What’s the optimal time for your first cup of coffee each day?
PTC News Desk: If you can’t even begin your day without that divine cup of coffee, raise your hand! For many of us, coffee is essential for waking up, maintaining attention, and finishing our to-do lists. But now for the hard bit. There are a lot of “experts” on the Internet that advise you to cut back on your coffee consumption and avoid certain times of the day. If you find that offensive, continue reading.
When to have your first cup
Unbelievably, when you roll out of bed isn’t the ideal moment for your first cup. The circadian clock, a natural regularity that our bodies adhere to, explains why. The hormone cortisol, which gives us alertness, is released under the regulation of this internal clock.
When you wake up, your natural wake-up hormone, cortisol, is normally high. It usually peaks between 8 and 9 am. Therefore, if you drink coffee during this peak, you might not feel as energised as you could and it might even cause you to become more tolerant.
When to drink coffee to improve your tolerance to caffeine
When your body becomes accustomed to caffeine and its effects become less noticeable, you have reached caffeine tolerance. According to health specialists, sticking to a regular coffee drinking schedule can also aid in reducing your caffeine tolerance.
You can avoid developing a greater tolerance by coordinating your coffee intake with your body’s natural cortisol rhythms and abstaining from caffeine during times of elevated cortisol. Study says, “Drinking coffee during periods of naturally reduced cortisol increases the effectiveness of the caffeine and preserves sensitivity.
When should you finish your last cup?
Making sure your final cup of coffee doesn’t disrupt your sleep is the most important thing to consider. Because caffeine has a half-life of five to six hours, it can linger in your system for a long time. You should use extra caution if you have difficulties falling asleep or are sensitive to caffeine
The ideal window for most folks to drink coffee is between two and three o’clock in the afternoon. The study suggests that older persons should cease their caffeine use even earlier, around noon, due to their slower metabolism.