For many, morning coffee is a real ritual, so much so that many people feel a little “rags” until they have had their first sip. But what impact does caffeine consumption actually have on our mood and energy? This is what a team from the University of Bielefeld, in Germany, wanted to know, who followed a little more than 200 young adults, aged 18 to 29.
The habits of guinea pigs, from several countries, were observed for several weeks, details an article on the New Atlas website. The scientists in this study relied on a database of more than 23,000 data collected in real time via a mobile application. Participants answered questions several times a day on this application about their caffeine consumption, their level of fatigue, their emotions, etc.
The results are clear: around 72% of participants reported feeling happier, enthusiastic and satisfied after consuming caffeine. The study reveals that the peak in mood felt by those surveyed occurred mainly in the morning, within two and a half hours after waking up. As Anu Realo, professor at the University of Warwick in England, explains, caffeine acts as a nerve stimulant, that is, it has the effect of increasing the production of dopamine in certain regions of the brain.
Never without my caffeine
The researchers expected to observe negative reactions in more anxious people, reactions which were not highlighted by the study. They explain this lack of negative effects by the fact that people sensitive to the effects of caffeine simply avoid consuming it.
Another surprising observation: the positive effects appeared fairly homogeneously, whatever the profile of the participants. Neither habitual coffee consumption, nor sleep quality, nor even the presence of symptoms of anxiety or depression seemed to significantly modify the impact of caffeine on mood. In other words, a simple sip of coffee in the morning can improve well-being, whatever the consumer profile.
The researchers also noted that the mood-boosting effect was less pronounced when coffee was consumed in a social context. This suggests that the effects of caffeine would be less pronounced in an environment where one must interact with others. Coffee drunk alone in your kitchen would therefore be more effective than that shared with your colleagues in the office. This study nevertheless has limitations: for example, it did not take into account the chronotype of the participants.
However, it has the merit of presenting one of the most detailed overviews to date on the psychomotor effect of coffee in our daily lives. If caffeine has notorious stimulating properties, it seems that it also acts as an emotional booster, particularly effective for feeling good first thing in the morning. Attention all coffee lovers: your morning ritual is not just a pleasure, but a real advantage to start the day in great shape.
