Another Monday. Another
cup of coffee. Or another pot of coffee for some people. Even with the 'extra hour of sleep' that the time change has provided us, you most likely still want to enjoy some caffeine this morning.
But should you drink your coffee first thing in the morning? Most people claim they need their coffee first thing or they can't function properly. An article from
Lifehacker discusses a recent study from Neuroscience PhD student Steven Miller, that finds that the body is naturally alert around 8 AM until 9 AM due to cortisol. Cortisol is sometimes known as the 'stress hormone' but also associated with alertness.
So when should you drink your coffee?
The most effective time to have a cup of joe, Miller says, is between 9:30 am and 11:30 am. (Between noon and 1 pm and between 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm are other times cortisol levels rise, so you might want to avoid drinking coffee during those hours.)
So, do a science experiment of your own this week and drink your coffee at your normal time one day, then the suggested time the next. Do you think you will see a difference? Let us know what you find out.
Check out the
Lifehacker article for more info.