Are you a coffee drinker? Do you know that drinking coffee at different times of the day benefits you differently? If we consider our “body clock” or the circadian rhythm, there is a golden time for us to drink coffee and get the best effects from it. So when do we drink coffee so our body can make the most of the caffeine?
There was a study done by the US Army and published in the Journal of Sleep Research which analysed how to effectively drink coffee so that our body can get 64% more of the stimulation from the same amount of caffeine. Caffeine prevents the working of Adenosin which prepares the body for sleep. The research aimed to figure out how much caffeine the body needs in order to best stimulate it, and when the best time to take it is.
The circadian rhythm is controlled by the group of cells called Suprachiasmatic Nucleus or SCN. It controls the production of cortisol, the hormone that makes us productive.
The study suggested that when we wake up in the morning, the brain already releases cortisol to rouse the body. That means drinking coffee right after waking up does not help, worse still, it messes up the working of cortisol.
Because the circadian rhythm varies from person to person, and the reaction of the body to caffeine also differs in different people, it is hard to say for certain when is the best time to drink coffee,
therefore the study based this schedule on someone who wakes up at 6.30am. (Simply put, drink coffee three hours after waking up and three hours apart for each cup of coffee after that throughout the day.)
- • Morning coffee: 8am – 9am
- • Afternoon coffee: 12pm – 1pm
- • Evening coffee: 5.30pm – 6.30pm
Moreover, caffeine stays in the body for about 4-6 hours before being digested completely. That means, if you’re going to drink an evening coffee, make sure to drink it 6-8 hours before your bedtime.
The appropriate amount of caffeine to consume in a day is 400 milligrams (roughly four cups of coffee).
However, since each body varies, 300 milligrams (three cups) is the perfect amount.
Big C offers a wide variety of coffees available here.
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