Giving Up Coffee Without Caffeine Withdrawal

Coffee. There’s no denying that a cup of caffeinated coffee in the morning can give you the energy boost you need to start your day. And, if you’re up late studying or working, a cup of coffee can keep you awake and alert.

But drinking too much caffeinated coffee can also lead to caffeine dependency.

Caffeine is a stimulant and, like a drug, it can be addictive. Once you’ve developed a caffeine dependency, your body actually seems to need a steady supply of the stimulant to keep it functioning. Unfortunately, consuming too much caffeine can cause problems like insomnia, irritability, rapid heartbeat, and anxiety.

You may have decided you want to kick your caffeine dependency, which is a good idea. But if you try to quit cold turkey, or even cut your caffeine intake too much too fast, you can end up suffering from withdrawal symptoms. Fatigue, headaches, nausea, and even mild depression are all symptoms those with caffeine dependency might experience when they go too long without caffeine.

If you have a caffeine dependency, and have decided to stop drinking caffeinated coffee, here are some ways to beat your caffeine dependency without the nasty side effects.


Gradually Cut Your Coffee Intake

Those with caffeine dependency shouldn’t just suddenly stop drinking caffeinated coffee, because that would definitely cause some unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Instead, try to taper off. If you typically drink five cups of caffeinated coffee a day, limit yourself to four cups of caffeinated coffee per day. Then, in a week or so, go down to three cups of caffeinated coffee a day, and so on, until you’ve given up caffeinated coffee altogether.

If the thought of giving up coffee altogether makes you cringe, you don’t have to. Instead, replace caffeinated coffee with a decaffeinated brand. Caffeine dependency seems to be partially psychological. If you’re drinking something hot that tastes like coffee, you won’t miss or crave the caffeinated coffee quite as much.


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