An American PhD student has pinpointed the precise time of the day to get the most from your cup of coffee.
According to neuroscientist, Steven Miller, from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Maryland, the best time for a cuppa is 10.30 am when your body clock is most receptive to the effects of caffeine.
Miller explains on his blog that the body’s cortisol levels are high when people just wake up - namely, between 8am and 9am - which means they are resistant to the turbo-charge high coffee gives them.
But if coffee is taken a few hours after waking, cortisol levels in the body are low, which means caffeine is able to stimulate the hormone for more alertness.
Miller also says that cortisol levels peak again between 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm, whencoffee shouldn’t be consumed if you want the desired boost in energy.
“You are drinking caffeine at a time when you are already approaching your maximal level of alertness naturally,” he writes.
“One of the key principles of pharmacology is use a drug when it is needed (although I’m sure some scientists might argue that caffeine is always needed). Otherwise, we can develop tolerance to a drug administered at the same dose. In other words, the same cup of morning coffee will become less effective and this is probably why I need a shot of espresso in mine now.”
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