Even if you love coffee, you should probably change your habits and avoid drinking it first thing in the morning. After a scholarly study, researchers have just determined the ideal time to taste it.
Every morning, millions of people around the world start their day with a steaming cup of coffee. This sacred morning ritual is often seen as the necessary boost to face daily challenges, stimulating concentration, alertness and cognitive performance. According to figures from Statista, eight out of ten French people have consumed coffee in the last three months in 2022. A person also consumes on average 3 kilograms of coffee per year, which corresponds to nearly 500 cups per year. .
But beyond the sensory pleasure, the precise moment when we consume this energy drink could influence its effectiveness. Indeed, coffee, rich in caffeine, acts as a stimulant by blocking adenosine receptors, a molecule responsible for the feeling of fatigue. However, our body follows a circadian rhythm, a biological clock regulating various physiological functions over a 24-hour cycle. Among these functions, the production of cortisol, often called the “stress hormone”, plays a key role. Cortisol helps wake us up and keep us alert, with natural peaks in the early morning.
Drinking coffee when cortisol is at its peak might seem redundant. In reality, this can reduce the effectiveness of caffeine and increase tolerance, thus requiring higher doses to achieve the same effect. Studies suggest that the first cortisol peak usually occurs between 8 and 9 a.m. So, consuming coffee during this time might not provide the expected energy boost.
You must therefore wait for cortisol levels to decrease in order to allow caffeine to act optimally, avoiding interference with natural hormonal rhythms. But this is not the only criterion to take into account. James Betts, professor of metabolic physiology at the University of Bath, discovered that drinking strong coffee right after a bad night’s sleep can impair blood sugar control throughout the day, as he explains to the BBC .
“When people have a poor night’s sleep and consume caffeine right before breakfast, it leads to a significant increase in blood sugar and insulin response”explains Betts. “So people have lost metabolic control – they can no longer tolerate sugar. In other words, it impairs your body’s ability to handle breakfast.”
It is for this reason that the professor recommends taking a break of one hour between the morning meal and the consumption of coffee. Since the person will likely have completed digestion and absorption of nutrients, it is safer. On the other hand, for those who practice sport in the morning – the courageous – coffee should conversely be taken before exercise. The researcher recommends consuming the drink between 45 and 60 minutes before exercise.
By slightly adjusting the time of our morning coffee break, we can improve our alertness and productivity throughout the day. Especially since coffee has a protective role against heart disease and dementia, among others. But be careful, like all things, you must not overuse it, otherwise you will lose all the benefits and put your health at risk!