What's the healthiest time of day to consume coffee?
Jan. 30, 2025—They say timing is everything, and how we enjoy our coffee is no exception to this rule. A new study in the European Heart Journal highlights how drinking coffee in the morning—but not throughout the whole day—may have some surprising health benefits.
How healthy is a morning cup of joe?
Scientists looked at data from 42,188 adults in the U.S. to see how coffee habits affected their risk—and cause—of death. Researchers compared the health records of people who drank coffee in the morning, all-day coffee drinkers and people who didn't drink coffee, covering a period of almost 10 years.
Here's what they discovered:
- People who drank their coffee in the morning hours were significantly less likely than non-coffee drinkers to die from heart disease or other causes.
- Drinking 2 to 3 cups of coffee each morning offered the biggest benefits.
- People who spread their coffee drinking throughout the entire day didn't have these same health benefits.
Researchers also reported that:
- People who drank higher amounts of coffee in the morning showed better survival outcomes than those who consumed less.
- The benefits were shared by people who drank caffeinated coffee and those who chose decaf.
The research team noted they didn't look at how genetics might impact survival rates. They did factor in lifestyle differences like exercise, smoking and health issues.
Why waking up with coffee is such a perk
What causes morning coffee to boost survival? While researchers can't be sure, they think it might have to do with the body's natural rhythms:
- The body's inflammation signals tend to be higher in the morning, so coffee's inflammation-reducing effects may have a bigger impact.
- Caffeinated coffee can change natural sleep-wake cycles in the afternoon or evening hours in ways that stress the body and increase the risk of heart disease.
Spilling the beans on coffee's health benefits
Coffee is full of antioxidants and inflammation-fighting chemicals that may help reduce your risk of:
- Type 2 diabetes.
- Heart disease.
- Parkinson's disease.
Since even decaffeinated beans contain caffeine, coffee can also help your brain stay alert and your body perform better during exercise. Low doses may even help elevate your mood.
Can you overdo it? The American Heart Association says moderate coffee drinking—up to 4 to 5 cups each day—is safe for most healthy adults. Anything more than that and you may have anxiety, headaches and trouble sleeping. If you're concerned about how coffee might affect your health, it's always a good idea to check with your doctor.
Sources
- American Heart Association. "Caffeine and Heart Disease." https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/caffeine-and-heart-disease.
- American Medical Association. "What Doctors Wish Patients Knew About the Impact of Caffeine." https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-impact-caffeine.
- Eatright.org. "Benefits of Coffee." https://www.eatright.org/health/wellness/healthful-habits/benefits-of-coffee.
- European Heart Journal. "Coffee Drinking Timing and Mortality in U.S. Adults." https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehae871/7928425.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?" https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much.