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Assistant Beauty & Health Editor

By Hannah Frye

Assistant Beauty & Health Editor

Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more.

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July 13, 2023

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Picture this: It’s getting later in the day, and you’re losing steam. Do you reach for a matcha or a cup of coffee to power you through the afternoon without destroying your sleep? The decision plays out in the minds of many people each day, myself included. While both certainly have their perks, one just might be better for those struggling to catch some Z’s. 

Let’s be clear: This is quite a nuanced answer.

“First of all, excessive intake of coffee or matcha will disrupt your sleep,” integrative and functional medicine doctor Bindiya Gandhi, M.D. tells mbg. So having a few cups too many of either caffeinated beverage is sure to get in the way of rest. However, there are more factors that play here. Below, a quick breakdown of things to consider: 

Gandhi says limiting your coffee intake to one or two cups per day is recommended if you’re sensitive to caffeine. The same applies to matcha, though some people may be able to sneak in more cups of this tea given that it’s slightly less caffeinated. 

What time you drink your caffeinated beverages matters, too. Gandhi recommends consuming coffee or matcha before noon if possible. This way, you’ll be less likely to disrupt your body’s natural circadian rhythm that supports optimal melatonin production come bedtime. Coffee has a pretty long half-life of around five hours (meaning it will take five hours for your body to process half of it), making drinking it earlier in the day essential for many people.

• Drink it before noon: As mentioned above, the earlier you can drink your cup of coffee or matcha, the better. Gandhi recommends noon for most people, but adjust accordingly if you’re on a different sleep schedule and aim for around 10 hours between your caffeine intake and sleep. 
• Add mushrooms: “As a medical doctor, I recommend the combination of Lion’s Mane and coffee, such as Four Sigmatic’s Think Organic Coffee, to promote a more balanced, focused state,” Gandhi says. She adds that this tasty addition can help to fight off a caffeine crash as well. Here are six more delicious ways to get your mushroom coffee fix.
• Drink it before a workout: Exercise is known to go a long way in promoting sleep.1 “Drinking coffee about 45 to 60 minutes prior to your workout can optimize the caffeine’s peak performance-enhancing effects,” Gandhi says. Of course, this step should probably be skipped if you’re someone who works out in the evening, but it could be helpful for the early morning movers.