Get more from your cup of coffee

Whether you are trying to cut down on coffee or just use it more efficiently here are our tips on making the best of your beans:

• Hold off your first coffee until at least 9.30am. Natural morning cortisol production raises alertness, so neuroscientist Steven Miller argues it is more effective to drink caffeine after this peak.
• Need a second wind? Try drinking a cup of coffee before a quick nap, rather than after, so the caffeine takes effect as you wake up.
• Cycle to work, or pick up your walking pace instead of a morning coffee. Aerobic exercise has been found to boost cognitive ability as increased heart rate improves oxygen and nutrient flow through the blood to the brain, allowing it to perform better.

Photograph: PlainPicture/neuebildanstalt/Jordan