A recent study has found that the average person in the UK wakes up at 7:33am but according to experts, this is far too early to be indulging in your first cup of coffee of the day.
Rex Isap, CEO and sleep expert at Happy Beds advises waiting until 9:33am to enjoy that first caffeine fix. He explains that this delay allows your body’s natural energy process, known as the “cortisol awakening response” (CAR), to do its job.
Rex said: “When you wake up, your cortisol levels spike by 38% to 75% within the first 30 to 45 minutes—basically like an internal espresso shot. Drinking coffee too soon after waking doubles up on stimulants, leading to unnecessary jitters and a faster build-up of caffeine tolerance.”
Holding out until your cortisol levels drop around 9:33am means that you’ll be able to enjoy your coffee when your body is more balanced and ready to benefit from the caffeine boost.
Coffee lovers may also want to rethink that mid-afternoon pick-me-up. The sleep expert warns that the lingering effects of caffeine can significantly impact sleep quality, especially if consumed too late in the day.
Rex said: “Caffeine has a half-life of about six hours in healthy adults. This means that even six hours after drinking it, about 50% of the caffeine is still in your body. For example, if you had a large coffee after lunch, around 75mg of caffeine would still be in your system by bedtime.”
Isap further elaborates on how this leftover caffeine can disrupt your sleep. He added: “That 75mg can delay your ability to fall asleep by up to 40 minutes, reduce your overall sleep time, and cut down on the amount of deep, restorative sleep by as much as 20%.”
While it may not seem like much, consistently losing sleep quality can lead to daytime fatigue and decreased cognitive function. To ensure a better sleep, Rex recommends having your last cup of coffee at least eight hours before bedtime.
Since the average person in the UK goes to sleep at around 10:43pm, that would mean enjoying your final latte no later than 2:43pm for a more restful night.