Delaying Your Morning Coffee Will Change Your Life

Start your day with this Neuroscience-based hack instead

If you’re not a coffee drinker and prefer your caffeine in the form of tea, yerba maté, energy drinks, pills, or some other method of caffeine delivery, read on as this still applies to you.

How I normally started my days

Most of my mornings looked like this — wake, get out of bed and immediately do some pushups to get my blood flowing, then hit the kitchen and brew my morning dose of caffeine in the form of espresso. As the coffee brews, I use the restroom for my usual morning hygiene and once I am done in the bathroom, the coffee is ready to kick my day into hyperdrive.

Then I came across the research of acclaimed Stanford University neuroscientist and podcaster, Dr. Andrew Huberman. Dr. Huberman recommends delaying coffee consumption for a minimum of 1.5 to 2 hours after waking in order to maximize energy, reset your Circadian Rhythms, and improve sleep.

Caffeine, cortisol, and consequences

Caffeine works by blocking the body’s ability to absorb the molecule adenosine, which is the cause of drowsiness. Caffeine binds to the same receptors as adenosine and thereby blocks adenosine absorption and sleepiness at the same time. Adenosine gradually builds up throughout the day and reaches its peak as we approach bedtime. While we sleep, our body naturally clears out the adenosine and as those levels get lower, we wake up and begin our day anew.

Cortisol for the win

Most of us only equate cortisol with stress and consider it a bad thing, although nothing could be further from the truth. Without cortisol we would be dead as it is responsible for many important functions like food and energy metabolism, regulating blood sugar and blood pressure, and most importantly for the purposes of this article, cortisol is the hormone most strongly related to our levels of alertness.

Cortisol levels naturally peak about 2 hours after waking and then gradually decline throughout the day as we approach bedtime.

By starting our days with caffeine we cause our cortisol levels to rise quicker and peak sooner, which results in their dropping sooner as well. Over time our body begins to not only reduce natural cortisol production necessary for optimal health, but we also build a tolerance to the caffeine which consequently creates smaller and smaller rises in cortisol. This is why many people who rely on caffeine to start their day, usually end up consuming 3–5 doses or more throughout the day just to keep boosting their cortisol and alertness levels.

All this caffeine consumption impacts our natural hormone production and damages our restorative sleep, especially when we consume caffeine after 4/5 pm (for those of us going to bed at 10 pm-12 am). Even those who claim to sleep fine after having coffee in the evening will experience less deep and restorative sleep as well as negative impacts on HRV (heart rate variability, an important gauge of cardiovascular fitness and general wellbeing).

Nature abhors a vacuum

Changing habits can be difficult, especially when we don’t have a replacement habit to fill the void.

We can replace our ‘coffee upon waking habit’ and naturally boost our levels of alertness, reset our circadian rhythms, and improve our sleep by following this morning routine, developed by Dr. Huberman:

1. Within 30 minutes of waking get some sunlight into your eyes. Getting early sunlight into the optic nerve signals to your that body it’s time to start the day. This helps to get your body accustomed to waking at the same time each day as well as boosting cortisol and alertness.

The best way to do this is by going outside and exposing your eyes to direct sunlight for at least 5–10 minutes without wearing sunglasses.

Don’t use screens or indoor lighting as your light source, as they have a different spectrum and light profile. Also avoid getting your sunlight through windows and sunglasses, as they usually reduce certain frequencies of ultraviolet light.

2. Get at least 10–20 minutes of light exercise within the first hour of waking. This will boost dopamine levels and increase blood flow which also helps to boost your cortisol and natural energy levels without needing caffeine or other stimulants.

Additional benefits of early exercise are notable improvements in brain function. Multiple studies have found that pattern recognition and exam scores are higher after exercise; however, the impact of exercise on the brain is only for that same day indicating that we need to exercise every day to get the associated brain benefits.

3. Consume your caffeine of choice about 2 hours after waking as your cortisol levels peak to have a sustained flow of energy. Bonus points if you can wait even longer and time your caffeine consumption to coincide with difficult work requiring added focus, like a new project or a difficult workout.

Timing is everything and that is just as true with caffeine as it is with investing, so be sure to invest in your health by following the above practices.

4. Pro tip. For the purposes of resetting your circadian rhythms and improving your sleep, it is recommended to get some evening sunlight as well. The setting sun and its respective light profile tell the brain that nighttime is approaching and the body begins to prepare for sleep.

To ensure you are getting the most out of this tip, adjust the lights in your home to be softer, dimmer, and contain more yellows and reds as opposed to blue and white light — or wear blue blocking lenses in the evening especially if spending time in front of screens.

Conclusion

To summarize, if you truly want to ‘live your best life,’ ditch the morning caffeine and go outside for a short brisk walk, stretch, get sunlight into your eyes without sunglasses, and then begin your day. You may find the energy boost you get from this practice to have all the benefits of caffeine without the side effects, including enough extra money in your pockets for one more vacation every year.

P.S. — since I love a hot beverage in the morning, I created a health drink to consume upon waking. This keeps my mind from obsessing over my missing coffee as well as boosting my immune system and balancing my gut health. This drink kept me healthy throughout the pandemic.

Here’s what I put in my magical elixir:

Half cup of boiled water

Apple Cider Vinegar — 1–2 tablespoon(s) (organic with the mother)

Fresh squeezed lemon — 1/4 to 1/2 fresh lemon (I like it with pulp)

Tumeric — pinch to a dash

Honey — 1 teaspoon or to taste

Cinnamon — pinch to a dash

Oregano — pinch to a dash

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