To avoid caffeine’s disruptive effects on sleep, it’s recommended to avoid consuming caffeine for a minimum of 6 hours before bed ( 9). The stimulating effects of caffeine from coffee last 3–5 hours, and depending on individual differences, about half of the total caffeine you consume remains in your body after 5 hours ( 7).Ĭonsuming coffee too close to bedtime, such as with dinner, can cause sleeping problems. The exercise performance benefits of caffeine from coffee can be experienced within 30–60 minutes of drinking the beverage.Ĭaffeine in coffee can promote wakefulness and increase exercise performance, but it can also cause problems with sleep and anxiety in some people. The effective dose of caffeine for improving exercise performance is 1.4–2.7 mg per pound (3–6 mg per kg) of body weight ( 6).įor a 150-pound (68-kg) person, this equates to about 200–400 mg of caffeine, or 2–4 cups (475–950 mL) of coffee ( 8). This is the time it takes caffeine levels to peak in your body ( 7).
If you’re looking to optimize coffee’s beneficial effects on exercise performance, it’s best to consume the beverage 30–60 minutes before a workout or sporting event ( 6). While it may not make a significant difference whether you choose to enjoy your coffee upon rising or several hours thereafter, the effects of the caffeine from coffee on exercise performance are time-dependent. Several studies have demonstrated that caffeine can delay exercise fatigue and improve muscle strength and power ( 4, 5). Plus, coffee can be a much cheaper alternative to caffeine-containing supplements like pre-workout powders. Caffeine can increase cortisol, but the long-term health implications of this are unknown.Ĭoffee is known for its ability to promote wakefulness and increase alertness, but the beverage is also an effective exercise performance enhancer because of its caffeine content. Whether this is true, remains to be determined. when most people’s cortisol level is lower. The best time to drink coffee is thought to be 9:30–11:30 a.m. That said, there’s likely no harm if you prefer to drink coffee upon rising rather than several hours thereafter.īut if you’re willing to change up your morning coffee ritual, you may find that delaying your coffee intake a few hours may give you more energy. Moreover, caffeine-induced increases in cortisol tend to be reduced in people who regularly consume caffeine ( 3).
Still, there have been no long-term studies on the health implications of elevated cortisol from drinking coffee. Elevated levels of cortisol over long periods can impair your immune system, causing health problems ( 3). While there may be some truth to this, no studies to date have observed any superior energizing effects with delaying your morning coffee, compared with drinking it immediately upon rising.Īnother reason why it has been suggested that you should delay your morning coffee is that the caffeine from coffee can increase cortisol levels.ĭrinking coffee when your cortisol level is at its peak may further increase levels of this hormone. That said, it has been suggested that the best time to drink coffee is mid- to late-morning when your cortisol level is lower.įor most people who get up around 6:30 a.m., this time is between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. The hormone follows a rhythm specific to your sleep-wake cycle, with high levels that peak 30–45 minutes after rising and slowly decline throughout the rest of the day ( 2). It also regulates your metabolism, immune system response, and blood pressure ( 1). However, it’s thought that drinking coffee too soon after rising decreases its energizing effects, as your stress hormone cortisol is at its peak level at this time.Ĭortisol is a hormone that can enhance alertness and focus. Many people enjoy a cup - or three - of coffee upon rising or shortly thereafter.
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