From when you should drink coffee before brekkie to exact minute you should have sex – the best times to do everything
EATING, exercising and even having sex at specific times of the day could help you clock up health benefits.
We revealed yesterday how research has shown your morning coffee could slash the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
But it is not the only activity that can give you a boost if carried out at the right point in the day.
Here we bring you a timeline that is proven to be the best one for your body.
6.50am: Wake up and sip the coffee. Drinking your caffeine-packed brew first thing could help cut risk of death from heart-related issues by up to 31 per cent, research shows.
But that is only if you have it at the start of the day, the study from Tulane University in New Orleans, found.
Consume it after noon and you will lose the benefits.
7.11am: Breakfast time. Eating within 30 minutes of waking is best to boost metabolism and provide energy for the day ahead.
Somewhere between 6am and 9.45am is ideal but if you can, have it at 7.11am precisely – it is the optimal time to eat breakfast, according to boffins in Spain.
8.15am: Work up a sweat. Exercising before 11am is associated with the lowest future risk of stroke and heart disease.
And when it comes to weight loss, a 2023 study published in the journal Obesity found exercising between 7am and 9am was the most effective time to help you shed pounds.
11.55am: Seek the sun. Getting outside before noon for at least ten minutes should help you nod off at night as it aids your body clock.
Being exposed to the sun also helps your body make Vitamin D, which is essential for teeth, bone and muscle health.
Consider supplementing with a daily 10microgram of vitamin D in the autumn and winter.
12.38pm: Eat lunch. From 12.30pm to 12.40pm is ideal for lunch with the best time being 12.38pm, according to research at University of Murcia, Spain.
Eating four or five hours after breakfast keeps blood sugar levels steady to help minimise afternoon slumps.
1.08pm: Daily stroll followed by a cuppa. Getting your steps in 30 minutes after eating helps stabilise blood-sugar levels and regulate it for the day ahead and also improve digestion.
Enjoy a cuppa when you get back, too. Drinking tea in the afternoon can assist with boosting your immune system and help prevent you succumbing to those winter cold and flu viruses.
5.12pm: Pump iron. This precise time was the best for peak performance, a recent study of Olympic medal-winning swimmers showed.
So get lifting those weights! Strength and endurance, as well as body temperature, typically peaks for both men and women between 4pm and 6pm, making it the optimal window to boost or maintain strength and muscle.
6.14pm: Dinner time. Eating your evening meal earlier than you might expect could be the best option for your health.
Chowing down at around 6pm – with 6.14pm precisely shown to be optimal time – led to a ten per cent increase in fat burning overnight.
But if that is not realistic and you can’t eat until later on in the evening, don’t worry.
Most scientists agree the main thing to aim for is clearing your plate at least three hours before bedtime.
This allows your body adequate time for digestion before your head hits the pillow.
10.20pm: Have sex. The key time for nookie varies depending on age.
But for the average fortysomething in the UK, just after 10pm is best for intimacy, according to Dr Paul Kelley from Oxford University’s Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute.
Benefits of a bedtime bonk include stress reduction and improved heart health.
While the happy hormones that are released should also help you to fall asleep more easily.