What if that morning mug of caffeine isn’t as good for you as you’ve been led to believe and it’s actually sabotaging your health, happiness, focus and productivity?
Buckle up as we tell you the truth about caffeine, how it affects you, give you the surprising benefits of kicking the caffeine habit by reviewing peer reviewed research and finish up by giving you a protocol on how to detox yourself… the right way.
Caffeine is a powerful stimulant that affects multiple systems in your body, particularly the brain and nervous system. Here’s a breakdown of how it works and how that impacts your day:
In your brain caffeine does three major things:
- It blocks adenosine: Adenosine is a chemical that builds up throughout the day, promoting sleepiness. Caffeine binds to adenosine receptors in your brain, preventing adenosine from activating them and leading to temporary alertness.
- It boosts dopamine and norepinephrine: These neurotransmitters are associated with feelings of pleasure, focus, and energy. Caffeine increases their release, further enhancing alertness and mood.
- It activates your fight-or-flight response: Caffeine triggers the release of cortisol, the stress hormone, which increases heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. This can give you a surge of energy but also contribute to anxiety and jitteriness.
When you drink caffeine in the morning, it quickly reaches your bloodstream within 30 minutes or so and blocks adenosine, leading to increased alertness, focus, and energy. This sounds great until we talk about how it…
Activates your fight-or-flight response by increasing your cortisol levels that cause anxiety, jitters, headaches, and even digestive issues in some cases.
Additionally, as your body adapts to caffeine throughout the day and overtime, you experience dependence and withdrawal symptoms like fatigue and irritability if you don’t have your usual dose.
This means that if you drink 2 cups of coffee… you have to have those two cups just to feel normal. If you want to take advantage of a real boost above your baseline self you have to consume more.
You drink more and Then your body gets used to that amount and before you know it you’re drinking four cups of coffee just to be yourself.
And here’s the thing….you believe it’s helping you because of the withdrawal symptoms that make you tired, irritable, and less focused, you know the feeling when you wake up and run for the mug.
That’s not the real you, it’s you in withdrawal mode. Then you get your caffeine fix and that fix gets you to your baseline normal self, meaning you’re really getting no benefit from the caffeine.
Then after lunch around 1 or 2pm you suddenly feel terrible again because that morning brew is wearing off. You start to crash and need another jolt of caffeine that starts the whole cycle again.
Making matters worse, because the half life of caffeine is around 12 hours, when you drink caffeine in the afternoon it delays you getting tired which means its hard for you to get to sleep and you don’t sleep well. Now You wake up tired and need that caffeine even more. And the cycle starts all over again.
And if you aren’t convinced yet…
A study published titled “Effects of Caffeine Withdrawal on Emotion Regulation and Neurocognitive Performance” in the Journal of Psychopharmacology found that quitting caffeine led to significant improvements in both mood and cognitive performance. This study followed 72 participants who regularly consumed caffeine. Half underwent a two-week caffeine withdrawal while the other half continued their usual intake.
Those who quit caffeine showed significant improvements in emotional regulation: They experienced less negative affects like anxiety and irritability and greater positive affect such as calmness and cheerfulness. Additionally, they demonstrated enhanced cognitive performance: improved attention, working memory, and executive function.
Another study titled “Sleep and Alertness During Extended Caffeine Abstinence in Habitual Consumers” published in the journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience monitored 63 habitual caffeine consumers over a month of caffeine abstinence.
Initially, participants experienced typical withdrawal symptoms like headaches and fatigue. However, by the end of the month, they reported significantly improved sleep quality, including falling asleep faster, sleeping more soundly, and waking up feeling more refreshed. They also noted increased alertness and energy levels throughout the day, even without relying on caffeine.
And other study titled “The Effect of Caffeine Abstinence on Productivity and Energy Levels in Regular Caffeine Consumers” published in the journal of Performance Enhancement & Health investigated the impact of caffeine withdrawal on office workers.
50 participants who regularly consumed caffeine stopped for four weeks. While fatigue and headaches were observed in the first week, by the second week, participants reported significant improvements in work efficiency and productivity.
They were able to focus for longer periods, completed tasks faster, and felt more motivated to work. Furthermore, their energy levels became more stable and consistent throughout the day, without the typical afternoon dips associated with caffeine dependence.
Here’s the best way to detox yourself off caffeine, do it over the course of ten days. Vs. Trying to go cold turkey:
Day’s 1-3 cut back to ¾ your normal amount.
Day 4-6 drink just ½ of your normal amount
7-10 ¼ of your normal.
Day 11 none.
From my experience once you hit day 8 you’re going to say the heck with it and just ditch it, but you have ten days if you need it.
Give it a solid 2 week after you’re completely off and see how good you feel.
Consider this your challenge – ditch the jitters, your afternoon crash, those hard to get to sleep nights and unlock a productivity level with your own natural focus and a new found freedom!
Your move.
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