Key takeaways

  • While it’s thought that drinking coffee mid- to late-morning (9:30 to 11:30 a.m.) when cortisol is lower may be ideal, no studies have shown superior energizing effects compared with drinking it right after waking.
  • To boost exercise performance, consume coffee 45 minutes before your workout or sporting event when caffeine levels peak in your body.
  • Most adults can safely consume up to 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine daily (about 4 cups of coffee), but caffeine can cause sleep problems when consuming it too close to bedtime and may increase anxiety in some people.

Coffee is one of the world’s most popular beverages. It contains a very popular stimulant called caffeine.

Many people reach for a cup of this caffeinated beverage immediately after rising, whereas others believe it’s more beneficial to hold off for a few hours.

This article explains when the best time to drink coffee is to maximize its benefits and minimize its side effects.

This article is Day 2 of Healthline’s 14-Day Energy Boost Challenge. Follow along to discover simple ways to naturally boost energy and power through your day.

Many people enjoy a cup of coffee upon rising or shortly thereafter.

However, it’s thought that drinking coffee too soon after rising decreases its energizing effects, as your stress hormone cortisol is at its peak level at this time.

Cortisol is a hormone that can enhance alertness and focus. It also regulates your metabolism, immune system response, and blood pressure.

The hormone follows a rhythm specific to your sleep-wake cycle, with high levels that peak 30 to 45 minutes after rising and slowly decline throughout the rest of the day.

That said, it has been suggested that the best time to drink coffee is mid- to late-morning when your cortisol level is lower.

For most people who get up around 6:30 a.m., this time is between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.

While there may be some truth to this, no studies to date have observed any superior energizing effects with delaying your morning coffee, compared with drinking it immediately upon rising.

Caffeine can increase cortisol levels

Another reason why it has been suggested that you should delay your morning coffee is that the caffeine from coffee can increase cortisol levels.

Drinking coffee when your cortisol level is at its peak may further increase levels of this hormone. Elevated levels of cortisol over long periods can impair your immune system, potentially causing health problems.

Still, there have been no long-term studies on the health implications of elevated cortisol from drinking coffee.

That said, there’s likely no harm if you prefer to drink coffee upon rising rather than several hours thereafter.

But if you’re willing to change up your morning coffee ritual, you may find that delaying your coffee intake a few hours may give you more energy.

Summary

The best time to drink coffee is thought to be 9:30–11:30 a.m. when most people’s cortisol level is lower. Whether this is true, remains to be determined. Caffeine can increase cortisol, but the long-term health implications of this are unknown.

While it may not always make a significant difference whether you choose to enjoy your coffee upon rising or several hours thereafter, the effects of the caffeine from coffee on exercise performance are time-dependent.

Coffee is known for its ability to promote wakefulness and increase alertness, but the beverage is also an effective exercise performance enhancer because of its caffeine content.

Plus, coffee can be a much cheaper alternative to caffeine-containing supplements like pre-workout powders.

Some studies suggest that caffeine can delay exercise fatigue and improve muscle strength and power.

If you’re looking to optimize coffee’s beneficial effects on exercise performance, it may be best to consume caffeine around 45 minutes before a workout or sporting event.

The effective dose of caffeine for improving exercise performance is 3 to 6 mg per kilogram (kg) of body weight.

For a 68 kg (150 pound) person, this equates to about 200 to 400 mg of caffeine, or 2 to 4 cups, of coffee.

Summary

The exercise performance benefits of caffeine from coffee can be experienced within 45 minutes of drinking the beverage.

Caffeine in coffee can promote wakefulness and increase exercise performance, but it can also cause problems with sleep and anxiety in some people.

Depending on individual differences, about half of the total caffeine you consume remains in your body after 5 hours.

Consuming coffee too close to bedtime, such as with dinner, may cause sleeping problems.

To avoid caffeine’s disruptive effects on sleep, it’s recommended to avoid consuming caffeine in the few hours before bed.

While there is no information to suggest a specific time to consume coffee in the afternoon without impacting sleep, you may wish to switch to decaf coffee in the afternoon to help reduce the afternoon sleep without impacting sleep as much as regular coffee would.

In addition to sleep problems, caffeine can increase anxiety in some people.

If you have anxiety, you may find that drinking coffee makes it worse, in which case you may need to consume less or avoid the beverage completely.

Summary

Caffeine can cause sleep problems when it’s consumed too close to bedtime. The stimulant may also increase anxiety in some people.

Most individuals can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine daily — the equivalent of about 4 cups of coffee.

The recommendation for people who are pregnant or nursing is 300 mg of caffeine daily, with some research suggesting that the safe upper limit is 200 mg daily. It’s best to speak with a healthcare professional for guidance on caffeine consumption if you are pregnant or nursing.

These recommendations for safe caffeine intake include caffeine from all sources. Other common sources of caffeine include tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, and even dark chocolate.

Summary

Healthy adults can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine per day, whereas pregnant and nursing people may be able to consume 200 to 300 mg per day, though it’s best to speak with a healthcare professional for more information.

Coffee is a popular beverage that’s enjoyed throughout the world.

It has been suggested that the best time to drink coffee is mid- to late-morning when your cortisol level is lower, but research on this topic is lacking.

Consuming coffee 45 minutes before your workout or sporting event can help delay fatigue and increase muscle strength and power.

Keep in mind that the stimulating effects of caffeine from coffee can cause sleep problems if consumed too close to bedtime, as well as increase anxiety in some people.