Beating Caffeine Withdrawal Symptoms

Beating Caffeine Withdrawal

If you suddenly find yourself without your daily dose of caffeine you may feel like your life is in complete turmoil. One of the major reasons people require caffeine to feel ‘normal’ is not to get their kick from caffeine but rather to stop caffeine withdrawal symptoms from kicking in. Withdrawal kicks in 12-24 hours after your last dose. You may start feeling lethargic, brain fog, headaches etc. – This is withdrawal. If you remember back to before you consumed caffeine regularly, ‘normal’ didn’t feel like headaches, lethargy and brain fog.

Many people don’t experience withdrawal long enough to discover how difficult is it to suffer withdrawal. They never give it enough time to come through the other side and beat it. Caffeine withdrawal can be so debilitating that getting out of bed in the morning is an extreme struggle.

Caffeine Withdrawal symptoms can be different for everyone. Below is a guide that will help you push through withdrawals and even become a healthier, more relaxed and focused human being.

Your body and mind is recovering, healing and often changing when you are going through withdrawal. In order to beat withdrawal you have to try to live the healthiest life you can with discipline and consistency.

Things that will help with withdrawal

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  • Stay hydrated
  • Sleep (difficult with insomnia but this will improve if you follow the guidelines)
  • Regular Exercise
  • Meditation and Yoga – Relax
  • Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
  • Supplement Vitamin C (helps the healing process), Magnesium (natural relaxing mineral for the human body) and Fish Oils (brain function and inflammation)
  • Drink caffeine free herbal tea’s
  • Use Adaptogen herbs – Relieves symptoms of anxiety and stress.
  • Let your close friends and family know that you are experiencing caffeine withdrawal symptoms
  • Socialize
  • Take cold showers to help wake up
  • Stay positive know that this is temporary and withdrawals will pass!

Things to avoid during withdrawal

  • Don’t consume diuretic foods or drinks
  • Don’t Deprive yourself of sleep and rest. Get to bed early when possible
  • Don’t rush the big decisions – determine if your feelings or emotions are due to caffeine  withdrawal before making big decisions in your left
  • Avoid consuming high amounts of refined sugars
  • Don’t consume alcohol
  • Don’t isolate yourself
Anxiety and panic attacks from caffeine withdrawal

I want to spend some extra time on the topic of anxiety during caffeine withdrawal. Everyone experiences anxiety in their lives. It could be sitting in the dentist chair, during turbulence on a plane, the night before a big exam. I would consider this ‘normal’ anxiety. Anxiety is part of human evolution, it serves a purpose. It is necessary for certain situations where we require heightened focus e.g. evading danger.

When people cease consumption of caffeine they may experience increased anxiety and even panic attacks. For some, this will be the first time they have ever experienced anxiety or panic attacks and it can become frightening and confusing. For others who have experienced anxiety and panic attacks before can find the frequency and intensity of the attacks are amplified. This shows the powerful grasp caffeine has the body and mind.

Many of the symptoms people are experiencing are in fact due to anxiety in the body or mind – for example stomach cramps, stress headaches, back ache, increased heart rate, short or laboured breathing can all be results of increased anxiety during a detox phase.

If you have ever experienced anxiety or panic attacks you will know how intense they are. Many people have had trips to the emergency room experiencing panic attacks due to how frightening they can be.


When your body is in shock from caffeine withdrawal you may want to visit your doctor. Many people take a lot of trips to the doctors to find out what is wrong and a lot of the time the doctor will not associate their symptoms with caffeine withdrawal. One symptom of anxiety can be hypochondria, especially if you are health conscious. People have even spent money on therapy treatment for caffeine withdrawal. It may be worth it but if you realise that these symptoms are only temporary you may save yourself some money.

As debilitating as anxiety can be, it is only a temporary withdrawal symptom and will eventually return to a much less anxious, less stressed and more relaxed state when the withdrawal phase ends.

Timeline

Like the opening paragraph states, we are all unique. When it comes to the length of time to recover this will vary from individual to individual. The timeline can be shortened but the recovery can depend on things like body mass, age, physical health, psychological health, discipline, stress levels, amount of caffeine consumed, how long you have been consuming caffeine etc.

Most webpages will state that caffeine withdrawal will last between 2-9 days. In truth caffeine withdrawal can last several weeks, even months!

Depending on the individual I would set the timeline as anywhere between 2 days and 6 months before you are fully free of caffeine withdrawal symptoms.

Even people who have only had ONE regular cup of coffee or energy drink per day for months or years can experience withdrawal symptoms over several weeks.

The symptoms may take 12-24 hours to appear. For some, symptoms did not occur until the 3rd day which can confuse some people when linking their symptoms to caffeine withdrawal. If you have been a heavy caffeine user these symptoms may worsen over the days and weeks to come before they eventually subside. The recovery phase is not a linear timeline. There are many ups and downs

Please refer to my timeline for my personal experience of caffeine withdrawal.

Turning the corner and setbacks

After days, weeks or months of withdrawal you will start seeing the benefits of caffeine withdrawal. You may get a few hours of feeling ‘normal’ and maybe even better than before. Hopefully once you get to this stage you will have a steady recovery and you have finally turned the corner. However, for many this is only a glimpse of what the future will be like before the symptoms return.

Unfortunately the recovery is not linear. You may experience benefits of being caffeine free for a longer period each time. After a while you will be feeling good for a few hours a day, the next week you may feel good a few days a week and the next week you may have symptoms for only one day per week, the following week only an hour or 2 per week and so on until you are completely free from caffeine withdrawal! Remember everyone is different, it doesn’t mean there is something wrong with you.

One important thing to remember that phase is only temporary and it will pass. Be disciplined and consistent.

Benefits

Being caffeine free can have many life changing benefits that can improve your life in multiple areas.

Consistent energy levels

Caffeine give you many ups and downs on the day. Eventually leading to more downs than ups. Being caffeine free will allow you to have more consistent, improved, natural energy levels. It will be as if you stepped in to a time machine

Improved and deeper sleep

This may take a while to achieve but it is certainly worth it. Falling asleep within minutes of hitting the pillow and wakening up more refreshed than ever

Reduced stress levels

A more calm and tranquil mood will appear allowing stressful situations to me managed much better

Reduced anxiety and panic

If you suffer from anxiety and panic attacks being caffeine free will lead to reduced frequency and occurrences of attacks

No longer being held by the addiction of caffeine

For some people their day revolves around their caffeine fix. Being free of an addiction is always a benefit

Financial savings

A caffeine habit can add up to hundreds and even thousands annually. You will become financially better off

Better and more consistent mood

If you find yourself having constant mood changes being caffeine free will steady your mood

Clearer focus

Caffeine can cause people to become erratic when faced with tasks. Have you ever had one single task to do but find yourself with 6 different unrelated tabs open on the internet just because things pop into your head, almost like ADD? Being caffeine free brings a calm, relaxed and focused approach when performing tasks.

Healthier diet

Sugar content and calories of caffeine drinks and snacks can be a huge percentage of your recommended daily intake. Removing this will leave you living a healthier life.

Improved vitamin absorption

Caffeine prevents absorption of some vitamins – Calcium, Vitamin D and Iron. Caffeine can even interfere with the effectiveness of some medication.

Better Skin

Rebalance hormones which can lead to reduction in acne and fresher looking skin.

Caffeine is a widely available product found in many places and many forms. Be mindful of the how you use caffeine and don’t be surprised if you suffer from sever caffeine withdrawal symptoms once you cut back or stop – Caffeine is a drug after all.

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