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Wednesday 14 January 2015

Coffee Gone

A month or two ago, I was listening to the radio when a piece came on about caffeine detoxes. I'm not really sure what it was exactly that made me almost instantly [no pun intended] give up caffeine myself. I think it was the almost holy grail-like idea that it might help me sleep better. As I know all too well, my sleeping patterns absolutely shatter my ability to be productive when I've got no job/university schedule to get me up and at 'em, so going cold turkey seemed like the gleaming catalyst I was looking for.

I got the headaches pretty badly, as advertised, within the first week, lasting for about five days. But after that, I must say things have been better. My sleeping pattern hasn't miraculously fixed itself, but I find it easier overall to get to sleep. Getting up... well that depends what time I went to bed, so, as I say, the lack of coffee didn't fix that - I need to do that 'bit'. But the tiredness I feel isn't usually so absolute, and the energy I have [if any] is somehow more stable...

Of course I really miss the taste and the reckless derring-do you feel when you order that tenth coffee of the day, giving a non-peaceful two-fingered salute to the establishment and all other 'suits'. But, unlike with alcohol, the social side is not hampered. If I'm meeting someone at a cafe, I now enjoy some crazy fruit tea-type things [quite like minty ones, actually] - don't make no difference to me.

So I guess the whole reason I'm writing this is just to spread the word. I know it's a dull thing to do [as is any diet, or just anything that helps really. How fun are burgers, beer and basting random passers-by with Marmite? None of those things help anyone particularly, but we sure crave them], but hey, you never know 'til you give it a go [please excuse the rhyme].

Peace and love x

6 comments:

  1. When I was undergoing fertility treatments, one of the first things they told me to do was give up caffeine. It was extremely difficult. I am a coffee freak! Even my blog title says it all. But I was desperate to get knocked up, so I gave up possibly the one liquid thing that gave me any pleasure. I suffered immensely, for about a month of so, from caffeine withdrawals. Headaches, rage, and overall discontent with life. I was, to put it mildly, a caffeine-less bitch. In the end, I still didn't get knocked up, but after I was able to get over the painful withdrawals, I found that I did indeed sleep better and that my body stopped needing the caffeine to kick-start myself in the morning. Although I have stopped fertility treatments, I decided to not take up caffeine again. I miss the taste of it, so I do still drink coffee daily, but decaffeinated. I know that there are still trace amounts of caffeine in so-called decaffeinated drinks, but I figure that is the best I can do.

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    1. I know it doesn't seem like much after your sacrifice, but at least there are positives to the withdrawal.
      I recently tried my first decaf coffee. It's just not the same but, as you rightly say, the best we can do!

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    2. It's actually the second time I have given it up. I did it once before a few years ago for Lent. I think it was easier then because I knew that it was only for forty days. This last time, it was for an indefinite period of time. Currently, I am probably on my ninth month of being [almost - because of the decaf] caffeine free.

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    3. That's a very long time - well done for keeping it up :)

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  2. I go through phases of caffeine detoxes, past few weeks it's been red bull for breakfast - no joke.
    Now I just try to moderate it - because I do like a nice coffee but try to have a no caffeine after 6pm rule and make sure I am having some quality sleep. Slowly getting there!

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    1. That's a good rule to have, I hope you keep up with it and it serves you well :)
      I'm thinking of writing a bit of a follow up on some of the other benefits - for example my moods are more stable too.

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Just keep it clean (ish)!