Coffee: Here's the unexpected reason why you should never drink it early in the morning

Is it impossible to start the day without a good coffee when you get out of bed? Indeed, for many people, morning coffee is an unavoidable ritual. Without coffee, it is often impossible to emerge and be productive. However, while coffee is known for its 'boosting' effect, it would not be wise to drink it too early in the day.

A doctoral student from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda has published their work on coffee in the German daily Die Welt. Against all odds, they explain that drinking coffee early in the morning is actually counterproductive.

Coffee too early: A bad idea

Indeed, at certain times, the body produces cortisol, the stress hormone. These times are as follows:

• From 8am to 9am
• From 12pm to 1pm
• From 5:30pm to 6:30pm

If coffee is consumed during these hours, the caffeine conflicts with the hormone cortisol. The first consequence is that the effects of stress are increased tenfold. As a result, we feel anxious, tired, and can even gain weight because the internal clock is out of balance.

The second consequence is that the caffeine is no longer as effective as it could have been. We are therefore forced to drink more coffee to feel good.

Read more ⋙ The shocking amount of sugar in coffee by McDonald’s, Starbucks and others

Read more:

⋙ Here's how drinking coffee could be lowering your chances of dying

⋙ Heart disease: Drinking at least 2 cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk

At what time of the day should you drink coffee?

If you can't drink coffee in the morning to wake up, when is the best time? For early morning coffee lovers, you should wait until late morning to indulge in a good cup of hot coffee. Ideally, between 9:30am and 11:30am. If you sleep in, you can wake up with a coffee without any problem.

If it is difficult for you not to drink coffee as soon as you get out of bed, try other alternatives such as infusions or tea, chicory, or mate. A freshly squeezed orange juice is also a good solution to fill up with energy!

This article has been translated from Ohmymag FR.

Sources used:

Die Welt: 'Warum wir Kaffee zur falschen Zeit trinken'