The Best Time To Drink Coffee, According To Science

For years, research has focused solely on the advantages of drinking coffee — not when you should actually sip the cup. A new study published in the European Heart Journal shifts that focus, examining how the timing of coffee consumption may maximize its benefits. According to the observational study, the best time to imbibe the beverage is in the morning between 4 a.m. and noon.

"Our findings indicate that it's not just whether you drink coffee or how much you drink, but the time of day when you drink coffee that's important," senior study author Dr. Lu Qi said to Eureka Alert. Qi, a professor of public health at Tulane University in New Orleans, and his team examined data from 40,725 adults in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999 to 2018) and 1,463 adults in the Women's and Men's Lifestyle Validation Study. Participants shared what they ate and drank for at least one day, including whether, how much, and when they had coffee.

The findings showed those who drank coffee in the morning reduced their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 31% when compared to participants who did not drink coffee. People who consumed coffee before noon reduced their risk of dying from any cause by 16%. Morning drinkers also had a reduced mortality risk regardless of how much coffee they drank. While the team noted that more studies are needed, we now know that brewing a cup of coffee for breakfast can be much better than getting your caffeine dose later in the day.

There are many things people get wrong about coffee. Yet if you think about it, the study's findings make a lot of sense. The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant, so it boosts energy and mental alertness. Going by this, drinking coffee in the morning can make you more productive. Productivity often leads to an improved outlook in life and can support mental and emotional health. When you are healthy in these facets, it also shows in your physical health. According to the Mental Health Foundation, people experiencing mental health problems are more likely to develop physical conditions like heart disease. When you map all of these things out, it reinforces the idea that drinking coffee in the morning can lower mortality risk.

However, drinking coffee at night isn't so strange, especially for night owls and people who work graveyard shifts. It's important to keep in mind that drinking coffee at night may significantly alter your body clock and how your body operates. Registered dietitian Anthony DiMarino told Cleveland Clinic that it takes two to 10 hours for the average human body to metabolize at least half of the caffeine from a cup of coffee. The remaining caffeine can disrupt your sleep schedule if your body takes longer to eliminate caffeine, especially if you drink coffee after noon. A cup of coffee can also affect your heart rate, breathing, and emotions. For some people, this may translate to more anxiety and panic attacks at nighttime. So, unless necessary, it may be wise to ditch your late-night coffee sessions.