HOUSTON — You might have seen on social media advice from influencers claiming that drinking coffee first thing in the morning can affect your natural sleep cycle and cause an afternoon slump. But it turns out there is not a lot of research to back up those claims.
And while there could be some benefits tor delaying that first caffeine of the morning, it really depends on how your body reacts to the stimulant.
During the day, your body produces a chemical called adenosine. It attaches to little receptors in your brain making you drowsy. Caffeine works be blocking those receptors, making you more alert.
It takes about 20 to 30 minutes for this whole process to work. While you sleep, your adenosine levels drop and are at their lowest right when you wake up. So according to the New York Times, you could get less bang for your buck if you drink coffee first thing in the morning.
The other factor is your genetics. Some people can ride the high of their morning cup of coffee all day, while others clear caffeine from the body much more quickly and will need another cup by early afternoon. So if you only want one serving of caffeine a day, it might be better to delay it until midday, but experts do warn to avoid caffeine within six hours before bedtime.