For many, the day doesn’t officially start until they’ve had their first sip of coffee. It’s an essential morning ritual that gives them the boost they need to face the world.
But drinking caffeine as soon as you wake up may not be the best option. Even if you feel groggy, drinking coffee first thing in the morning can be more harmful than beneficial, especially for those with a sedentary lifestyle, where the supposed energy boost may not be as useful as it seems.
While we’re not asking you to give up coffee (you’ll have to pry the cup from our cold, dead, caffeine-addicted hands), postponing your first dose of Colombian beans for a couple of hours could be very healthy, and we’re going to explain why.
Caffeine, cortisol’s worst enemy
Neuroscience research suggests that starting your day with coffee may do more than wake you up—it may also make you feel more stressed. Recent studies indicate that drinking coffee on an empty stomach can raise levels of cortisol, the hormone responsible for managing stress.
Cortisol and caffeine go hand in hand. This hormone plays a key role in the body’s response to stress, and coffee can influence how much is released.
When you drink coffee, caffeine quickly enters the bloodstream and reaches the brain. There, it blocks adenosine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate sleepiness. This triggers a chain reaction, causing the brain to send more signals and release other feel-good chemicals, such as dopamine and norepinephrine. The result? You feel more awake and alert, but at the cost of potentially increasing stress levels in the process. It’s like boosting a car’s engine momentarily; it will give you a rush… but the whole machine will suffer in the long term.
Caffeine not only wakes you up, but also triggers the release of cortisol, a hormone that helps the body manage stress. It’s part of the body’s built-in survival kit, but too much at the wrong time can do more harm than good.
That comforting morning coffee you rely on to feel calm and serene? It could actually be doing the opposite, keeping your stress levels higher instead of helping you relax.
A study found that drinking caffeine increases cortisol levels, and that the effect is stronger in men than in women. Researchers also found that this cortisol spike is highest in the morning and gradually decreases as the day progresses. For those who are more sensitive to caffeine, especially those with high blood pressure or at risk of developing it, this daily dose could have some unwanted consequences.
So… when can you actually have your first coffee of the day?
You don’t have to give up your daily dose of caffeine, but waiting a few hours after waking up before taking that first sip can help you reap the benefits without the drawbacks. Instead of rushing to the coffee maker at 7 or 8 in the morning, consider having your first cup closer to noon—your body (and your energy levels) will thank you.
There’s another reason to wait before drinking coffee first thing in the morning: caffeine is a diuretic, which means it stimulates the loss of fluids from the body. That morning cup may wake you up, but it can also dehydrate you. A better way to start the day? Drink a glass of water first to replenish what your body has lost during the night. That way, when you do have your coffee, it will sit better with you, without leaving you exhausted.
Drinking coffee on an empty stomach is also not recommended, especially for people with sensitive stomachs. It can cause indigestion or aggravate existing conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Starting the day with an upset stomach is probably not the kind of “wake-up call” you’re looking for.
Waiting a few hours before having your first cup not only protects your stomach, but also makes the coffee work better. When you finally take that first sip, your brain will be ready to receive the full boost without the extra baggage.