All of us have a variety of reasons to wake up happy every morning. And for coffee lovers, there is only one reason – a cup of strong aromatic coffee! Yes. The very thought of coffee can instantly work magic on many of us. Its earthy aroma and strong flavour really works wonders in uplifting our moods and gifting us the instant happiness. 

And this is not just a belief. It’s an experience for many of us. What is the secret that makes us crave for a cup of coffee when we are sad, alone, or in need of some good idea? You think there is some secret behind this. Yes, there is! 

And another good news:

The secret behind why coffee can boost our happiness levels is scientifically proven. As you move ahead in this article, you will know the science-based reason why coffee makes us feel so happy.

You can’t buy happiness but you can buy coffee and that’s pretty close.

The science behind why coffee makes us happy

Coffee is a rich trove of many chemicals that play an important role in maintaining our overall health. A cup of coffee has:

•    2-Ethylphenol: A chemical that keeps us active and alert.

•    3,5 Dicaffeoylquinic acid: A component responsible for protecting us from neuron damage.

•    Trigonelline: A form of vitamin B3 that fights with the cavity-causing bacteria in our mouth.

•    Niacin: Vitamin B3, which is cell-rejuvenating and prevents dementia.

Well, these are the components that as we can see are providing many health benefits. So what’s do with coffee and happiness? The feeling of happiness and coffee has a little background story.

Here we go:

When you drink coffee, it mimics a neurochemical called Adenosine. This is a chemical that makes us feel sleepy and turns us down when we are tired. When caffeine enters your body, it works with the receptors that detect adenosine and blocks them from performing their regular function. 

In other words, when you take coffee, the caffeine interferes with adenosine – the sleep causing chemical – receptors and prevents you from getting sleep. This is how you stay alert when you take coffee. Okay, what’s next?

When the adenosine receptors are blocked, your body has no other choice but to release its own stimulants – dopamine and glutamate – the two chemicals responsible for a feel-good experience for human beings.

It means, your cup of coffee makes you feel happy because coffee stimulates neurotransmitters in our brain. Which are otherwise released only under certain circumstances? 

Thus, you’re a cup of coffee is the best driver to kick start the production of neurotransmitters in your brain. 

Do you know:

You can also stimulate the release of dopamine by using drugs such as cocaine. But yes, we do know what happens next legally. 

Thus, to stimulate your own happiness in a most pleasant way what else is the best choice than to sip that hot coffee. Now, do you believe that our happiness lies in our hands? It sure does, isn’t it?

A point that you have to remember here is a coffee can give you happiness when you drink it in limits. Beyond a certain limit of daily dosage of caffeine, your body develops caffeine resistance and you no longer experience the same euphoric feeling. It’s good to have limits for everything. We can’t agree anymore!

I don’t know how people live without coffee…. I really don’t! – Martha Quinn

Awesome benefits of coffee consumption

Besides making you happy, coffee can offer a wide range of amazing health benefits owing to the chemicals and components that we have seen just now.

A treasure trove of Antioxidants

Yes. Coffee is one of the richest sources of antioxidants that are capable enough to prevent health risks such as cancer and heart diseases. In fact, it is the top source of antioxidants for Americans compared to all other constituents of their diet. 

You should note that the level of antioxidants varies with caffeine content. For instance, pure black coffee contains the highest level of antioxidants compared to the decaf version. 

Protects Neurons and Nervous System

Caffeine is a proven psychostimulant and its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties proved very effective in fighting Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Researchers also found similar effects of caffeine in fighting Parkinson’s disease (PD) in men. 

It has also been established that caffeine is protective to your brain and makes it resilient to stress, aging, and neurological diseases.

Effective anti-depressant

Caffeine is a killer of depression. And researches have confirmed that regular consumption of coffee, within prescribed limits, can help in curbing the risk of mental illnesses.

It means your cup of joe can be your best friend in preventing brain inflammation, thanks to the ton of antioxidants loaded in it. 

Keeps you alert

This is one of the effects all of us has experienced, in fact, the reason why many of us have fallen in head over heels with coffee. The moment we sip hot coffee we feel energized, alert and active.

Why?

This is because:

Caffeine stimulates your nervous system, keeps you alert and active and that feeling of sleepiness and drowsiness is all gone when you sip coffee! So planning for a night out due to heavy workload, say cheers to a cup of hot coffee!

Cuts off suicidal thoughts

As we have seen coffee makes us happy. But wait, its magic doesn’t end there!

According to a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, regular drinkers of coffee had lesser thoughts related to suicide and depression. These results were equally effective in men and women.

Researchers attribute these results to the antidepressant properties of caffeine. They also observed that people become happier and developed more positive thinking on regular consumption of coffee.

Tips about Coffee consumption

Guys, by now we have understood how coffee keeps us happy and healthy! Wait, we have something more to know too. 

The benefits that one attains from coffee vary with the type of the bean, its roasting process, and other factors. Let’s check them out quickly here:

• Lightly roasted beans have higher caffeine content than dark roasted beans. So next time you grab a cup of joe, find out if your bean has been roasted light or dark.

• The best time to drink coffee is from 9.30 AM to 11.30 AM assuming you wake up at 6 AM. Drinking coffee at other times will interfere in your sleep patterns.

• If you are a gym lover, here’s a piece of good news for you. Caffeine boosts your strength training results provided you drink a cup of coffee an hour before you start your gym session.

• Of all the variants of the coffee out there, we suggest hot black coffee with no additives – sugar, sweetener, syrup, cream or milk – to attain maximum benefits from caffeine. 

• In contrast to the popular myth, decaf coffee also contains a certain amount of caffeine. Keep this in your mind if you are caffeine allergic before you go grab the next cup of decaf coffee.

All the benefits of coffee are obtained best, only when you drink it in a limited portion. Beyond a certain limit, your body may develop caffeine resistance and you do not feel that kick of coffee.

So guys, happy sipping!!

 

Author Bio: Donna Jones is a copywriter and content writer who specializes in building online communities, email marketing campaigns, and sales pages. Donna focuses on helping people to understand how to better drive traffic, develop relationships and earn revenue online. Her writing skills may be confirmed independently American Heroes Coffee.