Have you ever thought about what time you sip your first cup? Well, it seems that timing is just as crucial as the quality of your favorite arabica, especially when it comes to dancing with our slightly stressed partner, namely cortisol.

Discovering cortisol, the "Yes, I'm ready!" hormone.

Cortisol is like your body's internal alarm clock. Think of it as your body's DJ, cranking up your alarm clock playlist every morning. It cranks up the volume as soon as you open your eyes, preparing you to face the day. Its natural peak in the bloodstream, around 30 to 45 minutes after you've left dreamland, is its way of saying, "Let's go, the world's waiting for you!"

Coffee and cortisol: a delicate dance

Now, let's talk coffee. This wonderful potion of alertness works like a shot in the arm for our central nervous system, making us say "Ah, I'm human again." However, adding a dose of caffeine to the mix when cortisol is already partying can be a little... counterproductive.

1. When coffee gets in the way: Imagine you've started a great playlist to boost your morning, and someone else suddenly decides to play heavy metal over it. Coffee, when it arrives in the middle of a cortisol concert, can overload the mood, pushing your body to produce even more cortisol. The result? Too much stress without a ticket.

2. Tolerance, that unwelcome guest: Drinking coffee at a time when your body is already celebrating the sunrise with cortisol can lead to a kind of habit, where "more" never means "better". Your body starts to expect that morning boost, and suddenly a cup of coffee isn't enough to get you out of bed.

Why leave cortisol alone before starting caffeine?

By inviting coffee to your morning party after cortisol has had time to do its solo show, you allow your body to take full advantage of each stimulant without them competing. This means waiting until the cortisol peak has subsided, say between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m., to take that first divine sip.

In short: synchronize your rhythms!

By adjusting the time of your first coffee to after the cortisol curtain rises, you orchestrate a bodily harmony that allows you to enjoy the benefits of caffeine while keeping your stress hormone on its toes. It's a bit like throwing the best party ever: it's all a question of timing!

So, tomorrow morning, before running to your coffee machine, let your body wake up to the sound of cortisol (we'd be tempted to suggest a little Cherico chicory...). And when the time comes, savour your coffee in the knowledge that you've given your day the best possible start, in terms of rhythm and flavour!