If you're a coffee drinker, it probably won't surprise you to learn that caffeine withdrawal is a tough thing. People who regularly consume coffee can get pretty unpleasant caffeine withdrawal symptoms when they suddenly stop. We'll tell you what to expect!
Nothing is possible in the morning without a cup of your beloved hot beverage. While you're still preparing your first coffee at home, you're only thinking about one thing: coffee at the office.
After lunch, you'll have trouble getting started without a nicely filled cup of hot coffee. And you won't miss the afternoon coffee with your colleagues anyway.
That's how it goes with you day after day, week after week, month after month. Without coffee, without you.
But that should be an end now!
You want to cut back on coffee consumption. Or even go cold turkey?
We'll tell you what you're in for and what caffeine withdrawal symptoms you'll experience. Of course, there's also a trick or two to make coffee withdrawal a little more pleasant.
Table of contents
How does caffeine act in body?
For most of us, coffee is simply a part of life. Every adult in Germany drinks 2 to 4 cups a day. And not just because the hot beverage tastes so good.
The reason we keep reaching for a cup is caffeine. Caffeine is an alkaloid that stimulates the central nervous system. It is found in coffee, cocoa beans and tea leaves. But also in energy drinks and medications.
It affects the brain and body in several ways, including increasing alertness and physical performance. Caffeine can also reduce fatigue and make you feel awake.
And in fact, there is even the perfect time for the first cup in the morning. And no, it's not right after you get up! Check it out here: "According to the study - this is the perfect time for coffee“
Once you have drunk your coffee, it takes between 15 and 30 minutes for the wake-up effect to kick in. The stimulating effect of coffee can last from 2 to 8 hours. On average, it lasts 4 hours.
When the effect wears off, most people reach for the next cup. If you consume too much caffeine or take it regularly, your body can become dependent on it. If you suddenly stop drinking coffee, your body will show symptoms of caffeine withdrawal.
How much caffeine is in coffee?
What are the classic caffeine withdrawal symptoms?
Anyone who stops drinking coffee is very likely to feel it physically. We go through a real withdrawal - with all its unpleasant sides.
The most common caffeine withdrawal symptoms include headaches, fatigue and irritability.
The good news is that symptoms usually only last a few days - even if your body takes some time to detach from the stimulant effects of caffeine, you'll at least feel better soon!
You'll feel the first signs of withdrawal as early as 12 to 24 hours after your last cup of coffee. For most, the 20 to 51 hours after consumption is the worst.
Common caffeine withdrawal symptoms include:
- Fatigue and listlessness
- Headache
- Irritability and bad mood
- Concentration problems
- Increased heart rate
- Mood swings
- Nervousness and anxiety
- Tremors and muscle pain
- Nausea
The duration of caffeine withdrawal symptoms varies greatly from person to person. In general, however, the more frequently and in larger quantities you consume caffeine, the more intense your withdrawal will be. Generally, it can take anywhere from 2 to 9 days before you are weaned.
If you want to reduce your caffeine intake, you should do so gradually.
Fatigue and listlessness
Among the most common and rapidly occurring caffeine withdrawal symptoms is severe fatigue and listlessness. Most people reach for a cup in the morning to wake up. You'll feel sleepy and unusually tired when you stop caffeine.
Caffeine acts as a stimulant because it prevents adenosine, the neurotransmitter that causes fatigue, from binding to its receptors. By binding to these very sites in the body, caffeine can block the action of adenosine and make us feel alert and energized.
Exciting fact: If you drink a lot of coffee, the number of adenosine receptors in your brain increases. This makes them more sensitive to the effect of adenosine.
If you suddenly stop drinking coffee, the messenger substance for fatigue can now bind to the many receptors and make you really tired. By the way: In the course of withdrawal, the number of receptors returns to normal.
Headache
Headaches are one of the most common symptoms of caffeine withdrawal. Caffeine constricts your blood vessels. When you stop consuming caffeine, those vessels expand again - leading to a throbbing headache.
If you're already prone to headaches, you may get them even more often after coffee withdrawal.
