What happens to your body when you drink coffee?
In short: Coffee caffeine enters the bloodstream after about 10 minutes, increases heart rate and blood pressure slightly, and commonly makes people feel more alert after around 20 minutes. Adrenaline release may increase after 30 minutes, while caffeine can remain active for up to 4 hours and effects usually wear off within 2 to 12 hours.

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and many people feel more awake after a cup thanks to the caffeine. But what actually happens to your body when you drink a cup of coffee? An Australian coffee company, Map Coffee, made an infographic about it, and we’ve summed up the findings for you here.

This is what happens to you when you drink coffee

After you’ve switched on the coffee machine in the morning and that lovely coffee smell has drifted through your home, it’s time to enjoy your freshly brewed cup of coffee. After a few sips, things start to change in your physical and mental state. The effects in order:

After 10 minutes - caffeine enters your bloodstream

As soon as the caffeine enters your bloodstream, your heart rate and blood pressure go up slightly. Did you know caffeine can also make the effects of alcohol feel less noticeable between 10 and 90 minutes after drinking a cup of coffee?

After 20 minutes - you feel more alert

Around this point, most people start to feel more awake. How strongly you notice it, and how long it lasts, differs from person to person.

After 30 minutes - more adrenaline

Caffeine stimulates the release of adrenaline, which is why many people feel more energetic after a cup of coffee.

Up to 4 hours after your cup of coffee - caffeine is still active

Caffeine doesn’t leave your body straight away. For several hours after your cup, a good part of it is still in your bloodstream.

Up to 6 hours after your cup of coffee - how you feel

Many people simply enjoy the moment with their coffee. Keep in mind that caffeine can also make you feel restless or jittery, especially after several cups.

Between 2 and 12 hours after your cup of coffee - effect wears off

The effects above vary from person to person, depending on age, weight, the amount of caffeine in the coffee, and how used you are to caffeine. Somewhere between 2 and 12 hours after your last cup of coffee, the effects have usually worn off or gone completely.

Between 12 and 24 hours after your cup of coffee - withdrawal

If you regularly drink caffeinated coffee, it’s possible to get withdrawal symptoms around 18 hours after your last cup. Depending on how sensitive you are to addiction, the effect can last anywhere from 2 to 9 days, or until you have another cup of coffee. Source: mapcoffee.com.au