Why you're drinking your morning coffee wrong

Some people can't get through the day without having their first cup of coffee in the morning.

But a personal trainer and former sprinter has revealed that you should never have a cup as soon you wake up, reports the Daily Mail.

Max Lowery, 27, from London, told FEMAIL that you should only drink your coffee during a two-hour window after you have already started your day.

He says drinking a cup first thing will stop the drink from helping you feel less tired due to your body's hormones.

And the former stockbroker adds that if you follow his advice, you won't need to rely on caffeine to keep you alert and awake ever again.

Max, who only has caffeine before a workout and not everyday, said: "Personally I don't want to wake up and not be able to function without a caffeine fix. I want to rely on my body to wake itself up.

"Reaching for a coffee every time your energy levels slip just means you become dependent."

The Instagram fitness star, who has 33,000 online followers, added: "Pretty much the only time that I consume caffeine is right before a workout. Because I don't use caffeine on a daily basis I am very sensitive to its effects - this is exactly how it should be.

"Caffeine should be used as a performance enhancer, not something that allows you to function at a normal level."

Caffeine dependency can damage your health and lead to poor sleep patterns, as many health experts have warned.

Max explains that to maximise the effects of caffeine and to avoid becoming dependent on it, you need to adjust your intake depending on your body's levels of cortisol - a hormone that makes us feel tired at night and alert in the mornings.

According to Max, cortisol peaks between 8am and 9am - so it's best to avoid drinking coffee during this hour.

He said: "If you drink coffee during this period it won't have as strong an effect. 
'Ideally, you want to get your caffeine during the lulls between cortisol spikes-otherwise, you start to develop a tolerance and have to drink more to get the same effect."

Max recommends drinking a coffee or any other source of caffeine between 9.30am and 11.30am - and it's best when you want to enhance your performance, such as before a workout or a meeting.

He said: "That way you will teach your body to wake up naturally and then when you do eventually have your coffee you will be more sensitive to its effects."

He also warns against drinking coffee too late in the day, as caffeine has a half-life of six hours. That means if you drink 100mg of caffeine at 4pm, you will still have 50mg in your system at 10pm when you are getting ready for sleep.

Max added: "I am not saying don't ever drink caffeine. Just be clever about it and do not drink it first thing in the morning.

"Instead, let your mind and body wake up naturally. Replace the fast-release caffeine in coffee with green tea, which releases it slowly and gradually.

"Most importantly, rather than reaching for coffee at the first signs of tiredness, try some alternatives. Go for a walk, get some fresh air, stretch, or try diaphragmatic breathing."

This article was first published on Daily Mail and is republished here with permission.