How long and severe the pain in the head turns out depends on how quickly our brain adapts to the change. Even if it's hardly a consolation: sooner or later, the headaches will stop in any case.
How much caffeine does black tea have?
Irritability and bad mood
In addition to the physical effects, giving up caffeine can also affect your emotions and mental state.
Caffeine stimulates the production of dopamine - a neurotransmitter that makes you feel good and has an aphrodisiac effect. Caffeine withdrawal can cause dopamine levels to drop, making you feel irritable, anxious, or depressed.
Concentration problems
Can you concentrate better after drinking coffee? Caffeine can affect your concentration and focus in the same way it affects your mood.
The reason for this is the adrenaline level. It increases when you drink coffee. Adrenaline is a typical stress hormone that causes messenger substances such as dopamine and norepinephrine to increase.
As a result, an unnatural fight-or-flight response is triggered; the pulse and blood pressure briefly increase, and the brain becomes much more alert and active, allowing for better concentration.
Caffeine withdrawal can cause these effects to wear off, making it difficult for you to focus or stay on task.
Increased heart rate
Caffeine increases both your heart rate and blood pressure. Caffeine withdrawal can also affect your cardiovascular system, causing dizziness and an increased heartbeat.
Mood swings
Do you often experience sudden bursts of anger or sadness when you go through caffeine withdrawal? Caffeine stimulates the production of adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin - all important neurotransmitters for your mood.
Caffeine withdrawal can lead to low levels of these hormones and cause sudden changes in emotions. These include nervousness and anxiety.
Trembling
If you drink a lot of coffee for a long time, you may experience trembling hands as caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Fortunately, this is rare and passes like all other signs of coffee withdrawal.
Many are also afraid that they will have more appetite if they do not drink coffee. Not for nothing Coffee as a miracle weapon for weight loss. In fact, some individuals report that they tend to crave and snack when they give up caffeine.
You can watch a great video on the subject here:
How do I get off caffeine? In 5 steps to success!
Drinking coffee is a habit. And habits are a thing, some are really very good, others should be questioned - these include smoking, constantly looking at your cell phone, biting your fingernails or drinking too much coffee.
If you feel that your coffee and caffeine intake is out of control, the best thing to do is to cut back.
But why should you do it? Because taking too much caffeine can cause inner restlessness, insomnia, or even nervousness. For some people, caffeine can also cause stomach aches. If your craving for cappuccino and energy drinks has become a habit with addictive potential, you should take a break.
Now you're faced with a choice: either stop immediately and go cold turkey, or slowly reduce your use until you eventually stop it altogether for a while.
Fact: When you reduce from heavy consumption to an amount of 0, the caffeine withdrawal symptoms turn out to be much more severe.
- Change your routines
- Try alternatives
- Plan caffeine withdrawal
- Sleep and relax
- Eat healthy and drink plenty
Change your routines
Change your morning routine: If you usually stagger to the coffee machine first, change your habits. Jump in the shower first thing or get dressed and walk around the view, then have breakfast and drink water, juice and herbal teas. Anything that helps you break out of your routine is helpful.
Walk instead of coffee klatsch: If you regularly meet for coffee, you should also rethink this routine. How about a long walk followed by a cup of tea?
Try alternatives
There are also teas that do not contain caffeine and have an invigorating effect. Like peppermint, ginger or chamomile.
Are you missing the taste of coffee? Then try decaffeinated varieties, lupine coffee or grain coffee.
But beware. It's not just coffee that contains caffeine. You should try to get away from all sources of caffeine. These include black tea, green tea, chai, matcha and oolong, sodas like cola and iced tea, energy drinks, coffee-flavored foods like yogurt or ice cream, very dark chocolate*, cocoa and food supplements.
Plan caffeine withdrawal
You know that caffeine withdrawal symptoms will come your way - guaranteed you'll be tired and exhausted. A good moment to start is the vacation or at least a Friday - because the worst symptoms you will have in the first three days.
