Are you a morning coffee drinker?
I have to admit, I LOVE a morning coffee but have adapted to waiting a little while & in this post I explain why...
Coffee is ingrained in many people's early morning routines. There is something romantic about holding a freshly brewed cup first thing especially in the morning sun. Or maybe that’s just the dreamer in me.
BUT drinking coffee shortly after waking up, as it turns out, is actually a bit counterproductive.
Our bodies produce a hormone called cortisol, also branded the ‘stress’ hormone. But that same hormone is also a key component of our natural, day-long hormonal cycle, known as the circadian clock, which helps wake us up in the morning and wind us down at night. When our body releases cortisol, we feel more awake.
This is why you should wait to have your cuppa...
1. First thing our cortisol levels are high. By having caffeine first thing it interferes with the production of cortisol. The body then produces less of the hormone and relies more on the caffeine.
2. Drinking coffee while cortisol is high leads us to develop long-term tolerances for caffeine. In effect, caffeine replaces the boost we would ordinarily get from cortisol rather than supplementing it.
By waiting an hour or so after waking, it will have less of an interference with our body's own essential mechanism for keeping us alert.
So if you’re a coffee/ tea lover .. no fear but maybe best to hold off for a little while!
I hope this blog was useful and feel free to share to others x