Later Morning Coffee Can Boost Productivity
For early risers, a morning cup of coffee can be the only way to start the morning. However, this may be an ineffective use of good coffee. Depending on your circadian clock, there are certain times of the day that get the most out of each bean. While this may not be the top priority when looking for coffee beans for sale, freshly roasted coffee can be used to boost your productivity by planning the times of day you choose to indulge.
How Does Caffeine Work?
Before deciding the best time of the day to break out the french press, it’s important to understand what caffeine does to the human body. Caffeine is considered both a drug and a food additive by the Food and Drug Administration. Weight loss, alertness, and memory may be enhanced by caffeine. It takes about 45 minutes for caffeine to be absorbed, with its peak level reached an hour after consumption. Caffeine stays in the system for about four to six hours.
Caffeine works similarly to a chemical already found in the body: adenosine. The chemical promotes sleep and dilates blood vessels while asleep. The chemical increases during awake hours in order to create more alertness. Caffeine binds to the same receptors as the chemical and blocks its ability to dilate blood vessels, creating the jolt associated with great coffee.
First Thing in the Morning is the Worst Time
When shopping for coffee beans on sale, you can almost smell the wafting scent of coffee first thing in the morning. However, scientific evidence shows waking up to coffee isn’t doing us any favors. Cortisol levels, best known as the stress hormone, are building as we wake up. In other words, when cortisol levels are high, a cup of coffee just isn’t as effective since the hormone increases how awake someone is on its own.
If you reach for the mug between 8 and 9 a.m. after waking up at 6:30 a.m., you’re increasing your tolerance to caffeine without reaping most of the rewards. Of course, consuming coffee at any time of the day will increase tolerance. This makes it all the more important to drink coffee when you will get the biggest payout. There are also smaller cortisol peaks between noon and 1 p.m., then again between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., based on a 6:30 a.m. wake up.
Mid-Morning Productivity Enhancement
Rather than replacing the natural cortisol boost your body creates on its own, having your first cup of coffee of the day between 10 a.m. and noon will yield the highest results. Two to three hours after waking up, cortisol levels start to dip. Of course, everyone is a bit different. Your own circadian clock may be slightly different. Additionally, each person’s sensitivity to caffeine varies. The goal of coffee is to enhance your natural energy rather than trying to replace it.
Drinking caffeine when cortisol levels are high can be more than a waste of money. It can also put undue stress on your body. Drinking caffeine when the “stress hormone” is already at a peak can result in the jitters since the body already has heightened physical and mental powers. When caffeine is consumed when natural energy levels dip, it can help transition throughout the day, leading to more productivity overall.
Effects on Sleep
There has been evidence that consuming caffeine as long as six hours before bedtime can lead to a full hour of lost sleep time. For most coffee consumers, cutting off intake by 5 p.m. helps lessen the effects on melatonin production, which is important for proper sleep. However, each person is different. Some may have to cut caffeine much earlier in the day to ensure they are able to sleep uninterrupted.
Quick Facts: Benefits of Coffee
The average consumer pours a cup of coffee to get the energy boost needed to get through the day. However, coffee has hidden benefits, regardless of the time of day it’s consumed:
● Coffee may lower the risk of prostate cancer, even when decaffeinated.
● Coffee aids weight loss by potentially burning more calories. There is still research being done on the topic, but the increase of energy may stimulate heat and energy that is being digested.
● Many products promising tighter skin contain coffee and are known to improve the appearance of skin.
● While it won’t suppress appetites long-term, the caffeine can help those trying to lose weight feel less hungry.
● Mental performance may increase after coffee, making it a great beverage while learning something new or tackling a mentally challenging task.
● Coffee is known to stain teeth but it can also prevent cavities and tooth decay when served black.
Getting the most bang-for-your-buck is more than finding the best deal on coffee beans for sale. Instead, looking at the facts and understanding how the beverage affects our bodies leads to the best return on investment in coffee consumption.
