Already sold on the benefits of drinking coffee? Great! You will enjoy this read, because it reinforces what you already know to be true.

Not convinced that coffee is a real route to happiness?

It’s not for everyone, but for those who do love the taste of coffee, it’s an easy way to boost happiness without any drastic changes or a daunting price tag.

Check out 3 reasons to take the perks of coffee intake more seriously:

1. Coffee can reduce post-workout muscle pain.
2. Coffee can reduce your risk of depression.
3. Coffee can improve workplace relationships.

1. Coffee can reduce post-workout muscle pain.

The Caffeine Informer shares that caffeine is often used as an endurance aid for athletes because it produces higher levels of glycogen and helps muscles to recover more quickly.

The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research adds that caffeine ingestion produces significant improvements in exercise performance as well as benefits during resistance training.

What does this mean for you?

If coffee is your caffeine of choice, it’s been shown to help your exercise pursuits and speed up muscle recovery afterwards.

Drinking coffee will make you a better athlete? My mug’s ready for a refill.

Not only will the exercise give you the feel-good endorphins that make you happy, your muscles will be happier and less cramped afterwards. At the least, you should feel encouraged to embrace your post workout cup of coffee or latte, and likely feel less sore for doing so.

2. Coffee can reduce your risk of depression.

Here’s another fun fact about coffee:

“It increases dopamine and serotonin transmission within just 30 minutes. Three cups o’ joe a day will reduce your risk of becoming depressed by 15%. Up your cup count to four, and that risk reduces by 20%.” 

Dopamine and serotonin are often referred to as the “happy hormones” because of the roles they play in regulating mood and emotion.

Dopamine regulates mood and muscle movement and plays a vital role in the brain’s pleasure and reward systems. 

Serotonin helps regulate mood, body temperature, and appetite.

Thirty minutes is a pretty quick turnaround time for mood improvement, and drinking coffee seems like a pretty enjoyable way to manage those “happy hormones.”

The website Caffeine Informer agrees that typically 2-3 cups a day is the appropriate level of moderation needed to “get the coffee health benefits but avoid the negative issues associated with too much caffeine.”

So there ya go. Coffee is a scientifically proven way to create happiness in your day. Drink up!

3. Coffee can improve workplace relationships.

Those who drink coffee together work better together?

That’s the idea being shared by the Journal of Psychopharmacology in a 2018 study. This particular study concluded that co-workers who share coffee together experience more positive views of themselves and those around them.

Not only does caffeinated coffee lead to more alertness, co-workers who drank coffee in the workplace felt more engaged with one another in group activities.

Whether or not your job requires group efforts, an atmosphere of positivity and team spirit can only lead to more enjoyment of your time during working hours.

How to apply this?

The next time tensions are getting a little high in the office, suggest a group coffee break and see how much of a difference it makes.

Next Step?

Have some fun with your coffee preferences and take a free quiz on the Spoon University website!

After 7 easy questions, the “What Type of Coffee Are You” test will identify your “coffee spirit animal,” or so it says. Mine came out “latte” so I’m not exactly sure the animal part is accurate, but it’s fun nonetheless.

Lastly, don’t forget to sign up to be notified of similar future posts via email!

Appreciate you!

~Dani