The Best Times To Drink Coffee Throughout the Day for Lasting Energy

Drinking your cup of coffee at certain times of the day, not just immediately after waking up, can have substantial effects on your energy levels and health. So if you’re looking to maximize coffee’s impact on your alertness and concentration, here’s when experts recommend brewing your next cup.

The best time to enjoy a creamy latte or espresso often depends on your natural energy levels, circadian rhythm, and your body’s sensitivity to caffeine. But generally speaking, these two times of the day can be good opportunities to have a coffee.

Mid or late morning (approximately 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.)

Studies show that cortisol, a hormone responsible for alertness, begins to naturally increase early in the morning, peaking around the time you wake up.

But these cortisol levels eventually decrease as the morning progresses and people may feel less alert. This might be a good time to have a cup of something caffeinated.

“There is no specific advice about waiting to drink caffeine until cortisol levels decrease, because everyone’s sensitivity is different,” says Kourtney Johnson, RD, LD, registered dietitian, medical examiner at Within Health, and owner of Intuitively Nourished. Health.

However, letting your body wake up naturally before drinking coffee could provide more sustained energy throughout the morning.

“If you wait even 90 minutes after opening your eyes to drink your morning cup of java, you’ll get a lot more bang for your buck,” says Michael Breus, PhD, clinical psychologist, sleep specialist and founder of Sleep Doctor. Health.

Delaying your coffee consumption until after breakfast might also be a smart move, as some people may experience gastrointestinal discomfort when drinking coffee on an empty stomach.

However, experts don’t entirely agree. On the one hand, research has shown that delaying coffee drinking doesn’t help you avoid an afternoon energy “slump.” In fact, it can cause people to have a second cup too late in the day.

Additionally, each person responds differently to caffeine, pointed out Deepak Vivek, MD, an interventional cardiologist at the Orlando Health Heart and Vascular Institute. For people who aren’t as sensitive to the effects of caffeine, “the best time of day to drink coffee would be early in the morning,” he said. Health.

The early afternoon crisis (around noon to 3 p.m.)

Many people experience a drop in energy in the hours after eating a meal. This “after-lunch slump” is a common phenomenon also known as postprandial sleepiness.

So a mid-afternoon cup of coffee might be just the thing to “increase alertness and mental focus” at the end of your work day, Johnson said.

That’s because “caffeine blocks adenosine, a chemical that builds up in your brain and makes you sleepy,” says Angela Holliday-Bell, MD, a sleep medicine specialist and founder of The Solution Is Sleep. Health.

But again, an afternoon cup of coffee may not be for everyone. “If you have a weakness [caffeine] tolerance, it might have a greater impact on sleep,” Johnson said. “However, some people can tolerate caffeine consumption later in the day, so it’s really individualized.”

Mid-morning and early afternoon are considered more ideal times to enjoy your daily brew. So, for some people, drinking coffee at other times of the day might have the opposite effect of the desired effect.

Late afternoon or evening (after 3 p.m.)

Caffeine can linger in the body long after drinking coffee, so having a cup too late in the day could disrupt your sleep. Specifically, afternoon caffeine could lead to:

• Difficulty falling asleep
• Less deep sleep
• Symptoms of lack of sleep the next day, such as mood changes, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating or completing tasks

“It takes an individual between six and eight hours on average to metabolize caffeine,” Breus said. So cutting your caffeine intake around 3 p.m. should set you up nicely for going to bed at 11 p.m.

However, everyone metabolizes caffeine differently: Some people have genetic variations that cause the body to process the stimulant more slowly, Johnson explained.

This means they may feel the effects of coffee more acutely, or those effects may take longer to wear off. For this group, it might be best to stop drinking coffee after noon.

In times of stress

If your nervous system is overworked by stress, the stimulating effect of coffee can make the situation worse.

Caffeine briefly increases blood pressure and heart rate, which can lead to increased physical symptoms of stress and anxiety, Johnson said.

“Those who are sensitive to caffeine may experience symptoms such as heart palpitations, nausea, anxiety and feeling jittery,” Vivek added. “Other symptoms may include insomnia, high blood pressure and headaches.”

So if you’re already feeling nervous or anxious, take it easy on the cold brew until you can relax.

Keep in mind: Some studies have shown that moderate caffeine consumption has a beneficial effect on the heart, but people “who experience frequent palpitations or skipped beats should probably avoid or reduce their coffee intake,” Vivek said. Contact your doctor if you are unsure.

Coffee may interact negatively with certain medications, reducing their effectiveness. So, according to Johnson and Vivek, watch your caffeine intake if you take any of the following:

• Anticoagulants
• Decongestants
• Antidepressants
• Blood pressure medications
• Thyroid medications
• Antibiotics
• Supplements such as iron, zinc or magnesium

If you are taking one of these medications, try to space out your intake outside of when you drink coffee.

Pregnant people should also limit or avoid their caffeine intake. at no more than 200 milligrams (about one 12-ounce cup) per day, Vivek added. This means they may want to play around with their caffeine timing, as it’s not recommended to drink multiple cups throughout the day to maintain energy.

Talk to your doctor about any other times you should limit your caffeine intake.