Study reveals reason you’re addicted to coffee

There’s little that a little warm drink can’t do to improve our mood, but now research backs this up.

There’s a reason you’re hooked on coffee, and no, it’s not just because it tastes delicious and lets you stay up late doom-scrolling, because you know your ‘little pick-me-up’ will rescue you in the morning.

Science suggests that holding a warm drink is actually extremely comforting and can have positive effects on your mood and even relationships.

So, if your partner thinks you’re snappy after a coffee, just send them this and tell them they’re wrong.

There’s a reason you’re hooked on coffee. Picture: TikTok/CoffeePetite

Hot drinks may subconsciously remind you of your mum

Research shows that hot drinks might subconsciously evoke memories of your mum, that make you feel safe and comfortable.

That’s because there’s a psychological connection between physical warmth and emotional warmth, likely established in the womb or during early infancy, as we begin to associate warmth with protection, security, and nourishment.

This association might stem from the way warm sensations, such as holding a heated cup, promote the release of oxytocin, commonly known as the “cuddle hormone”.

Oxytocin is associated with feelings of comfort, relaxation, and emotional attachment.

Another study shows that touch is among the first senses to develop in the womb, and by the third trimester, a baby can differentiate between hot and cold.

Since we experience warmth even before birth, we may have been linking warm sensations to feelings of comfort for much longer than we realise.

Opt for hot drinks when meeting others

Different research also shows that physical and emotional warmth are connected.

A study from the University of Colorado revealed that after holding a warm cup of coffee (versus iced), participants were more likely to view a target person as having a warm, generous and caring personality.

This led them to feel more open to connecting as they found them more trustworthy.

This could be because of a lesser-known area of the brain called the insular cortex, which is a small, prune-sized section that processes both physical temperature and feelings of interpersonal warmth.

According to the study, a person’s perceived warmth and competence account for a significant proportion (82 per cent) of the “variance in people’s evaluations of social behaviours”.

So next time you’re heading out on a blind date or meeting with your manager, chatting over a coffee may just make you see the best in them.

Hot coffee warms you up to others. Picture: iStock

Hot drinks can help you feel better when sick

When you’re feeling unwell, you might instinctively reach for a hot drink without knowing why, and just following the old wives’ tale.

But there’s scientific evidence that it can help improve how you’re feeling, even if it’s just a placebo.

Research shows that drinking a hot beverage can give a person both immediate and extended relief from symptoms like a runny nose, cough, sneezing, sore throat, chills, and fatigue.

Hot drinks can make you feel better when you’re sick. Picture: iStock

Hot drinks can make you feel more relaxed

When you drink hot drinks, they cause blood vessels to expand and improve circulation, according to the Community Health Network.

This is associated with muscle relaxation and also helps in the effective functioning of all your organs, which promotes digestion.

That “ahhhh” sensation you feel after the first sip might just be your body releasing some built up tension.

Originally published as Study reveals reason you’re addicted to coffee