A recent study found that your morning cup of coffee really does make you happier – even if you're not a caffeine addict.
The study involved researchers from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom and Germany's Bielefeld University. It was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports.
The study followed 200 young adults over four weeks and measured their moods.
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Participants received prompts on their phones seven times a day as part of the study. They were asked to record how they currently felt and how recently they had consumed caffeine.
Caffeine drinkers recorded better moods after a cup of coffee or tea in the first two and a half hours of waking up, compared with later in the day.
Morning coffee boosts happiness and enthusiasm, researchers found. (iStock)
The mood boosts were linked to caffeine consumption, with researchers finding that the positive emotions included enthusiasm and happiness.
Psychology professor Anu Realo of the University of Warwick said the positive effects happen after caffeine blocks adenosine receptors in the brain.
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"[This] can increase dopamine activity in key brain regions – an effect that studies have linked to improved mood and greater alertness," Realo said.
She also noted that an important factor may be related to caffeine dependence.
Even anxiety-prone participants in a new study reported fewer negative thoughts after drinking coffee during the study's tracking period. (iStock)
"Even people with moderate caffeine consumption can experience mild withdrawal symptoms that disappear with the first cup of coffee or tea in the morning," she added.
Researchers made another surprising discovery. Some of the anxiety-prone respondents didn't always experience worrying thoughts after drinking coffee — and mood-boosting effects were observed across the board.
"We were somewhat surprised to find no differences between individuals with varying levels of caffeine consumption or differing degrees of depressive symptoms, anxiety or sleep problems," Bielefeld University research associate Justin Hachenberger said.
"The links between caffeine intake and positive or negative emotions were fairly consistent across all groups."
Caffeine's ability to block adenosine receptors was linked to increases in dopamine and greater alertness. (iStock)
Carrie Lupoli, a Connecticut-based nutritionist and health coach, told Fox News Digital that drinking coffee is deeply tied to behavior and routines.
"A morning cup of coffee engages all the senses and signals to the brain that the day is beginning."
"A morning cup of coffee engages all the senses and signals to the brain that the day is beginning," the expert said.
"That sensory experience, combined with our body’s natural rise in cortisol and willpower in the morning, creates a powerful association with feeling energized and even happier."
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Lupoli said that even after experimenting with decaffeinated coffee, she observed the same positive effects on herself.
"The ritual alone still brings that same sense of calm and fresh-start energy," she said. "So yes, coffee may make us happier, but it's often as much about the habit and mindset as it is about the caffeine."
Morning coffee routines stimulate the senses and boost motivation, said one health coach (not pictured). (iStock)
Jenelle Kim, a doctor of Chinese medicine, told Fox News Digital that rituals like drinking coffee "set the tone for our day."
The California-based medical expert did caution against too much caffeine, noting that it can spike cortisol and blood sugar levels that increase fatigue.
"In Eastern medicine, caffeine disperses qi, giving us energy, but too [much] forces the body to dip into reserves and depletes vitality," she said.
"In balance, one or two mindful cups can boost happiness and focus. Beyond that, it shifts from supportive to depleting."