its many health benefits but according to some theories, they might have been drinking the beverage wrong their whole lives.
Now, I don’t mean they should be snorting their coffee beans or something equally weird but according to some ideas, there are health benefits to be had by consuming it in a specific way.
And by a specific way, I mean at what time you choose to take your first sip.
If you have ever been in an office, you’ll likely know some of your coworkers band together by the machine on their first break trying to get their first fix, while others stroll in with their perfect order from Pret.
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But PHD, dietitian and exercise physiologist specializing in disease management and prevention, Natalie Olsen, has highlighted one theory surrounding the magical ground beans.
Writing in a Healthline article, she noted that there is some thinking that drinking coffee ‘too soon after rising decreases its energizing effects’.
This is all down to the hormone your body releases, cortisol. The stress hormone can enhance alertness and focus while also regulating your metabolism, immune system response, and blood pressure.
Olsen stated: “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.”
So, you chugging down the caffeine at your earliest convenience might not be doing as much for your alertness as it could be.
However, it is also worth noting that Olsen did state that there have been no studies to date that ‘have observed any superior energizing effects with delaying your morning coffee, compared with drinking it immediately upon rising.’
So, I suppose you can do as you please. But it might be worth testing it out yourself to see if you feel any difference.
While you try and figure out when is the best time for you to have your morning brew, it might also be worth considering dropping the habit altogether.
According to some studies, while the short-term impacts of cutting out coffee can be rather grueling, the long-term impacts are quite beneficial.
In time, you'll find your anxiety levels are lowered. This is because the less caffeine you consume, the less you're triggering the body's fight or flight response, the website claims.
As your body becomes less dependent on caffeine, you'll be able to enjoy a better quality of sleep too.