Delaying morning coffee by two hours is a recent health trend circulating on social media. I tried this for one week.
Delaying your morning coffee for at least 2 hours after waking is a health trend that has been making its way around social media.
Proponents of the practice argue that it prevents a spike in cortisol and can prevent a drop in energy levels in the afternoon. But is this really true?
I tried delaying my own morning coffee for one week. Keep reading for my experience and if I would do it again.
There is limited high quality research on the effects of delaying coffee in the morning.
However, one 2024 study found that delaying coffee for 1.5 to 2 hours after waking may not help you avoid the increase in cortisol levels or an afternoon “crash.”
The researchers state that levels of cortisol will still increase as a result of ingesting caffeine upon delaying intake. But this response is less pronounced in people who routinely consume as little as 200 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per day, and may be completely absent in people who consume 300 to 600 mg per day.
Moreover, the study found no evidence that caffeine intake alters typical cortisol patterns throughout the day.
However, there is little harm in changing the time of day to drink coffee.
Before I dive into my review of my experience, I wanted to shed some light on my circumstances.
I typically wake up around 8:30 a.m. and drink two shots of dark roast espresso from my espresso machine — around
For this experiment, I kept my intake the same and delayed starting to drink it until at least 10:30 a.m.
Looking for coffee recipes?
I like to pour my espresso over ice and add half a cup of oat milk and 1/2 tbsp of maple syrup. If you’re looking for a new way to drink your coffee, try these recipes:
Throughout this experiment, I didn’t notice a significant change in my energy levels, feelings of stress, or focus. However, I did feel a little more tired in the first couple of hours I was awake before I had my coffee.
On days I drink coffee, I generally experience a “crash” in the mid-afternoon, around 3 p.m. Delaying my intake didn’t affect this feeling, as I still felt less energized around this time.
No.
I didn’t experience any benefits from delaying my coffee intake. In fact, I felt tired in the hours before I had my coffee, and I believe this negatively impacted my productivity. Additionally, I still experienced my afternoon “crash.”
However, changing the timing of when you ingest coffee may affect you differently than it did for me. This is something you can play around with that involves little to no negative impact.
Alternatives to coffee
One way I could avoid this afternoon caffeine-induced “crash” was by replacing my coffee with matcha. Read about my experience swapping coffee for matcha here.
There is currently no scientific evidence that points toward delaying caffeine intake helping reduce cortisol or preventing an afternoon “crash.”
I did not notice any significant changes in my energy or stress levels when I delayed my coffee. However, the timing of ingesting caffeine is a personal choice that may affect you differently, and there is little harm in experimenting with this timing if you so choose.