A little experiment
I have gone entirely caffeine-free for the last 3 days. The first day I had a bad headache. Since then, I am fine. However, I haven’t experienced any particular benefits of being caffeine-free. From what I’ve heard, I expected to feel simultaneously calmer and more energetic, fall asleep earlier, and get up earlier. Not yet. Has anyone tried it? (Jane?)
If I stopped drinking caffiene I would probably be found asleep with my head on my desk. I used to think caffiene didn’t affect me, but now with two toddlers, if I don’t get some caffiene in the morning, I can’t keep up with their instant early morning energy, no less make it through the day! Good luck!
Comment by SciMom — January 5, 2007 @ 12:39 pm
I found the greatest benefit of going off caffeine was that my “monthly visit” was not accompanied by pain and agony. It was amazing how just cutting out caffeine made such a difference…I hated to admit it, but the doctor was right
Comment by Katie — January 5, 2007 @ 3:58 pm
Yeah, I’ve done it several times, mostly to be able to function in low-caffeine environments (e.g., remote basecamps for field work). I’ve never experienced any lessening of menstrual-related discomfort, nor really any increased quality of life. I have noticed, however, that caffeine is addictive as hell for me. One innocent cup of caffeinated tea and that caffeine monkey is on my back again… sometimes even too much chocolate in one sitting will make me fall off the wagon.
Comment by amIawomanscientist — January 5, 2007 @ 5:30 pm
The biggest thing I notice about a (mostly) caffeine-free life is how much bigger a kick I get out of it when I do indulge. Right now, I’m having a small chai tea and that will be enough to give me energy for hours. If I had it in the afternoon, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night. Back in the day, I wouldn’t even have noticed it.
Comment by sciencewoman — January 5, 2007 @ 5:36 pm
I’ve been off caffiene for over a month now and I think I’m just now finally getting my energy back. For a long time I just wasn’t focussed and I was tired all the time. Now, I think the caffiene freeness is kicking in. I have been more relaxed in general though.
Comment by J — January 5, 2007 @ 5:40 pm
I had to do it, for stomach-related reasons, for the past year. I did not notice an effect on the monthly pain. I was more mellow overall. I wouldn’t say simultaneously more energectic; I would say that my energy levels were more obviously dependent on sleep amounts, and so I was “stuck” having to make sure I slept generously. That’s a lot harder to arrange, on a daily basis, than a cup of coffee.
The biggest downfall is that I genuinely love coffee, and it was a daily mourning process. I see no sense in depriving myself of what I love, for generally minor and compensatable effects. The good news is that my stomach is better now, and I am back to having coffee.
Comment by Anonymous — January 5, 2007 @ 7:21 pm
Experiment over! I’m travelling this week and am not ready to try it without my tea. It was fun though.
Comment by drshellie — January 7, 2007 @ 11:30 pm
Sorry about being late to the party. If memory serves, it took several weeks for the increased energy, better sleep, etc. to kick in—I was definitely lethargic for a few weeks after going completely off the stuff. The biggest and best side-effect, though, was the lessening of my migraines. I used to get about 1 a month; since I gave up caffeine last April, I’ve had a grand total of 1 migraine. So that in itself was worth giving up the stuff!
Comment by Jane — January 8, 2007 @ 6:31 pm
I find that drinking coffee acts like a mountain range in the path of a weather system.
Having the coffee gives me a burst of energy (akin to the wind hitting the mountains, and dumping all the rain ) But then I get the “rain shadow” effect on the other side, and an energy deficit - not unlike the drying, draining feel of the fohn wind (I think that’s how you spell it) or mistral.
All in all, I have a more even energy with no coffee. Once I start drinking it, I need to keep on drinking it, until, after a few weeks, my skin is rubbish and I crash.
But it tastes soooo goood!
Comment by Suzie s — January 9, 2007 @ 2:05 am
The only people I know who have quit caffeine for more than a month did so because they were pregnant, so there’s a signal to noise issue there with regards to which causes produce which effects.
Comment by Lab Lemming — January 9, 2007 @ 8:01 pm
A day without coffee is like a day without coffee.
Comment by cfeagans — January 12, 2007 @ 8:07 am
I went off of coffee and switched to black tea, but I ended up drinking strong tea and up to 5 or more a day. I couldn’t function without it. I have some anxiety problems and decided to wean myself off of it. I went to Green Tea first (about half the caffeine). I still was getting a bit uptight (as some have mentioned, as you get off caffeine even a little can energize you). So today I declare that I am giving up coffee and teas all together. Just drinking lots of H2O. Let’s see how long I last!
Comment by Parker — March 1, 2007 @ 5:24 pm
I tried ages ago and gave up for months but back on it now. Only two a day though, just enjoy it. I sleep fine because I don’t have any after mid afternoon.
Comment by Web Marketing Mentor — June 19, 2007 @ 1:15 am