We’ve all encountered those people who exclaim, “Don’t bother me before my first cup of coffee!” The implication is a day without coffee leaves one grouchy and irritable. Now there is scientific proof that a few cups of java will not only lighten your mood, it will help you stay happy.
Television news and major publications have been buzzing recently about a new study that claims women who drink more than one cup of coffee a day have lower rates of depression.
The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, showed women who consumed at least two cups of coffee daily had a significant reduction (about 15 percent) in depression and women who consumed at least four cups a day reduced the risk of depression by 20 percent.
This study does not surprise me, considering how many people immediately feel a positive mood boost after sipping their morning cup of Joe. I believe most people know caffeine is a stimulant, and we didn’t need a study to know drinking a cup immediately makes you feel good. This study, however, is a rare one that focuses on the long-term effects of coffee, and we’re happy to report the long-term effects are positive.