How to Give Up Caffeine and Feel Much Better

According to research, most individuals recovering from a substance addiction turn to coffee for relief. In one study, researchers found that an average of 64% of all Americans drink at least one cup of coffee daily – 89% of these are people in recovery. This is quite a high number, considering how much coffee is consumed daily in America. For most of us, coffee is the go-to beverage when starting the day or at the office. While moderate consumption of coffee might be beneficial for most of us (under normal circumstances), it might not be as helpful for individuals in recovery from substance use. It would thus be best to limit or even give up caffeine altogether.                                                    

There are several reasons why you should give up coffee when recovering. For starters, caffeine is known to raise one’s blood pressure and heartbeat, making him/her jittery and anxious. Unknown to many, caffeine can make one easily irritated due to chemical imbalances in the body. These side effects are quite common in individuals recovering from benzodiazepine, alcohol, and opioid use. These substances are known to cause low levels of GABA (an inhibitory neurotransmitter), thus making it hard for one to calm down and relax. Caffeine can make the condition even worse. 

Anxiety disorders (social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc.) may re-occur when one withdraws from substance use. Drinking several cups of coffee, tea, or anything with caffeine only aggravates these conditions. Caffeine is naturally a stimulant, hence can have several adverse effects on the central nervous system. 

Caffeine is known to worsen insomnia, a common side effect of withdrawal from substance use. Insomnia mostly affects individuals in their early stage of recovery, a reason you want to keep your anxiety levels in check. Increased anxiety causes a person’s willpower and concentration to dip, increasing the risk of insomnia. Too much caffeine in a day, or every day, can thus affect your quality of sleep or even make it hard to fall asleep. 

If you have been experiencing any of the above-mentioned symptoms (even if you aren’t on substance recovery) after taking coffee, it then might be time to cut down on the same. Many people will have difficulty concentrating until they have had their dose of caffeine. Although a mild dependence, it could also lead to more severe symptoms, including lethargy, headache, irritability, poor concentration, and achiness. Taking a break from caffeine can help overcome/prevent most of these symptoms.  

Easy Ways to Break from Caffeine

Reduce Your Coffee Intake Gradually

This is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce caffeine intake. If you have been taking two cups of coffee daily, you can tone it down to one, half, and ¼ as the days go by. Reducing your intake gradually will help reduce the risk of withdrawal symptoms without affecting your overall concentration and performance. Once comfortable with a ¼ cup per day, you can tone down further after two or three days. You’ll also need to cut down on other beverages and foods containing caffeine, such as energy drinks, soda, and tea. 

If you mainly get caffeine from coffee, you can control how much you consume in a day. The caffeine content in coffee varies from one brand to another and in concentration. It would thus be advisable to stick to one brand, then resolve to drink less every day. Consider switching from a light roast to a medium/dark roast to cut down on caffeine even further. A darker coffee roast has lower caffeine levels compared to light roasts. 

Skip Some Days

Alternating coffee days can also help. You might however want to start by skipping one day without caffeine to see what happens, then take a little the next. Cutting down bit by bit will help reduce the risk of withdrawal symptoms and increased irritability. Granted, you have some rough days when you start, but this won’t last for long. If skipping a day seems ok, you can add another.

Try Quitting Altogether

This is the hardest route you can take when looking to quit caffeine.   Going cold turkey on caffeine is more likely to trigger a number of withdrawal symptoms, almost as bad as is with other substances. Your ability to concentrate or get work done will take a beating. There are times when your memory will seem foggy while you feel lethargic. Luckily though, these withdrawal symptoms can only last for so long with no life-threatening effects. As an added advantage, you’ll get to function again normally without depending on a caffeine ‘boost.’ This is probably the fastest way to quit caffeine if your body can handle it.

Start Over the Weekend/Holiday

Unless you aren’t too worried about your productivity at work, starting a break from caffeine over the weekend or holiday would be advisable. The best time to start would be a Friday or Saturday to see how your body copes. This way, you will have at least 48 hours to acclimate to the new norm. Vacations and holidays also make an excellent baseline for quitting caffeine. Starting over the weekend/holiday also means you’ll have enough time to rest, especially after depriving the body of caffeine’s ‘head start.’

Find An Alternative

Switching habits instead of stopping completely is an excellent way to overcome dependence. If your morning routine involves starting the day with a cup of coffee, consider replacing it with something healthier, say herbal tea. Chamomile tea would make a great substitute for coffee. Taking something else other than coffee will prevent breaking the routine, making it easier to taper down completely.

Get Plenty of Rest/Sleep

Fatigue is one of the most pronounced and common symptoms of caffeine withdrawal. This is however mostly accompanied by the need to wind down and sleep. It is thus common for individuals to feel sleepy or start dozing off a few hours before their bedtime after quitting or reducing their caffeine intake. Experts thus recommend getting as much sleep as possible to help the body heal and recover. It is also an excellent way to fight off other withdrawal symptoms.

Take NSAIDs when needed

Body aches and headaches are quite common after quitting caffeine intake. These can however be managed more effectively with NSAIDs, e.g., ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen.

Stay Positive

Caffeine withdrawal symptoms can easily make one want to backslide. However hard some of these symptoms may seem, it would be advisable to focus on the goal and the bigger picture. You thus need to be aware of the benefits of quitting and use the same as motivators to keep going.