A recent and groundbreaking study, published in the European Heart Journal in 2025, has unveiled significant insights into how the timing of coffee consumption impacts health, specifically concerning heart disease and overall mortality risk. This research, the first of its kind to meticulously examine the correlation between the time of day coffee is consumed and heart health, suggests that morning coffee drinkers may reap the most substantial benefits.

According to the study, individuals who primarily consumed coffee in the morning exhibited a notably lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a reduced overall mortality risk when compared to both non-coffee drinkers and those who consumed coffee throughout the entire day. Dr. Lu Qi, MD, PhD, senior study author and professor at Tulane University, emphasized the findings, stating, “Our findings indicate that it’s not just whether you drink coffee or how much you drink, but the time of day when you drink coffee that’s important.” This perspective suggests a potential shift in future dietary guidance, which traditionally has not focused on the timing of consumption.

Previous research has well-documented the general health benefits of coffee, including its potential to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and its non-contribution to cardiovascular disease risk. However, the specific impact of consumption timing had remained unexplored until now. Dr. Qi highlighted that the study aimed to investigate whether caffeine's effects on the body are influenced by when it is consumed, particularly concerning heart health.

The comprehensive study analyzed data from 40,725 adults participating in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2018. Participants provided detailed information on their daily food and drink intake, including coffee, its quantity, and timing. An additional group of 1,463 adults from the Women’s and Men’s Lifestyle Validation Study was utilized to externally validate the coffee-drinking patterns identified in the NHANES data. Researchers then cross-referenced this information with death records over approximately a decade.

Of the participants, 36% primarily drank coffee before noon, 16% were all-day coffee drinkers, and 48% did not consume coffee. The results were compelling: morning coffee drinkers were 16% less likely to die from any cause and 31% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease compared to non-coffee drinkers. Crucially, all-day coffee drinkers showed no comparable reduction in risk, indicating that drinking coffee throughout the day offered no health advantage over abstaining. While the benefits for morning drinkers appeared irrespective of the amount consumed, the association was marginally weaker for light drinkers (one cup or less per day).

Despite controlling for various confounding factors such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, smoking, and physical activity, the study, being observational, could not establish direct causality. Dr. Qi acknowledged that further research in diverse populations is necessary to validate these findings.

While the study did not definitively explain why morning coffee might be superior, Dr. Qi suggested a connection to the body’s circadian rhythm. Consuming coffee later in the day could potentially disrupt levels of hormones like melatonin, thereby interfering with the body's internal clock and disturbing sleep patterns. Dr. Thomas F. Lüscher, a consultant cardiologist, supported this theory in an accompanying editorial, noting that many all-day coffee drinkers experience sleep disturbances, and coffee is known to suppress melatonin, a crucial sleep-inducing mediator.

Maintaining healthy sleep is vital for overall well-being and particularly for cardiovascular health, as blood pressure naturally decreases during sleep. Disrupted sleep can lead to elevated blood pressure for longer durations, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. The study authors also posited that coffee’s anti-inflammatory benefits might be most pronounced in the morning, aligning with the peak times of certain inflammatory markers in the blood.

Based on this evidence, experts, including Dr. Qi and Dr. Lüscher, recommend that if you choose to drink coffee, doing so in the morning is likely the healthier option. As Dr. Lüscher put it, “Thus, drink your coffee, but do so in the morning!” For those needing an afternoon energy boost, a 2023 study advises consuming coffee at least nine hours before bedtime to avoid disrupting sleep.