I Quit Caffeine For A Month. Here’s What Happened

This meant that in addition to quitting coffee, I also stopped drinking other beverages that contained caffeine, such as tea, green tea, and others.

Given how important delicious caffeinated beverages like coffee, cappuccino, lattes, and good old tea are to our daily lives, you might be wondering why I made such a significant decision, especially as many of us find it impossible to function or even begin the day without a cup of coffee or tea in the morning.

This was the exact reason I made the decision to abstain from caffeine for a month: I wanted to be able to function throughout the day without it and to stop relying on coffee and tea to get me through the morning. Ultimately, I wanted to challenge myself with my one-month health detox and give my body a break from caffeine.

Week One: Challenging, but I No Longer Felt Dehydrated 

Now, I won’t lie to you all, my first week without drinking coffee every morning was extremely difficult. I experienced headaches, fatigue, and even drowsiness. This was not surprising given caffeine's ability to alter brain chemistry and give people the alert sensation they desire, which makes it an addictive substance.

However, this was something I was prepared for as I had been drinking two cups of coffee every morning for the previous five years. My body had grown accustomed to it, as it was such an important part of my daily routine. 

To counteract the negative effects of not drinking coffee, I began drinking at least 10 cups of water throughout the day. This was not only because drinking plenty of water kept me hydrated, but it also significantly reduced my coffee cravings. As a result, I became more hydrated than I had been in recent years. Excessive coffee consumption over time may result in dehydration due to the diuretic property of caffeine, which can make people lose water more frequently. 

In my personal experience, staying hydrated helps my brain health by keeping me alert and focused, and anytime I didn’t drink enough water, I would experience greater exhaustion, lethargy, a poor mood, and inattention. In fact, I noticed this even in cases of mild dehydration. 

Whenever I didn’t drink enough water, I felt exhausted, lethargic, and in a poor mood.

Hence, it’s no surprise that a study revealed that people who drank water before examinations performed better on cognitive tests and visual attention than those who did not. Maintaining hydration is essential for your body's and brain's health and efficient functioning, especially in terms of maintaining good cognitive performance. Considering that caffeine tends to cause dehydration, taking a break from it was very beneficial because it gave me time to rehydrate properly.

Week Two: My Sleep Improved and I Became More Productive

My sleep drastically changed during the second week of my caffeine detox: I began to sleep like a baby and woke up feeling energetic and well-rested. In terms of my quality of sleep, this was the biggest improvement I had noticed in years, which was shocking as I had tried many failed methods to improve my sleep.

This improvement, in my opinion, was caused by the fact that I almost always drank coffee or tea a few hours before going to bed. The science behind this is straightforward: Stimulants, like caffeine, are drugs that encourage alertness. This means that when we drink caffeine, it can cause us to stay alert longer than necessary. Additionally, caffeine interferes with our body’s natural production of adenosine. Adenosine is a chemical found in human cells that is one of the key elements of energy metabolism and is also responsible for making us fall asleep. The more time we spend awake, the more adenosine accumulates in the brain. The more it accumulates, the sleepier we become. Caffeine, on the other hand, prevents this action from taking place, as it blocks the adenosine receptor so we stay alert and cautious.

The quality of my sleep improved along with my energy levels, which allowed me to use my time during the day much more effectively. As a result of getting a good night's sleep the night before and having plenty of energy to get through the day, I also found that I craved less caffeine to feel alert.

Weeks Three and Four: Glowing Skin and I Saved Money!

I began noticing a significant improvement in my skin during the third week after giving up caffeine-containing beverages. My skin appeared much brighter, clearer, and so much more well-nourished than it had in years.

My skin appeared much brighter, clearer, and so much more well-nourished than it had in years.

This was not surprising, considering that caffeine has been shown to slow your body's production of collagen. Since this protein is ultimately what gives your skin its tightness and elasticity, when it declines, your skin's condition worsens. Given that collagen is one of the most essential components for glowing, healthy-looking skin, this is one of the biggest drawbacks of excessive caffeine consumption.

The effects on my skin were noticeable: After the third week of giving up caffeinated drinks, I was able to give my skin a much-needed break, allowing it to rejuvenate and jump-start its collagen production.

Even better, the advantages still continue after this. I began to notice a significant increase in my savings at the end of the third week of my caffeine-free regimen because I was no longer spending money on coffee from Starbucks or Tim Hortons. I had been spending at least $10 to $15 on coffee each week, which amounted to at least $50 to $60 per month prior to beginning my caffeine detox. I was, however, saving this cash during my caffeine detox which meant that I could use it to buy other useful things I needed for my day-to-day life.

Closing Thoughts

Before I made the decision to detox from caffeine, I could not imagine beginning my day without a warm latte or cappuccino; it was, by itself, a very difficult choice, given how much I enjoyed drinking it in the morning and how much it helped me get my routine going.

However, I was not prepared for the caffeine detox to have such remarkable results. I observed changes that simply exceeded my expectations, which made the experience worthwhile. Given all of the benefits I've personally experienced, if you care deeply about your health, I believe a short caffeine detox could be worth a shot to give your body the reset it requires.

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