According to a study by Tulane University, there may be a “perfect” time to enjoy that long-awaited cup of coffee.
Coffee in the morning chases away worries—but it’s also a topic of constant debate. Should you wait 90 minutes after waking up before reaching for your first cup, or is it perfectly fine to drink coffee immediately? And is there such a thing as an ideal time for the beloved hot beverage?
Researchers in the United States, including teams from Harvard University and Tulane University in New Orleans, set out to explore these questions. Their focus: how the timing of coffee consumption affects mortality risk in adults. The good news? Morning coffee appears not only to be safe, but potentially beneficial for health.
The study analyzed data from 40,725 adults who participated in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2018. Participants were divided into three groups: morning drinkers (coffee only in the morning), all-day drinkers (coffee throughout the day), and non-drinkers. The results were published in the European Heart Journal.
About 36 percent of participants drank coffee primarily in the morning, 16 percent consumed it throughout the day, and 48 percent did not drink coffee at all. In addition, a subgroup of 1,463 individuals kept detailed food diaries for one week.
The findings were striking: Compared to non-coffee drinkers, morning coffee drinkers had a 16 percent lower overall risk of death and a 31 percent lower risk of cardiovascular mortality. No comparable benefit was found among all-day coffee drinkers. In short, that first morning cup may be more than just a way to wake up—it could also offer measurable health benefits.
Timing remains a key factor in the coffee conversation. While some people can enjoy an evening espresso without consequences, others find it disrupts their sleep. One explanation lies in genetic differences that affect how quickly caffeine is metabolized. For this reason, the debate over the “perfect” time for coffee continues—both in scientific research and among coffee lovers.
