I Quit Caffeine for 30 Days and It Changed My Life

coffee is more than just a beverage it's the kickstarter of our day a moment of solace in our busy lives and for many an in replaceable ritual and I was so highly dependent on it drinking up to six cups a day that I decided to quit caffeine for 30 days as good and tasty coffee might be there's also another side to this beloved drink caffeine the heart of coffee is the world's most widely consumed psychoactive substance Reliance on this morning Elixir can lead to a roller coaster of energy highs and lows affecting everything from sleep to our stress levels when we talk about psychoactive substances we referring to compounds that have a profound impact on our mental state caffeine the star of coffee is a prime example but let's dive a little deeper caffeine Works its magic by mimicking a neurotransmitter called adenosin adenosin normally binds to certain receptors in the brain signaling the body to wind down and feel tired but when caffeine enters the scene it competes with adenosin blocking these receptors this blockage leads to increased neuronal activity prompting the release of other neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine these chemicals alleviate our mood enhance concentration and boost our energy levels hence that familiar coffee height but this heightened state is a double-edged sword the body reacts to this surge by releasing adrenaline the fight and flight hormone this can lead to increased heart rate heightened senses and an acute sense of alertness it's great when you need this extra push but over time this can contribute to increased stress and anxiety and then there's the issue of Tolerance and dependence our bodies adapt to regular caffeine consumption requiring more and more to achieve the same effects this can lead to a Perpetual cycle of high highs and lows impacting our sleep mood and overall well-being understanding caffeine's powerful role as the most consumed psychoactive substance sparked my curiosity what would happen if I removed it entirely from my daily routine how would my body and mind react to its absence when I returned to my Baseline I was motivated and ready when I started my first day of my 30-day no caffeine challenge all I had to do was resist drinking coffee or other caffeine related beverages so how hard could this be but I also included another condition in my challenge avoiding swapping my morning coffee with decaffeinated coffee there are two main reasons for this one to find my Baseline I really wanted to break the habit of drinking a morning coffee and that would also include decaffeinated coffee I didn't want to have the psychological effect of drinking coffee I don't know if this makes any sense but it feels more of an accomplishment to me this way and the second reason was that I felt that the chance of not following through or failing with my challenge would be higher if I had just swapped my coffee consumption to decaffinated Coffee consumption because this isn't really a behavior change I would just tweak the product but there would be no change in my behavior and how I would use the coffee consumption as a way to procrastinate there's a challenge of behavior change we can have the best plan or strategy in the world or the noblest reason and motivation but it doesn't mean anything if he can't follow through with the plan like many other people my list of failed attempts to change a particular behavior is long the first day of my challenge went quite well my motivation was high and the novelty effect of starting something new blessed me with confidence and energy but this changed quickly after the headaches from caffeine withdrawal got worse and my energy level dropped significantly this is where I entered the phase of Despair where I questioned my reasons for doing this as the first few days passed the novelty of my 30-day no caffeine challenge began to wear off the initial confidence I felt was quickly overshadowed by the onset of withdrawal symptoms heex became a daily struggle and my energy level plummeted and I found myself yearning for the comfort of my morning coffee and the fact that my productivity at work was so bad that I could not get anything done put additional pressure on me also my mental resilience had gotten really thin when dealing with any sort of problems whether I had to deal with the Tantrum from my kids or an unforeseen problem at work I didn't know that life could be this tough without caffeine but why was this so difficult am I really the problem and has caffeine been my Lifesaver all along the answer lies deep within our biology our brains have a reward system designed to reinforce behaviors that are essential to our survival like eating caffeine like other addictive substances hijacks this system releasing dopamine and make us feel good over time our brain adapts requiring more caffeine to achieve the same effect a phenomenon known as neuro adaption this biology T of war is compounded by the psychological factors habits deeply ingrained through repetition become automatic trying to break these habits introduced cognitive dissonance where my desire to quit caffeine clashed with the comforting ritual of my daily coffees emotional regulation played a role too without my shot of caffeine I had to find new ways to cope with stress social factors also came into play the environment I frequented the people I surrounded myself with and the daily routines I followed all served as cues triggering cravings for for caffeine my social network accustomed to Coffee fueled Gatherings became an unexpected hurdle it's like James Clear describes it in his book Atomic habits it's easier to change a habit if you change the environment as I couldn't make others around me quit drinking coffee or avoid all social Gatherings where coffee was around I let people know of my challenge this way I generally received support and encouragement instead of tempting offers to drink a coffee I had to navigate these social influences mindfully while seeking support for my challenge another strategy was that I also let my newsletters subscribers know of my challenge to create accountability which is generally one of the best motivators for me throughout my journey and life I learned that relying solely on motivation and willpower is not enough motivation fluctuates and willpower can be depleted it became clear that overcoming caffeine dependence required a holistic approach addressing not just the physical withdrawal but the psychological and social dimension of addiction okay the first week and a half was terrible I had terrible headache I couldn't concentrate at all and I was not a very fun person to be with my mood wasn't very good but it's getting better 2 weeks in and almost 2 weeks in and the headaches started to stop and yeah I can also Focus again without coffee that's a good sign at least I can put in some decent work now so I I realized this was more than just giving up caffeine it was about understanding the complex interplay of biological psychological and social factors that influence our Behavior I discovered the importance of alternative coping mechanisms the support of friends and family and the need for personal resilience what I noticed after about 2 weeks was that it got easier to resist drinking coffee yes here and there situations arose where a coffee would have been really really nice simply because I like the taste and the ritual but it wasn't accompanied by this painful withdrawal effect and I started to notice a rise in Clarity and energy throughout the day before I usually had an energy dip in the afternoon unless I fasted the whole day but now I notice a much more balanced energy level throughout my whole day and my Sleep Quality has also improved significant l in conclusion my 30-day no caffeine challenge taught me a vable lesson about habit formation addiction and personal growth it showed me that changing an addictive behavior is not merely about breaking a bad habit but involves overcoming biological adaptations addressing psychological needs navigating social influences and building a healthier pattern of behavior to anyone considering a similar challenge remember if it's not just about the substance you're giving up but the journey towards understanding yourself and building a healthier and more mindful life if you're ever considering taking a break from caffeine or any other habit I encourage you to take this sleep it's really worthwhile even though it might be really challenging for you and it has been for me so what now the 30 days have passed and I accomplished this challenge as I really love the taste of coffee or matcha I mostly drink decaffinated coffee now and every other day a maximum of one coffee or MAA a day the numbers might fluctuate but I'm much more mindful of my caffeine intake so share your story in the comments below and thank you for watching

Channel: Kitaro Waga

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Length: 10min 21sec (621 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 06 2024