The Best Time of The Day to Consume Caffeine

The best time to drink coffee for most folks is as soon as they rub the sleep out of their eyes. However, while most people prefer their coffee in the morning, some science points to the best time to drink coffee, and it’s not the first thing in the A.M.

While there are beneficial teas you can sip on from morning to night, coffee is a different animal altogether. Here’s what you need to know about when to drink it and when it should be avoided.

First thing in the morning might not be the best time to drink coffee for most people as doing so could potentially reduce its energizing effect. The reason for this is that cortisol levels are highest in the morning. For those unaware, cortisol is a stress hormone that follows your natural circadian rhythm and can elevate focus and alertness and play several other important roles.

Therefore, drinking coffee in the morning is likely not ideal. Instead, it has been stated that drinking coffee from the mid-to-late morning is likely to be more beneficial as cortisol levels have had time to decrease. This means that if you wake up at 6 a.m., then 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. is going to be the best time to drink coffee for you.

However, do be aware that drinking coffee at this time has not shown to have a more energizing effect on people. Instead, delaying your morning brew could likely have some health benefits.

While many of the health benefits of coffee are well-known, waiting to drink your morning coffee could also be good for you as coffee itself can increase cortisol levels. Drinking coffee when cortisol is already at its highest point in the day (i.e. in the morning) could hinder your immune system and cause other health problems.

That said, there have been no long-term studies on the matter.

Just as there is a best time to drink coffee, there are also worst times to have a brew.

You shouldn’t drink coffee at night, as caffeine can make it difficult to sleep. Therefore, you should avoid coffee for at least six hours before bedtime if you want a restful evening.

If it is later in the afternoon and you need a bit of a pick-me-up, try one of the caffeinated tea varieties, such as black tea or green tea, which have significantly less caffeine.

How to Have a Strong Morning Routine

(Without an Immediate Coffee Boost)

Since you will be waiting on your morning coffee, it might throw things off for you. In this case, it might be wise to restructure your morning routine. To ensure that your day gets off on the right foot, give this framework a try:

• Maintain a fixed bedtime and waking time.
• Don’t hit the snooze button and get out of bed when it is time.
• Avoid your phone for the first several hours of the day.
• Drink some water first thing in the morning instead of coffee.
• Stretch or get in a workout session.
• Then, go and enjoy your coffee.

While putting off your morning coffee might not seem very exciting, doing so could benefit your health. Additionally, if the best time to drink coffee also has you walking out the door for the day, be sure to take your coffee to go with the Ember Travel Mug².