Coffee. The bean juice that gives most of us our daily life force. Personally, it's a ritual that makes me less grouchy and more likely to speak actual words instead of just growl.
While coffee is typically a morning beverage, being in college has shown me that really any time is coffee time, and with good reason. With a weird sleep schedule and homework to be done about 112 percent of the time, I joke that I should just have a coffee IV drip hooked up to me at all times.
However, the rest of the outside world is probably thinking, "You silly human! We have normal schedules and drink coffee at normal times! You inconsistent swine!"
First of all, good for you and all your normalcy. I wish I didn't routinely watch the sunset and sunrise because of homework. Second of all, you're quite wrong. Coffee is good for you any and all hours of the day, and what's more, I have science to back me up.
6am - 10am: Waking up
Naturally, drinking coffee in the morning is pretty understood. You wake up immediately wanting to go back to sleep, so you drink coffee to wake you up. Seems straightforward enough.
While this is true up to a certain point, there's a certain technique that will give you the most energetic bang for your buck. Many studies show that drinking coffee right after you wake up isn't the best move due to rising and falling cortisol levels. Waiting two to three hours after waking up is better.
However, for those who really need that jump right after crawl out of bed, making coffee and just smelling it will give you want you need. Just take that cup of Joe with you and drink it later.
10am - 2pm: Afternoon slump
When lunch comes and goes, the Afternoon Slumps hit. This is usually the time between 1 pm and 3pm, but can happen earlier if you've woken up earlier than the average duck (or haven't slept at all).
While there are many methods of combating this tired feeling, one of the most often (and best-tasting) techniques used is drinking that sweet, sweet bean juice. Some studies recommend that you stop coffee consumption by 2 pm to allow caffeine time to leave your system before sleep.
What is sleep in college, though?
2pm - 6pm: Dinner time
Whether your dinner is a meal at a five-star restaurant or five servings of Top Ramen, drinking coffee afterward may be a great way to round out the meal. The caffeine can aid in digestion and even help lose weight and increase the metabolism.
Before you start heading to Starbucks after every meal, though, studies suggest one cup of black coffee is the best way to achieve this.
6pm - 10pm: Workout time
Okay, so I only really workout in the evenings, and I'm sure I'm not alone in this. Even though I have no energy and very, very little motivation, I have the time, so I drag myself out to run.
Well, good for me, because drinking coffee before a workout can be beneficial. Not only does it give you the energy boost to get that PR, it also releases neurotransmitters like dopamine to actually make you enjoy your workout.
Try drinking a small cup of coffee with a splash of milk about an hour before your workout to get the protein as well as the coffee boost, and then chase it with some water to make sure you're properly hydrated.
10pm - 1am: All-nighter time
So, all-nighters are a big, fat pain, but I would definitely recommend coffee as part of your all-nighter process. While it will most likely screw up your sleeping patterns (like any of you college students were going to get sleep anyways), at least you'll be getting all the other benefits of drinking coffee, like a reduced risk of multiple cancers, a reduced risk of depression, and even stronger DNA.
1am - 6am: Sleeping(?)
Ideally, all you crazy kids should be sleeping between these times. Unfortunately, scientists haven't found a way to continue drinking coffee while unconscious, but it's only a matter of time.
So, to answer the original question, yes, now is definitely a good time to drink the sweet golden bean liquid, no matter when "now" actually is. Enjoy it!
