Oct 21 • Precision Health Discussions
The Cortisol Curve: Why Coffee Before Sunrise Is Like Gaslighting Your Adrenals
I Love coffee just as much as the next person....if not more!. It's probably my love language.... But....water and sunlight for 10 minutes first...then indulge in my unhealth relationship with coffee.
Here's why.....
Cortisol is your natural wake-up signal. It peaks about 30–45 minutes after your eyes open — your body’s built-in espresso shot. It is actually what wakes you up in the morning.
The Science🧬
That spike comes from your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis — a three-way phone call between your brain, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. Caffeine too early spikes adrenaline before the HPA axis finishes its job, flattening your natural cortisol rhythm later in the day-causing mid-day fatigue. Translation: short-term alert, long-term crash-
Try This Instead:
☀️ Get 5–10 minutes of morning light before coffee. In the winter I use a 10,000 Lux lamp because I get up before the sun does.
💧 Hydrate first (minerals = happy adrenals). Lemon water is great with a pinch of salt!
☕ Delay caffeine 60–90 minutes. (I try.....but have built up quite the caffeine tolerance)
How much caffeine do you think the average American adult consumes per day?
Hint: It is enough to alter cortisol and adenosine signaling for 16+ hours!!
200mg (medium latte)
300 (a venti and a half)
400mg (basically you are a cup of coffee)
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The Cortisol Curve: Why Coffee Before Sunrise Is Like Gaslighting Your Adrenals
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