There’s a reason we reach for an espresso when we want energy —
caffeine inhibits cortisol reduction. “It would be incorrect and
simplistic to say coffee raises cortisol,” says Alan Christianson, NMD,
“but if you’ve got [caffeine] in your body, it’s harder to lower
cortisol levels.”
That means your morning cup of coffee or tea isn’t going to spike
your cortisol levels higher than they are, but that evening brew may
delay the downward curve that your body needs to get adequate sleep.
Plus, Christianson adds, some people are genetically predisposed to be
more sensitive to caffeine and have a stress response to coffee.
Although some studies have shown that caffeine increases performance
and energy, Christianson notes those results are in subjects who don’t
use caffeine regularly. For people who drink coffee
faithfully, that perception of an energy lift usually comes from the
disappearance of caffeine withdrawal symptoms like grogginess
and headaches.
Christianson suggests having coffee just a few times per week instead
of daily, and opting for it in the morning. That way, your cortisol
curve won’t be overly affected, and you’ll derive the best benefits from
the caffeine, making it a pleasure instead of a crutch.