You Need to Know, a Heart Doctor Shares the Best Time to Drink Coffee and the Safe Limit of Consumption

JAKARTA - Drinking coffee at the right time can help improve focus without disturbing sleep quality or heart health. Heart specialist doctors recommend that coffee be consumed before the afternoon so that the caffeine effect does not last until the evening break.

Specialist Doctor of Heart and Blood Vessels, dr. Rony Marethianto Santoso, Sp.JP, Subsp.K.I. (K), FIHA, said a study showed the best time to consume coffee was before 14.00.

"If our grandparents in the past drank their coffee early in the morning at breakfast or after lunch," said Rony in a media meeting in Jakarta, Tuesday.

According to him, limiting coffee consumption until before 14.00 can help reduce the risk of heart rhythm disorders as well as prevent sleep disorders due to the effects of caffeine that still persist at night.

"Caffeine in coffee has a sympathomimetic effect that increases sympathetic nerve activity so that the heart can feel more beating," he said.

Limit Caffeine Consumption

Rony explained that caffeine consumption still needs to be limited so that the benefits of coffee do not turn into health risks. He advised people not to consume caffeine excessively and pay attention to their body's response to caffeinated beverages.

In addition to the amount of coffee, according to him, the public also needs to pay attention to the additives used.

He assessed that many coffee drinks today contain sugar, cream, milk foam, and high-fat milk in large quantities, so that the calorie and sugar content is the main concern compared to coffee itself.

Therefore, Rony admitted that he preferred to consume black coffee such as Americano which was considered simpler without additional sugar or excessive cream.

When is the best time to drink coffee?

A number of studies also show that the ideal time to enjoy coffee is in the range of 09.30 to 11.30 in the morning.

During this period, the level of the hormone cortisol - a hormone that plays a role in maintaining alertness - begins to decrease after reaching its peak when a person wakes up. Consuming coffee during this period is considered to provide more optimal energy boost.

In addition, another time considered appropriate is between 12.00 to 15.00, when many people begin to experience a decrease in energy or post-lunch dip after lunch.

However, consuming coffee in the afternoon is not always suitable for everyone. For individuals who are sensitive to caffeine, drinking coffee too late in the afternoon has the potential to interfere with sleep quality at night.

Experts also advise against drinking coffee on an empty stomach because in some people it can trigger discomfort in the digestive tract. Consuming coffee after breakfast or after lunch is considered a safer option.