A cup of coffee is the quintessential staple of a morning routine—at least in the U.S. The number of American adults who said they had coffee in the past day has reached its highest level in more than 20 years, according to the National Coffee Association (NCA)—and the majority of coffee-drinking adults (81%) have their cup of joe with breakfast. Still, others wait until they’ve settled into their day to drink java—19% of U.S. adults enjoy coffee in the afternoon, and 10% in the evening, according to the NCA.
But is there a best time to drink coffee for maximum benefits?
New research makes a strong case for morning joe, indicating that the timing may impact your longevity. In a study published in the European Heart Journal, researchers looked at two patterns of coffee timing: people who drank their coffee in the morning, and people who were all-day drinkers. After adjusting for other potential factors, researchers found that morning coffee drinkers were 16% less likely to die of any cause during the study period, and 31% less likely to die of cardiovascular disease, compared to people who didn’t drink coffee. However, there was no reduction in risk for all-day coffee drinkers compared to non-coffee drinkers.
The authors speculate that drinking caffeinated coffee later in the day could disrupt circadian rhythm and melatonin levels, leading to inflammation and sleep disturbances. A second potential explanation is that inflammation is at its highest in the morning, and the natural anti-inflammatory properties of coffee may have a greater impact when consumed earlier in the day.
Of course, the primary reason many reach for a morning cuppa is the caffeine, which kicks in about 30 minutes to an hour after consumption, depending on a person’s genetics, and whether or not they have eaten. For some, the effects appear 10 to 15 minutes after consumption, while it can take a couple of hours for others.
Despite natural variability, experts say that the window of 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. may be the best time to consume coffee, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Still, there are a few key considerations about when you consume coffee.
Remember your body clock
The intensity of caffeine’s effects can depend on the time of day you consume it because of the body’s circadian rhythm, or the natural body clock that signals when it’s time to sleep and rise. The body’s cortisol, known as the stress hormone that aids in helping you feel awake, rises about 30 to 45 minutes after you wake up, says Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Human Nutrition.
If you consume coffee first thing in the morning, you may have a more intense response because you feel the effects on top of the body’s natural alert response. While some may need that extra push, others may feel some of the coffee’s more unpleasant side effects, like shakiness, an elevated heart rate, and dizziness, due to the stimulant effects on the nervous system, which block the chemical adenosine.
“Everybody has been at that point where their eyes are bugging out of their head, and they are jittery and unfocused,” says Zumpano. “That stimulates levels of anxiety. Ideally, if you could wait one to two hours [after you wake up] and after cortisol levels rise and start to come back down, that would be the best time to have coffee.” This may also help lengthen the feeling of alertness into the early afternoon when many face the dreaded midday slump.
If you cannot wait until mid-morning or don’t feel bothered by the effects of coffee first thing, don’t worry. There’s limited research to suggest that delaying caffeine is ideal for everyone.
For those who need to brew their cup promptly post-alarm, Zumpano also offers certain tips that can help reduce the potential side effects. For example, sipping coffee slowly versus gulping it or drinking it alongside a meal can slow the absorption of caffeine into the bloodstream. Adding a bit of milk can also counter some of the effects. Still, experts say to stay clear of artificial sweeteners and added sugars, which can elevate blood sugar and increase the risk of diabetes and obesity.
The morning workout
Studies have shown that coffee can improve exercise performance. One analysis of 46 studies found moderate caffeine consumption improved endurance. If a quick cup of coffee first thing gives you a boost at the gym, then Zumpano says to stick with what works.
For people who prefer to exercise later in the day but still want that extra feeling of alertness, Zumpano suggests other forms of caffeine that are less concentrated to not interfere with sleep, like green tea.
Give yourself a cutoff
Proper sleep is critical for physical and mental health, allowing people to recover so their brains and bodies can fight off disease. Caffeine can disrupt sleep, especially when taken too close to bedtime. “It could be hitting you in the middle of the night. You just don’t know,” says Zumpano. Caffeine can also take up to eight hours to leave the bloodstream. Experts say to stop coffee six to eight hours before bed. If your bedtime is 9 p.m., for example, your last cup should be no later than 3 p.m.
“For a lot of people, it’s trial and error as to what is ideal,” says Zumpano. “It’s all about what you are looking for out of your caffeine intake.”
Additional reporting by Ani Friedman.
More on coffee:
- How late in the day can you drink coffee? What time you can have your last cup and still fall asleep at night
- Adding this ingredient to your cup of coffee may provide anti-inflammatory benefits
- Is olive oil in coffee good for you? Here are the pros and cons for your health
