Nutritionist explains how to time your last coffee of the day to get a good night's sleep

Many of us love to kick-start our day with a steaming cup of but grabbing that fresh brew first thing might not be the smartest move. It's also recommended that you stop your caffeine intake earlier in the day to avoid messing with your night's sleep.

Nutritionist Nichola Ludlam-Raine, speaking for Coffee Friend, has shared her expert advice on when's the best time for your first and last cup of joe. Nichola, who penned How Not to Eat Ultra-Processed, praises coffee for its But timings are very important.

She said: "The best time to mid-to-late morning, so around 9.30-11.30am. This is when cortisol levels start to dip. Drinking coffee immediately upon waking may reduce its effectiveness, as cortisol (the alertness hormone) is naturally high in the early morning.

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"In the afternoon, coffee can still provide a boost, but it's best to avoid it too late in the day, especially if you're sensitive to caffeine. Caffeine can have a different impact on different people, so if it makes you jittery or anxious, it's best to avoid."

She also advised that you should cut off your coffee supply by mid-afternoon to ensure a good night's sleep. Nichola explained: "Caffeine has a half-life of around five to six hours, meaning that even if you have a coffee at 3pm, half of the caffeine could still be in your system at 9pm. For those sensitive to caffeine, it's best to avoid coffee after 2–3pm to ensure it doesn't interfere with sleep", reports .

Switching to decaf might seem like a safe bet for those sensitive to caffeine, but Nichola cautions this isn't foolproof: "Decaf coffee contains very small amounts of caffeine (typically 2–5mg per cup compared to 70–150mg in a regular coffee).

"While it is unlikely to affect sleep for most people, those who are very caffeine-sensitive might still need to be cautious about drinking decaf close to bedtime."

With the cautionary advice suggesting a smaller window for enjoying your favourite brew, there's some good news for coffee lovers as research continues to tout its potential benefits. NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre's Prof Nicholas Harvey's recent study indicates that sipping up to three cups of java a day might be linked to better heart health and lowering the risk of death from any cause.

However, moderation appears to be crucial, with the study revealing that those guzzling more than three cups had healthier hearts, yet didn't necessarily see a reduced risk of death.

Prof Harvey, an expert in rheumatology and clinical epidemiology, expresses intrigue at these findings, saying: "The findings from this study are intriguing, and provide further support for current recommendations."

He adds, "Further work will be needed to understand whether there is a direct benefit of coffee on health or whether these findings are simply due to the wide range of other health and lifestyle factors associated with coffee drinking, which in turn might influence health outcomes."