Caffeine Detox: Why + how to take a break from caffeine

[Ishaa]

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Caffeine Detox: Why + how to take a break from caffeine

Does it seem like your morning cup of coffee has turned into not only an AM pour, but also an early afternoon pick me up and evening jolt? Has what once was a morning treat, now become a staple for starting and enduring your day?

It’s easy to lean on coffee, tea, soda or energy drinks to make up for your severe lack of sleep or energy. It’s something that you can grab and go. But for some of us, caffeine is more than an energy booster, it’s our lifeblood.

In North America, 80% to 90% of all adults use caffeine regularly. The mean daily intake in the United States is 280 mg, which is equal to about one or two mugs of coffee or three to five soft drinks.

Tallying up your daily total? If it’s higher than the average, you should probably keep reading.

What Is Caffeine?

Before we dive into the reasons why you might want to cut back on caffeine, let’s take a quick minute to understand what it is in the first place. Caffeine is a white, bitter substance that’s found naturally in over 60 plants. These plants include coffee beans, tea leaves and cacao pods. Simply, it’s a stimulant that can help increase energy. And according to the The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), caffeine is considered to be both a food additive and a drug.

You can feel increased energy as soon as 15 minutes after drinking or eating a caffeinated product. The level of caffeine in your blood peaks about one hour later and it will stay at this level for several hours. After about six hours, half of it is still in your body. It can take up to 10 hours to completely clear caffeine from your bloodstream.

Why People Take a Break from Caffeine

If you are hoping to become pregnant, you may want to prepare your body with the help of caffeine cleanse. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists cautions pregnant women to limit caffeine to 200 milligrams daily. That’s about one small cup.

But pregnancy is not the only reason to consider doing a caffeine detox. Caffeine affects mood and alertness, blood pressure and heart function, respiratory and kidney function, the immune system, gut health, and sleep cycles.

Here are some signs that you may be in need of a caffeine cleanse:

You drink coffee out of habit and no longer feel increased energy after multiple cups.
Many people develop a tolerance for caffeine, so you might find that you must keep increasing your caffeine intake to achieve that same boost you used to get with one cup.

You’re experiencing more anxiety, irritability, or difficulty concentrating than usual.
Caffeine can increase your heart rate and in turn exasperate anxiety symptoms.

You’re having trouble falling asleep.
Caffeine stays in your bloodstream for up to 10 hours. If you drink too much coffee and late into the day, it can disrupt your normal sleep patterns.

You are extremely sluggish without caffeine.
It’s easy to joke about caffeine being your blood type, but you really shouldn’t rely on any substance to the degree that you need it in order to function at a basic level.

You’re having stomach issues.
Caffeine causes the release of acid in the stomach, which may lead to heartburn or indigestion symptoms.

Health and nutrition experts agree that consuming more than 600 mg of caffeine a day (equivalent of four to seven cups of coffee) is too much. If you’re sitting in that category, or just want to give your body a break, here’s how.

[Ishaa]

How to Detox from Caffeine

A caffeine detox is not something you should jump into without proper preparation.
Going cold turkey can result in headaches, migraines, trouble sleeping, brain fog, fatigue, and just miserableness overall.

Here’s how to caffeine detox the right way and with minimal symptoms of caffeine withdrawal:

1. Keep a caffeine journal pre-detox. It’s important to really understand how much caffeine you regularly consume before you start cutting back. Cutting back too much, too soon can onset negative withdrawal symptoms.

2. Try switching to half-decaf, half-regular. About a week before your caffeine cleanse, start cutting down by doing a blend of half-decaf and regular. If you are handling the decrease well, continue to wean yourself off by adding a little more decaf and a little less regular each day.

3. Gradually cut back the amount of overall caffeine you consume per day. Is coffee not your only caffeinated beverage? Start cutting down on other drinks, including soda, tea and energy drinks, too. Just remember, don’t go from three sodas a day to zero. Gradually cut down day-by-day for a week or two before your detox.

4. Create new distractions or ways to energize. Come up with a few things you can do to satisfy a need for an energy fix. Try 5 minutes of deep breathing, stretch, or go for a walk. If you’re home, even a quick cold shower could help increase energy and alertness.

You can do your cleanse for as long as you like, but many think that starting with one week is good way to reset. Once you detox for the first time, future detoxes shouldn’t be as challenging.