The Best Time For Coffee

By: Annabelle Maria Jeffrey

There’s always a saying that there’s a time for everything. So is there also a specific timing to have a cup of Joe in the morning? Apparently there is!

According to scientists, the best time for drinking coffee is between 9.30am-11.30am. Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why is this the best time for the morning caffeine intake. The reason is that our cortisol – a key hormone that helps to regulate the body’s internal clock and stimulates alertness – is high in level only for a short while after we awake. It is said that drinking caffeine while the cortisol levels are still high will only make people develop tolerance to the caffeine and they will need more than one cup of coffee to wake them up.

Cortisol, produced in high levels in times of stress, helps to convert stored energy into glucose to be used by the body’s cells. A burst of energy discharge in the morning leads to heightened alertness but also causes one to feel hungrier than usual. Scientists have also discovered that cortisol in addition to being a key hormone, is also responsible for synchronising our internal daily rhythms, which operate in the body.

However, the specific time to have the morning shot of caffeine varies, depending on the individual’s cortisol cycle and the time they rise in the morning. So instead of reaching for a cup of coffee when you wake up, wait a while. It just might make you more alert than before!