When’s the best time to have a cup of coffee?

We all tend to reach for the caffeine first thing on a morning. Researchers now believe it may not be the best time for coffee, especially for productivity.

Hands up if, like me, the coffee pot is the first thing you put on in the morning? You need that cup of caffeine to wake you up and feel productive, right? Well, it turns out that the cup of Joe may not be the best thing as your first drink for productivity. Researchers also found that more coffee isn’t necessarily better for alertness.

It’s all about the total amount of caffeine you get and not necessarily when. With the same total caffeine at a later point in the day, you can improve alertness by 64%. And studies are starting to show that you only need up to 3-4 cups for all the benefits.

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The study isn’t yet available to the public; neither is the new algorithm created. However, it will soon be implemented on soldiers, according to Global News.

This recent study and algorithm certainly support claims from Channel ASAP Science on YouTube, which claimed the morning was the worst time for caffeine. This is when our bodies have some of the highest levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and caffeine interrupts with the body’s natural way of dealing with that. Our bodies also become tolerant to the caffeine, because the natural cortisol-induced boost to the mind is replaced with the caffeine.

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Some studies even show that drinking caffeine on a morning with higher cortisol levels can lead to more jitteriness. It can lead to more tiredness later on.

The best times to drink coffee are between 10 a.m. and noon and then between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Other studies have shown between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and then between 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., so similar timings.

Instead of coffee, reach for a glass of lemon water. This can help to cleanse the system and make you feel more alert.

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When do you drink your coffee? Will you change the times you drink? Let us know in the comments below.