Why Drinking Coffee in the Morning Might Be Harming Your Body: Cortisol Explained
Morning sunlight slips through your curtains. You walk into the kitchen half-awake and instinctively press the coffee machine button. That rich, fragrant cup feels like a necessary part of starting your day—but you’ve probably never considered that this seemingly perfect ritual might actually be interrupting your body’s natural rhythm at the wrong time. And it all starts with a hormone called cortisol . What Is Cortisol? Cortisol is often labeled the “stress hormone,” but it’s much more than that. It acts as your body’s natural alarm system, produced by the adrenal glands and responsible for managing your daily energy fluctuations. Imagine cortisol as an experienced symphony conductor who carefully directs your energy levels throughout the day. In the morning, this conductor gently raises the baton, signaling cortisol to peak—giving you the natural energy you need to wake up. After that, cortisol gradually declines, with small bumps in the afternoon, and eventually drops to it...