Unable to start the day without good coffee? But did you know that this little morning cup has not only a “awakening” effect of the organism? The drink would also have a positive influence on mood, especially in the morning. Less grumpy from the first cup? This is revealed by a study published this month of August in the journal Scientific Reports.
Coffee, moral booster?
Researchers from the University of Bielefeld (Germany) and the University of Warwick (United Kingdom) followed 236 young German adults for four weeks. Participants had to fill, via their smartphone, seven daily questionnaires informing their mood and possible coffee consumption in the previous 90 minutes.
The results are clear: the participants declared that they felt much happier and enthusiastic about the mornings where they had drunk coffee, compared to the other days, at the same time, where they had not consumed. The effect, on the other hand, was less pronounced over the day. It is therefore this first cup that would give a smile.
“We were somewhat surprised to note that this positive impact was constantly found, whatever the level of consumption of the usual caffeine of the participants, or their tendency to anxiety or to sleep disorders” Underline Justin Hachenberger, researcher at the University of Bielefeld.
Why does coffee have this beneficial effect?
Why does this first cup make you happy? It is not just by its taste. According to the authors, this improvement in morale is explained by the action of caffeine on the brain. By blocking adenosine receptors, the molecule promotes the activity of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with motivation, pleasure and vigilance. “It is probably this mechanism that helps strengthen mood and the feeling of well-being after morning coffee”explains Professor Anu Realo, co-author of the study.
The researchers also note that the impact of coffee depends on the context of consumption: savored alone, it acts less strongly than when it is shared with colleagues, friends or relatives. So there is also a social side that plays.
Caffeine: beware of excesses that cancel the benefit!
If morning coffee can put in a good mood, scientists recall that caffeine is not without risks. Excessive consumption can disrupt sleep (up to 45 minutes of sleep less on average and a reduced quality of sleep by 7 %), cause nervousness and, in the long term, increase the risk of hypertension, prediabetes or kidney disease.
The key therefore lies in moderation: savor your morning cup, yes, but without multiplying the doses over the day.