“Coffee, Cortisol, and CSR: Why Timing Matters”
Why This Hits Harder in CSR
With CSR, your body is in a state of over-sensitization.
Cortisol doesn’t just “spike” — it disrupts things.
- It affects blood flow to the eye
- It influences retinal fluid reabsorption
- It increases systemic inflammation
- It amplifies fight-or-flight perception, making even light sensitivity or visual distortions feel worse than they are
Add caffeine at the wrong time, and the signal goes from wake up to panic.
What to Do Instead: The Caffeine Shift
You don’t need to give up coffee. You just need to time it like a tool, not a reflex.
The 90-Minute Rule
Wait 90 minutes after waking before having your first cup.
Let your natural cortisol rise and fall first — then use caffeine to extend your alertness.
This gives you:
- More stable energy
- Lower cortisol load
- Better mood regulation
- Fewer vision shifts (especially in the morning)
Add Fat, Skip Sugar
Black coffee on an empty stomach = cortisol overload.
Instead:
- Add MCT oil, ghee, or cream to blunt the spike
- Avoid sugar or flavor syrups, which increase insulin and further destabilize hormones
This becomes a smoother, more sustained rise — not a rollercoaster.
Hydrate First
Before your coffee, drink at least 8–12 oz of water with a pinch of salt.
Caffeine is a diuretic — and dehydration increases cortisol. A hydrated body processes stimulation better.
Final Thought
The goal isn’t to demonize coffee. It’s to understand how and when it works for you — or against you.
With CSR, your body is already shouting when it should be whispering.
Don’t give it a megaphone first thing in the morning.
Next up in Entry 6:
“Can Fasting Worsen CSR? Cortisol’s Role in Metabolic Stress”
We’ll walk through how fasting interacts with cortisol, when it helps, when it hurts, and what to consider if you’ve been skipping meals in the name of “discipline.”
