Tips To Quit A Caffeine Habit

Caffeine is a drug, and, like any other drug, it’s possible to get addicted to it. If you feel like you can’t live without your afternoon energy drink, or if you’re tired of getting headaches whenever coffee isn’t available, you might want to break your dependence on caffeine. Quitting caffeine is rarely easy or comfortable, but the tips in this article will help you get through the detox phase without feeling too miserable. 

Think about why you want to quit a caffeine habit.

Quitting a caffeine habit is hard, and if you’re not committed, you’ll probably backslide into your old habits quickly. Ask yourself how you want your life to be better when you’re not relying on coffee, soda, or energy drinks as a pick-me-up. Maybe you’d like to sleep better at night, maybe you’re worried about your health, or maybe you just want to feel normal in the morning without having to hit the Starbucks drive-through on your way to work. Whatever your reasons are, use them to motivate yourself through the next couple of weeks. You may even want to write down your reasons for quitting and put them on your fridge or somewhere else where you’ll see them frequently.

Consider quitting a caffeine habit cold turkey.

Make no mistake – quitting caffeine abruptly can be brutal, especially if you consume it heavily. However, it’s also the fastest and simplest way to detox. If you just want to get the whole thing over with, going cold turkey might be the best route for you.

If you decide to quit a caffeine habit all at once, make some preparations ahead of time, so the withdrawals will be easier to get through. Have your last energy drink or cup of coffee on a Friday, so you can suffer through the worst of the withdrawals at home instead of at work. Better still, quit over a three-day weekend. You probably won’t feel like doing much, so keep some quick and simple foods on hand, and don’t schedule any unnecessary activities. If you go cold turkey, you can expect your withdrawals to last up to a week.

If quitting abruptly is too difficult, cut back gradually.

Going cold turkey isn’t for everyone. If you get unbearable withdrawal headaches or find yourself completely unable to function without caffeine, you’ll probably do better using a tapering method.

To taper off caffeine successfully, keep track of how many cups of coffee or energy drinks you consume for a couple of days. Then, using that amount as a baseline, cut back by half a cup or half a can every two days. Start by cutting back on the dose you take closest to bedtime. Then work your way backward through the day, so that you’re finally just consuming caffeine in the morning. At that point, you can decide whether to quit a caffeine habit entirely or keep drinking a modest amount of caffeinated beverages.

Replace caffeine with something else.

You might feel restless or deprived if you cut your caffeine habits out of your life without finding a good substitute. To avoid this, find a healthier treat you enjoy, and use it as a replacement for your usual caffeinated vice. The simplest way to do this is to switch caffeinated drinks for their decaf counterparts. You could also replace coffee with herbal tea, or stand up and stretch to reinvigorate yourself instead of going to the vending machine for a soda. Make sure your replacement is something you genuinely like, or you might end up resenting it and going back to your old favorites. 

Take care of yourself throughout the caffeine withdrawal process.

Whether you’re quitting caffeine a caffeine habit cold turkey or cutting back gradually, withdrawal symptoms can be rough. Plan to pamper yourself a little for a week, so you don’t end up breaking down and drinking a tall latte on day three of your detox. Get plenty of rest, keep yourself hydrated, and cut yourself some slack if you’re not as productive as usual. You might want to pick up an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen to fend off the worst of the headaches, too.

Be careful about slipping back into old habits.

After you quit a caffeine habit, think carefully before you start drinking caffeinated beverages again. Sure, it’s fun to drink coffee or soda when you have a low caffeine tolerance, and just one cup probably won’t hurt. But it’s all too easy for an occasional pick-me-up to turn into a daily habit–do you really want to go through the withdrawal process again?

Breaking a caffeine addiction is no fun, but it has some major benefits. Going caffeine-free can help you sleep better and feel more alert in the morning, and you won’t have to worry about feeling foggy or getting a headache if you can’t get your caffeine fix. Armed with these tips, along with some determination, you can get through the detox period and enjoy a life free of caffeine dependence.