--- description: In terms of what we desire throughout the average day we wish for coffee slightly less than sex and a bit more than alcohol. Regular... title: 5 Things You Need to Know About Coffee the Wonder-Beverage image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2e40acd14f01cb12/6987eff10b72e317c26e2137/187326070-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=750&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Ideas](/section/ideas/) ## Ideas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Psychology](/tag/psychology/) ## Psychology Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 5 Things You Need to Know About Coffee the Wonder-Beverage by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 23, 2015 4:01 AM CUT  Black Coffee Black CoffeeGetty Images by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 23, 2015 4:01 AM CUT * In terms of what we desire throughout the average day we wish for coffee [slightly less than sex and a bit more than alcohol](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/what-do-we-desire-most-frequently "undefined"). Regular drinkers don’t really get a boost from coffee, they just [get their fix](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-coffee-really-make-you-more-alert "undefined"). In fact when you haven’t had your coffee [everything with caffeine tastes better](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-everything-with-caffeine-taste-good "undefined"). The strategic use of coffee can [make you more persuasive](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-the-strategic-use-of-coffee-make-you-more "undefined"). The smell of coffee actually [makes people nicer to one another](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-the-smell-of-cookies-make-us-nicer-to-eac "undefined"). * The smell of coffee makes women [more likely to give out their phone number](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/is-starbucks-the-best-place-to-meet-women "undefined"). Anything that gets the adrenaline flowing increases sexual arousal so coffee and a roller coaster [might be an excellent date idea](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/is-a-roller-coaster-and-a-red-bull-a-smart-fi "undefined"). When things get stressful coffee [is a good idea for women but not for men](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-coffee-help-us-cope-with-stressful-meetin "undefined"). Coffee has also been shown to[reduce depression in women](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/what-drink-might-reduce-depression-in-women "undefined"). Pregnant women [definitely should not drink it](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/is-it-a-myth-that-pregnant-women-should-not-d "undefined"). (Alcohol — in modest amounts — during pregnancy [can actually be a good thing](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/do-pregnant-women-who-drink-alcohol-have-smar "undefined").) * Coffee and cigarettes [make you smarter](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/do-coffee-and-cigarettes-make-you-smarter "undefined") but lung cancer sucks so better stick to coffee and donuts, [another combo which boosts brainpower](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-coffee-and-a-donut-improve-brainpower "undefined"). The caffeine and glucose one-two punch can work in many forms, actually: Red Bull [boosts cognitive performance too](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/whats-a-quick-and-easy-way-to-boost-cognitive "undefined"). Just _looking_ at Red Bull [can be an enhancer](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-just-looking-at-red-bull-improve-performa "undefined"). * Coffee helped produce some of the great works of literature: ask [Balzac](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/which-drugs-produced-which-classic-works-of-l "undefined"). Then again, if you want to be creative maybe you don’t need more coffee: [you’re more creative when you’re exhausted](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/are-you-most-creative-when-were-exhausted "undefined"). Or maybe you want to drink something else: [you’re more creative when you’re drunk](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/are-you-more-creative-when-youre-drunk "undefined") too. (Adding Red Bull to Vodka doesn’t make you function better [but it will make you think you do](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/do-you-function-better-after-a-red-bull-and-v "undefined").) To make sure you’re productive after a nap [drink a cup of coffee right before laying down](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/5-ways-to-make-your-naps-blissful-and-awesome "undefined"). (Caffeine takes about 20-30 minutes to kick in.) [This](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/this-is-your-brain-this-is-your-brain-on-caff "undefined") is your brain on coffee. * Most importantly, what’s the best way to use caffeine? Got you covered: [a neuroscientist gives you all the details you need](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/advice-on-how-to-best-use-caffeine-from-a-neu "undefined"). **Join over 180,000 readers and get my free weekly email update** [**here**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD "undefined")**.** **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/06/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-that-wonder-b/ "undefined")**_._** Related posts: [What 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/what-10-things-should-you-do-every-day-to-imp/ "undefined") [How To Make Your Life Better By Sending Five Simple Emails](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/07/make-your-life-better/ "undefined") [4 Lifehacks From Ancient Philosophers That Will Make You Happier](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/01/ancient-philosophers/ "undefined") _Read next:_ [_How Much Coffee Should You Really Be Drinking?_](http://time.com/3739326/coffee-healthy-caffeine/?iid=time%5Freadnext "undefined") [_Download TIME’s mobile app for iOS to have your world explained wherever you go_](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/time-mobile/id328218429 "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3860685/research-science-psychology-coffee/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3860685/research-science-psychology-coffee/"},"headline":"5 Things You Need to Know About Coffee the Wonder-Beverage","datePublished":"2015-05-23T04:01:29.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T08:26:32.345Z","description":"In terms of what we desire throughout the average day we wish for coffee slightly less than sex and a bit more than alcohol. 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