Who has quit caffeine??

[Rocky Racoon]

Has anyone quit caffeine? I'm considering it for the following reasons:

1) I'm definitely addicted. Even if it wasn't harmful (more on that later), I've grown to dislike how much it controls me, even if it's minor. First thing in the morning, I start a pot or do the Aeropress. Then depending on how much I had at home, on the commute in I'm may be thinking about which exits have a place I can get a cup quickly. Then there's the mid-morning cup at work. Or if I'm out and about I'll need to stop and get a cup. Sometimes I'll have one after lunch as a 'pick me up.' (You may not be as addicted as I am.)

2) Everything I listen and read now tells me sleep is more important that we knew. Recovery, T-levels, etc are dependent on good sleep and enough of it. Caffeine clearly disrupts sleep. Even if you say, "I can drink coffee and fall asleep right away," that caffeine has a long half life (5 hours) and is may still be preventing you from having the restorative sleep that you need. I don't think I can drink one-cup in the morning and that's it, which is about what it would have to be to ensure there is know caffeine in my system at bedtime.

3) I quit caffeine once a few years ago doing a 'reset/detox' thing in support of my wife who was doing the same, and while there were a lot of other things going on (I didn't eat for 15 days), my mood and energy levels were completely level during the day. At the time I chalked it up the diet, but now I want to see how much quitting caffeine was a factor in consistent energy/mood levels. It was a good feeling.

4) Most of my wellness routine is pretty well dialed in. I like my mix of strength and cardiovascular training. Alcohol consumption is minimal. There's room to improve my diet, but that's always going to be something to work on. But my sleep isn't perfect. It's probably not all caffeine related, but I'm trying to optimize and improve it. Time to see if quitting caffeine improves anything.

I'm not trying to convince you to quit caffeine. I'm just wondering who else has done it and what effects they noticed. I know I'm going to have headaches and feel like crap for a few days.

[BobM]

I’ve quit lots of times. I’d drink diet Mt Dew daily, sometimes more than one 20 oz bottle. I quit again recently more for the digestive system effects it’s been causing (reflux I think, plus I have a hiatal hernia). I’ve noticed each time I quit that I end up sleeping better. I’m mostly retired so unless I’m up early to hunt, or my part time job, I don’t really need it, especially if I can exercise the discipline to go to bed at a reasonable hour.

[JTQ]

I get most of my caffeine from Coke/Diet Coke. I drink a some tea, but drink no coffee, so my caffeine consumption may not be as high as some. I usually give up Coke/Diet Coke for Lent, as I probably drink 3 - 4 12 oz cans daily, under normal times, and this year, I also gave up alcohol.

I don't recall much difference from the lack of Diet Coke, but the lack of alcohol, that I continued for a couple of weeks after Lent ended, did improve my sleep.

[Crusader]

I wouldn’t say I quit but I have made a concerted effort to cut way back, I’m a coffee addict noway I’m not drinking it. But I have switched to halfcaf and decaf at home, only time I drink full caf is when I take my wife to breakfast or I’m out at an event that is serving coffee. Luckily am not a coffee snob, I don’t care what brand it is and I am not into gourmet coffee that makes it much easier.

It really is amazing how much caffeine can be consumed in a day without paying attention, I really like to have a BCAA supplement drink during and after a workout. It’s hard to find one that is not also a energy pre-workout drink now, caffeine has exploded onto the workout supplement scene also.

[camsdaddy]

I switched to decaf tea and coffee a few years ago. I realize that decaf still has caffeine but compared to what I was drinking it was like giving it up. I quit due to anxiety and found it really helped. I have fallen off the wagon and was just saying yesterday that I need to get back on it. I felt better and slept better and lost weight when I gave up everything but water and one cup of decaf

[Stephanie B]

Cutting down is fine. Two or three cups a day. Hell, five or so isn't really bad for you. My gram and my mom and dad used to drink coffee before going to bed. Grandma lived to 83 (died of emphysema-caused pneumonia after fracturing a hip), Dad died of lung cancer at 74 and Mom is going to be 101 this fall.

Me, I drink several cups a day, but I quit by the middle of the afternoon.

But give it up? Shut yer whore mouf.

[Rocky Racoon]

the lack of alcohol, that I continued for a couple of weeks after Lent ended, did improve my sleep.

Yes, the 'sleep optimization crowd' is down on alcohol due to how it negatively impacts your sleep. You might think alcohol helps you sleep, but the data and science say otherwise.