The first thing many of us do as soon as we get up is turn on the professional coffee machine to prepare a good cup of espresso. It almost seems as if taking the black substance can give you the right boost to start the day off right and tackle the tasks at hand.
But is it true that drinking coffee as soon as you wake up is the right way to recharge your batteries?
In fact, according to the research of Dr Steven Miller, a researcher and expert in chronopharmacology, there are specific times when you should drink your elixir of energy.
What are they? What is the right time to drink coffee? And how many coffees can be taken per day to get the beneficial effects?
Let’s delve into this topic together and find out which are the right ways to drink espresso coffee without any side effects and reap all the benefits.
When can we drink coffee?
Drinking coffee is one of the most popular habits among Italians, but not only. This drink is one of the most consumed in the world.
Some people like to drink coffee at home as soon as they wake up, others prefer espresso coffee from the bar, for some it is a sort of ritual with which to end a meal. Others choose coffee time as a break to meet and chat.
For this reason, it is not easy to set specific times to enjoy a good coffee.
However, according to Dr Miller’s studies, there are certain times of the day when caffeine consumption is most beneficial.
The neuroscientist says that the best time to drink coffee is in the morning. But not in the morning! Miller specified that the perfect time to consume coffee is between 9:30 am and 11:30 am.
It is certainly not easy to abandon your habits and revolutionise your schedule. But if you start following Dr Miller’s advice, you will realise that by consuming coffee at these times, you will get the most out of your caffeine consumption.
In addition, coffee taken in the morning has energising effects that last for the next 5 hours.
But what happens if we can’t resist the call of the black drink after hours?
According to Dr Miller’s research, drinking coffee outside of this time frame can be counterproductive.
Let’s see why.
The effects of coffee according to Dr Miller
Dr Steven Miller is a researcher at the University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. He is a neuropsychologist and an expert in chronopharmacology. What does that mean? This discipline deals with the interaction between different biological rhythms of the human body and drugs.
For this reason, Miller decided to analyse the effects of coffee on the body at different times of the day.
The result of his studies showed that caffeine intake causes the body to release cortisol.
Cortisol is a substance of fundamental importance for the body, as it provides the energy to cope with moments when we feel drained and inactive.
85% of Italians drink coffee throughout the day, paying little attention to the time of day. Their favourite time of day is in the morning, and in fact many cannot do without the pleasure of coffee at breakfast.
According to the neuroscientist, this habit is one of the most mistaken. As soon as you wake up, your body produces the highest amount of cortisol.
What does this mean? It means that at this time of day it does not need to increase the presence of this substance. In fact, the body has enough of it to deal with waking up with the right amount of energy.
Adding cortisol just after waking up, therefore, can have the opposite effect, giving a feeling of tiredness and fatigue.
For this reason, we should postpone the habit of drinking coffee in the time between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., when cortisol really drops.
Moreover, the energising effects of coffee taken at this time last for the next 5 hours.
One of the worst times to drink coffee is in the evening, as it puts the body into a real state of stress.
What happens if we drink too much coffee?
Drinking coffee in moderation, however, has no negative effects on the body, quite the contrary! Caffeine taken in the right way can have several benefits. It makes the body more active and gives it lots of energy.
But how many cups of coffee can we drink per day?
Scientists agree that 5 cups of coffee a day does not harm the cardiovascular system.
Those who are more sensitive to caffeine do not need to reach these doses, but can regulate themselves.
But what about those who cannot give up the pleasure of the black beverage in high doses?
Overdoing it with coffee can lead to problems of addiction and overdose. In such cases, the most common symptoms are headaches and tiredness. But in reality, there are many problems that can result from high caffeine intake. The most common are:
- anxiety;
- nervousness;
- increased blood pressure;
- increased heart rate;
- difficulty sleeping;
- colitis and diarrhoea;
- diuretic effects and dehydration;
- gastroesophageal reflux and gastritis;
- tiredness and fatigue.
Is it really worth risking sleepless nights over a cup of coffee in the afternoon? Or to feel in fibrillation?
Getting rid of the effects of caffeine is a process that takes a long time. This is why it is difficult to fall asleep.
Coffee also has irritating effects on the colon, causing colitis and diarrhoea.
By taking coffee in the right doses, you can greatly reduce these unpleasant effects.
Summary
So, we can say that drinking coffee in moderation does not create problems for our bodies, quite the contrary!
If taken at the right times and without overdoing it, coffee can give your body a real boost of energy and keep your mind active for many hours.
Scientists agree that you should not take too much caffeine. This substance is also contained in other substances, such as tea and cola drinks that we usually drink during the day.
This does not mean that you should give up the pleasure of caffeine or drink one to two cups a day.
To avoid side effects, it is sufficient not to exceed 5 cups per day.
To fully enjoy the aroma of coffee and appreciate its characteristics, it is not necessary to drink large quantities. It is enough to choose a machine that enhances its characteristics! Pontevecchio lever coffee machines allow you to savour all the flavour of coffee, at the right time!
Contact us to know our models of lever coffee machines. You will discover the pleasure of a coffee as good as that of the bar, even at home.
