Andrew Huberman is a polarizing figure. On one hand, he’s an associate professor of neurology at Stanford University and a well-known podcaster on health and productivity. On the other hand, he’s known for endorsing advice with little empirical evidence.
As such, when I learned that Huberman had gained attention for a simple tip about improving daily productivity with coffee, I wondered: What does science say about this?
What does Huberman say? In an interview shared by online science community Longevidad, the scientist explained that the tiredness we often feel after eating isn’t an inevitable biological response but rather a result of how we structure our daily routines.
As a result, he suggests that a strategic approach to consuming morning coffee can help diminish the so-called “productivity black hole.”
Why can coffee help? According to Huberman, the reason coffee affects us the way it does is because of adenosine. This nucleoside occurs naturally in the human body because of amino acid degradation and has sedative and inhibitory effects on neuronal activity.
In fact, when we consume caffeine, it blocks the adenosine receptors. This is why we drink it in the morning or after lunch. However, according to Huberman, drinking coffee first thing in the morning isn’t the best option because it doesn’t eliminate adenosine, and when the coffee wears off, we end up with even more adenosine.
Huberman recommends drinking coffee mid-morning, allowing the body to deplete the existing adenosine before the caffeine kicks in.
Huberman isn’t alone on this. Other experts suggest waiting 90 to 120 minutes after waking up to drink coffee to avoid interfering with the natural cortisol increase, which peaks during this time. They say drinking coffee during this period may lead to a subsequent drop in cortisol, resulting in tiredness. To optimize the coffee’s effects, they suggest people to wait for the cortisol spike and then have the coffee.
However, the reality is more complex than it may seem. While it’s true that caffeine could potentially affect cortisol production, the most reliable studies show that once coffee consumption becomes routine, the impact of caffeine on cortisol becomes minimal. In other words, there’s no evidence “that caffeine ingestion upon waking is somehow responsible for an afternoon ‘crash’ or that delaying consumption would somehow prevent this if it did occur.”
So, does this technique actually work? It’s not so much that it doesn’t work but rather that it can help postpone the well-known “afternoon energy crash.” For individuals who don’t have to tackle demanding tasks first thing in the morning and who get sufficient sleep, this may assist in adjusting their work schedule. However, in other cases, it may not be feasible.
The positive aspect of these types of “tips” is that they can help you become more mindful of your lifestyle habits and enable you to make a series of small decisions that can enhance your daily life. Ultimately, it’s important to remember that there are no “magic rules,” only strategies (often conflicting) to help you achieve your objectives.
Image | Will Dutton (via Unsplash)
Related | Jeff Bezos Is a Master of Productivity Because of This Secret: Starting Off Slow in the Morning
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