If you’re a morning coffee drinker, congrats—you’re basically winning at life. A major study just confirmed that people who get their caffeine fix in the AM are reaping serious health benefits, while those who sip throughout the day? Not so much.
After analyzing the coffee habits of over 40,000 adults, researchers found that morning coffee lovers were 16% less likely to die from anything and 31% less likely to die from heart disease over a decade. But if you’re guzzling coffee all day long, sorry, but those perks? Poof. Gone.
Timing Matters
“It’s not just about whether you drink coffee or how much—it’s when you drink it,” says Prof. Lu Qi, a nutrition and epidemiology expert. Translation? Timing matters, people.
The study pulled data from 40,725 adults who reported when and how much coffee they drank. Turns out, about 36% were morning sippers, while 16% pushed their caffeine hit later in the day. No matter if they had two, three, or even more cups, morning drinkers saw the biggest benefits—though if you’re only having one, you get a little less of the magic.
Why is Morning Coffee Better for You?
Now, why is morning coffee the MVP? The study doesn’t give a clear answer, but one theory is that drinking coffee later messes with your body clock, throwing off your sleep, inflammation, and blood pressure—all things that can mess with your heart. Plus, caffeine suppresses melatonin, that precious sleep hormone, which could explain why all-day coffee addicts tend to sleep like trash.
And before you say, “But what about decaf?”—researchers think some anti-inflammatory compounds in coffee could still be working their magic in the morning, no matter the caffeine content.
This all builds on previous research, like a 2022 UK Biobank study that found up to three cups of coffee a day keeps your heart happy. But before you start chugging, remember: the National Health Service (of the UK) still says more than four cups a day can spike blood pressure, and if you're pregnant, keep it under 200mg of caffeine daily (FYI, a mug of filter coffee has about 140mg).
Great Morning Coffees
If you are looking for some kick in the morning, try one of these:
Takeaway
So, what’s the takeaway? Morning coffee is officially the best coffee. As Prof. Thomas Lüscher puts it: “Drink your coffee, but do so in the morning!” And honestly, who are we to argue?
Source: European Society of Cardiology