Are you the kind of person who turns the kettle on as soon as you open your eyes? It turns out you you could be doing more harm than good – and it could actually be leaving you feeling more tired than before
Many Brits can barely open their eyes in the morning without reaching for a coffee or tea – but it turns out you should be waiting a bit before you indulge in a cuppa.
For many Brits, their morning brew is a sacred ritual – and a must-have before heading to work. But reaching for a caffeinated beverage first thing isn’t ideal, according to sleep experts.
The average wake-up time in the UK is 7.33am, according to research, and many will put the kettle on straight away. But, Rex Isap, sleep expert and CEO at Happy Beds, is urging people to resist having a cuppa until exactly 8.33am, Wales Online reports.
This is because you aren’t truly “reaping the benefits” if you drink it earlier. He explained: “When it comes to the ideal time to have your first coffee, we might tend to reach for the kettle as soon as we wake up. Ideally, however, you want to wait an hour before waking to truly reap the benefits.
“When we wake, our cortisol levels are at their peak. Cortisol, often associated with stress, enhances your alertness levels. So, drinking caffeine while your cortisol levels are already high can work against this or even help with gaining a tolerance for caffeine.”
This could lead to you starting to feel sleepy during the day, wondering why your cup of coffee just never seems to kick in. Rex explained: “During the day, your brain produces a chemical called adenosine. Essentially, this promotes sleep; as you are awake longer, it builds up and helps you feel sleepy. But caffeine blocks the Adenosine receptors, which keeps you alert and promotes wakefulness. If you have ever struggled with sleeping after drinking coffee throughout the day, this could be why.”
It’s also important not to drink caffeine too late in the day, as you may end up struggling with sleep. Martin Seeley, sleep expert at MattressNextDay, advised against drinking tea in the six hours before you go to bed.
He explained: “Tea contains amino acid L-theanine, which promotes relaxation – however, studies suggest that drinking drinks with caffeine in the six-hour period before bedtime can lead to a disturbed sleep. Even stopping your tea intake a few hours before bedtime is not enough to mitigate the sleep-preventing effects of the caffeine contained. Avoid drinking tea from around 3pm to ensure sleep isn’t affected.”
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