The Surprising Truth About Your Morning Coffee: Is It Hurting Your Brain?

In this episode I interview Dr. Patrick Porter on the Savage Perspective Podcast! Dr. Porter has spent decades researching how light, sound, vibration, breath, sleep, and simple daily habits change brain function. I walked away with practical steps you can use tomorrow to feel sharper, recover faster, and sleep deeper. Below I summarize the main ideas, give a simple daily template, and answer common questions.

Why Energy Matters More Than Attitude

We often hear that mindset is everything. Dr. Porter agrees, but he adds a crucial piece: if your brain lacks energy, mindset alone won't get you where you want to go. Emotion is "energy in motion." When energy is low, you feel tired, stressed, and you'll reach for quick fixes like sugar or extra caffeine. That keeps the brain stuck in a low-performance loop.

Morning: Set Your Cortisol Curve Right

Stop grabbing coffee the second you wake up. Dr. Porter explains the body follows a cortisol curve in the morning that naturally wakes you up. Coffee can blunt that curve if consumed immediately. Instead:

• Drink a large glass of water with a pinch of salt when you wake.
• Get natural light exposure (sunrise or bright light) to wake mitochondrial receptors in your eyes and cells.
• If you train in the morning, wait about two hours to have coffee. After your workout is ideal.
• Fast for at least an hour or two after waking if you can; this helps your body make ketones and burn fat.

These simple changes help your brain get real energy instead of forcing it with stimulants.

Move, Then Recover and the "1:2 Rule"

When you exercise, you create BDNF. A growth factor that supports neuroplasticity. But Dr. Porter stresses recovery matters just as much. He suggests a rough rule: for every minute of intense exertion, allow two minutes of recovery. That recovery can be short breath work, visualization, a sauna, or simply a calm five-to-ten minute transition.

Do a short visualization after training. Picture the movement you did. That helps neurons "fire together, wire together," improving gains and filling in the mind-muscle connection.

Light, Circadian Rhythm, and Sleep Hygiene

Our brains evolved with natural sunlight patterns. Morning blue light helps wake us; evening reddish light signals wind-down. Today we are exposed to artificial light and screens, which confuses the circadian system.

• Get bright light in the morning, or use a light device if you can't get outside.
• Start dimming lights two hours before bed; use warm/red lights to cue sleep.
• Avoid alcohol and heavy food late at night. Alcohol suppresses REM and damages sleep quality.
• Aim for quality over raw hours of sleep. The important markers are about 1 hour of deep (delta) sleep and roughly 2 hours of REM nightly. Many people get too much time in bed but poor sleep stages.

Technology as a Tool: What BrainTap and Light-Sound Devices Do

Dr. Porter founded BrainTap, a system that uses light, sound, and subtle vibration to guide the brain through desired states (awake, focused, relaxed, or sleep-ready). The key idea: give the brain the right frequencies and energy so it can move faster through states like alpha, theta, and delta.

A few practical takeaways:

• Short guided sessions (often ~20 minutes) can simulate the restorative effects of a longer nap or natural downtime. Corporations that allowed mid-day brain breaks saw higher productivity.
• Light delivered through closed eyes can energize mitochondria and speed transitions into restorative states.
• If you don't use devices, you can still practice breath work and light exposure to support brain states.

Breath Work, Vagus Stimulation, and the Nervous System

Simple breathing resets help wind down the nervous system. Dr. Porter recommends the 4-8 breath: inhale for 4, exhale for 8. Humming and slow exhalations stimulate the vagus nerve and boost parasympathetic recovery.

Daily Blueprint: A Practical Day

1. Wake: drink water with a pinch of salt, get 10–15 minutes of bright light.
2. Train: short morning workout if possible. After training take 5–10 minutes to breathe and visualize.
3. Midday: if energy dips, take a 20-minute guided light-sound session or a short nap-like break.
4. Evening: dim lights two hours before bed, avoid caffeine/alcohol late, spend 10–20 minutes daydreaming or visualizing positive events before sleep.

FAQ

Q: Is decaf coffee okay in the morning?

A: Decaf has less stimulant effect, but if you want your cortisol curve intact, herbal tea or plain water in the first hour is better.

Q: How many hours of sleep do I need?

A: Studies show the average sweet spot is about 6.5 hours. More important than hours is getting the right sleep stages: aim for deep and REM sleep targets described above.

Q: Can tech replace good habits?

A: No. Devices can accelerate results, but they work best combined with light exposure, clean eating, movement, and breath work.

Q: Is microdosing or psychedelics useful?

A: Some people find microdosing helpful for focus. Dr. Porter stresses that skill-building and integration matter. Tools are useful when paired with practices that teach the brain to self-regulate.

Conclusion

This interview reminded me that the brain is an energy organ. If we give it the right inputs (light, movement, good sleep hygiene, breath, and short recovery windows) performance improves quickly. Start small: change your morning routine, add a brief post-workout reset, and dim lights before bed. Those three moves will shift your energy and focus within a week.

If you want more structure to transform your body and brain performance, come join my Free Bodybuilding Masterclass. It covers the nutrition and training system I use and coach: the 7-Phase system that helped me reach my best physique!

Register For My FREE Masterclass: https://www.ketobodybuilding.com/registration-2

Get Keto Brick: https://www.ketobrick.com/

Subscribe to the podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/42cjJssghqD01bdWBxRYEg?si=1XYKmPXmR4eKw2O9gGCEuQ