Ingredients

Many people claim that for them, the day hasn’t really started until they've had their first cup of coffee in the morning.

Something about taking that first sip of caffeine just feels right; suddenly, your senses are heightened, your brain is more alert, and you can muster up just enough motivation to get going.

However, research presented by Ph.D candidate Steven Miller at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, suggests that your treasured morning-coffee-caffeine boost is actually just a myth.

Per Metro, Miller explains that the human body is on something called the circadian clock: the body’s 24-hour hormone cycle, and is generally regulated by sunlight.

At around 8 or 9 a.m., the day's first dose of cortisol -- a stress-related hormone that makes us feel alert, similar to caffeine -- is released; then again between noon and 1 p.m., and then once more between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.

That means if you’re sipping on a cup of coffee at around that time, the stimulation of the caffeine is diminished, since cortisol is already pumping through your system.

If you want to really maximize the effects of caffeine, Metro suggests imbibing your chosen drink between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. or between 1:30 and 5 p.m.

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Many people claim that for them, the day hasn’t really started until they've had their first cup of coffee in the morning.

Something about taking that first sip of caffeine just feels right; suddenly, your senses are heightened, your brain is more alert, and you can muster up just enough motivation to get going.

However, research presented by Ph.D candidate Steven Miller at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, suggests that your treasured morning-coffee-caffeine boost is actually just a myth.

Per Metro, Miller explains that the human body is on something called the circadian clock: the body’s 24-hour hormone cycle, and is generally regulated by sunlight.

At around 8 or 9 a.m., the day's first dose of cortisol -- a stress-related hormone that makes us feel alert, similar to caffeine -- is released; then again between noon and 1 p.m., and then once more between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.

That means if you’re sipping on a cup of coffee at around that time, the stimulation of the caffeine is diminished, since cortisol is already pumping through your system.

If you want to really maximize the effects of caffeine, Metro suggests imbibing your chosen drink between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. or between 1:30 and 5 p.m.

If You Want To Get The Most Out Of Your Coffee, Don't Drink It First Thing In The Morning

Many people claim that for them, the day hasn’t really started until they've had their first cup of coffee in the morning.

Something about taking that first sip of caffeine just feels right; suddenly, your senses are heightened, your brain is more alert, and you can muster up just enough motivation to get going.

However, research presented by Ph.D candidate Steven Miller at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, suggests that your treasured morning-coffee-caffeine boost is actually just a myth.

Per Metro, Miller explains that the human body is on something called the circadian clock: the body’s 24-hour hormone cycle, and is generally regulated by sunlight.

At around 8 or 9 a.m., the day's first dose of cortisol -- a stress-related hormone that makes us feel alert, similar to caffeine -- is released; then again between noon and 1 p.m., and then once more between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.

That means if you’re sipping on a cup of coffee at around that time, the stimulation of the caffeine is diminished, since cortisol is already pumping through your system.

If you want to really maximize the effects of caffeine, Metro suggests imbibing your chosen drink between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. or between 1:30 and 5 p.m.