Are coffee and happiness linked?

Here, a dietitian takes a look at the connection between coffee and mood and how to sip smarter.

Can coffee actuallycausehappiness?

alt

The promise of more energy and productivity after consuming your morning cup may surely facilitate a positive mindset.

So, too, can the pleasant aromas and the ritual of making, ordering, and drinking it.

But does coffee have the actual potentialscientifically speakingto yield feelings of happiness?

Photography of a apple juice in glasses and apples in a wicker basket on wooden table

Brooklyn–based registered dietitian

In fact, recent research shows alargely null or weak associationbetween coffee intake and psychological well-being.

However, results swaying either way can be skewed for several reasons.

Pasquariello reminds us that measures of happiness are largely subjectivenot to mention difficult to attribute to one source.

red pigment in a wooden spoon

Their coffee andcaffeine consumptionmay have acorrelationwith these positive outcomes, but thats not the same thing ascausation.

All of the above contribute to health, wellness, and feelings of happiness.

Yet again, these are all correlations, she notes.

alt

These points considered, I probablybelieveIm happier with coffee in my system in part thanks to dopamine.

Intake of caffeine, like other stimulants,results in dopamine releasein the prefrontal cortex, Pasquariello explains.

The famous feel-good neurotransmitter elicits arousal and a sense of reward, but ensuing glee isnt guaranteed.

Cropped shot of young woman shopping in the dairy section of a supermarket. She is reading the nutrition label on a container of fresh organic healthy natural yoghurt

Mood is often impacted by these factors, and it can be fruitful to notice when that comes up.

Got it, you’ve been added to our email list.

A hand is stirring a sourdough starter in a glass jar, on a kitchen countertop. The light casts a warm glow, highlighting the ingredients inside the jar.

Two cups with coffee and green tea on a beige background.