Often, digestion also goes crazy. It's more pleasant when it happens at home than at work. For digestion, fiber can help. Eat a lot of porridge, vegetables and build Flaxseed* into the diet.
Sleep and relax
When you stop drinking coffee, make sure you get enough sleep and exercise in the fresh air.
In addition, relaxation methods such as deep breathing or even yoga can help alleviate symptoms. But don't give in to fatigue completely, exercise and get out in the fresh air several times a day.
Diet and drink
Eating light meals regularly is also important if you're struggling with caffeine withdrawal - light snacks can give you an extra boost to combat any cravings! Eat a very healthy and balanced diet overall.
Drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep are important factors that will help your body balance itself during caffeine withdrawal.
Remember that everyone's body is different and responds differently to caffeine withdrawal
It is important to remember that each person is unique. Just as different foods affect us in different ways, so do the effects of caffeine on our bodies.
Caffeine withdrawal can vary greatly from person to person, and it's important to find out what works best for your body.
Everyone reacts differently, so be aware of that and don't just assume that what works for someone else will work for you - listen to your body and treat it with respect!
Tip: Should you continue to drink coffee, then don't throw away the coffee grounds. You can use it for very many things in the household and garden!
How can I prevent caffeine withdrawal symptoms?
The best way to avoid these symptoms is to slowly wean yourself off caffeine. If you're a coffee lover, weaning yourself off caffeine can seem like a daunting task. But it doesn't have to be an intimidating process!
By slowly reducing your consumption each day, you can reduce the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms and soon free yourself from your caffeine addiction.
The most important thing is to take it slow - it's better to take your time than to rush it and suffer the consequences! Making small reductions every few days can really make the process easier for you.
Try this:
- Gradually drink one cup of coffee less. For example, instead of drinking a cup every 3 hours, only drink one every 4 hours - you've already saved yourself a cup a day. Keep this up for a week until you take the next step.
- Replace a cup of coffee with a black or green tea. It also contains caffeine, but much less.
- Change the type of coffee and choose one that contains less caffeine. You can also mix a coffee with decaffeinated varieties to ease caffeine withdrawal symptoms.
Trying to kick your caffeine addiction can seem like an impossible challenge at first, but it's not an impossible task! Simply reducing the amount of coffee or energy drinks you drink slowly is one way to overcome your addiction.
Setting goals and rewarding yourself for each step is also good motivation to beat addiction. You may even discover new ways to stay energized without caffeine!
There is always a light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to giving up any addiction, and with a little time, effort and dedication, you can beat yours too.
What are the benefits of giving up coffee?
Contrary to popular belief, coffee is not harmful to your health - in fact, it's been proven that regular coffee consumption can have positive effects! This is shown by various studies.
The number of coffees a person can drink per day is uncertain. Often studies show contradictory results.
In summary: Up to 5 cups a day is probably fine. However, facing cold turkey in between can't hurt. Going through the caffeine withdrawal symptoms can be worth it.
These are the health benefits of drinking less coffee:
- You are less nervous and sleep better
- The body can better absorb some nutrients - such as iron, calcium and B vitamins
- The color of the teeth and the enamel will thank you for it
- Occasional coffee drinkers no longer experience blood pressure fluctuations
- The body is not exposed to the constant ups and downs of caffeine. The messenger substances and the brain are in balance.
- Headaches occur less frequently
- The stool becomes firmer, which is a benefit for those who struggle with regular diarrhea
Our conclusion
If caffeine withdrawal symptoms are getting to you, know that you're not alone. Many people go through the same thing when trying to overcome their "addiction".
The most important thing is to take it slow and give your body time to adjust. There are also some things you can do to ease withdrawal symptoms, such as drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep.
Everyone's body reacts differently to caffeine withdrawal, so don't be discouraged if it takes you a little longer than others. With a little effort, you can overcome your caffeine addiction!
To browse further:
* Advertising & affiliate links: Our website is financed by advertising and affiliate links. As a partner of linked stores (e.g. Amazon) we earn from qualified sales.
Read more
