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With January approaching, bringing long, cold mornings and early sunsets, many will experience dips in mood. The excitement of the holiday season is behind us, often leaving bank balances bare and, worse, old and new familial issues that might have (re)emerged during time spent together.
Coffee has been cited as one means of remedying the winter blues or variations of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). In one European-based survey, commissioned by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC), 20% of respondents reported that a few cups of coffee a day improved their mood during the winter. The same report cites another study showing that 75mg of caffeine every four hours led to sustained improved mood.
It’s important to point out that the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee comprises five major European coffee companies (illycaffè, JDE Peet’s, Lavazza, Paulig, and Tchibo). It’s website claims scientific independence and commitment to publishing all results regardless of outcomes.
More scientific rigor comes from a 2015 meta-analysis that found that caffeinated coffee consumption reduces the risk of depression. The meta-analysis covered 11 studies and 330,677 participants; it reported that with every cup of coffee consumed, the risk of depression decreased by 8%.
It is important to note that the meta-analysis focused on observational studies, rather than direct experimentation, limiting evidence of causation. Nevertheless, the evidence suggests that coffee and caffeine— especially in the range of 68mg/day to 509mg/day, roughly one to five cups of coffee per day—can help lift mood.
Another, more recent, observational study reported that 90mg of caffeine per day, the equivalent of one cup of coffee, was negatively associated with depression scores. That is, drinking a cup of coffee lifted mood. Importantly, that study reported no positive impact beyond the 90mg level of caffeine.
As a stimulant, caffeine and caffeinated drinks hold promise to help people fight off the natural slow down that descends during the winter months. Coffee can provide a cognitive boost, behavioral fuel, and can warm up mood.
As a stimulant, caffeine can also increase feelings of anxiety, and it can make sleeping more difficult.
Studies examining whether coffee and caffeine can buffer against SAD have yielded mixed results. Coffee is not going to cure clinical depression or full-blown SAD, but it might provide small uplifts to mood and increase productivity during the winter.
