Many of us are aware of the advantages of a strong brew of coffee, tea, or energy drink. A lot of individuals depend on the caffeine in coffee to help them wake up in the morning, stay focused in the afternoon, and possibly allow them to work into the night.
Students especially benefit from the improved energy and alertness, and you probably like the taste. But, like with most things, moderation is the key. For many of us, reducing our caffeine intake surely wouldn’t hurt, especially if we notice that it keeps us up at night or makes us hankering for another cup. You can liberate yourself from this cycle of alertness and tiredness by learning how to reduce your coffee intake.
Caffeine reduction can be difficult. Caffeine withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, weariness, irritability, and trouble concentrating, may be brought on by a sudden reduction in caffeine intake. Thankfully, these symptoms are typically minor and disappear within a few days.
To learn more about the effects of caffeine and pick up tips on how to best reduce your caffeine consumption or even kick the habit depending on your goals.
How Much Is Too Much?
Small doses of caffeine are safe. Although the data is unclear, healthy adults likely can typically consume up to 400 mg of caffeine per day, equivalent to two (50mL) espresso coffees or five (250mL) energy drinks.
Children shouldn’t take in more than 3 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. This equates to two (375 mL) cans of coke per day for kids between the ages of 9 and 13. It’s a good idea to keep your intake to 200 mg per day if you’re pregnant or nursing.
However, some people are extremely sensitive to caffeine; if you discover that one cup of coffee per day causes your heart to race, stop drinking it. Caffeine consumption should be discussed with a doctor by anyone with a health issue as part of any discussions about a healthy lifestyle.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, avoiding withdrawal symptoms is one of the most frequent reasons people maintain their caffeine use, which serves to restart the dependency cycle after you’d intended to leave it. But with a few adjustments and tips, you might be able to lessen or even avoid the withdrawal effects of coffee.
1. Go Decaf
If you consume coffee regularly, begin consuming decaf coffee gradually. Alternate between normal and decaf at first, then gradually switch to more decaf and reduce your intake of regular coffee.
A variety of decaffeinated beverages are promising options, such as decaf teas, coffees, and sodas – there are so many choices to pick from that you likely won’t even realize you lack caffeine. To more easily break your caffeine habit minus the withdrawal symptoms, gradually cut back over the course of two to three weeks.
Alternatives to coffee, such as green or black tea, are also an option. Tea has less caffeine than coffee but can still give you a boost. Compared to the 75 to 165 milligrams in an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee, an 8-ounce cup of black tea has around 47 milligrams of caffeine, and an 8-ounce cup of green tea has about 25 milligrams.
Spice things up with flavors like a peach blossom, cinnamon, black cherry berry, and pomegranate. Another choice is dandelion root coffee, which is produced from dried, chopped, and roasted dandelion roots and has no caffeine. All of these drinks lack the caffeine of coffee yet have a rich flavor.
2. Break the Morning Cycle
You are not alone if you rely on caffeine to get you up and keep you going. Millions of people use caffeine daily to increase alertness and focus. Are you one of those folks who can only start your day with a cup of coffee? Reduce your consumption of caffeine gradually. Try not to make the grave error of giving up entirely.
Reduce your daily use of coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks gradually if you want to reduce your caffeine intake properly. Start replacing cold coffee and tea with water or fruit juice in the morning. Water satisfies the desire to drink a liquid and is a healthy option. Additionally, water keeps you hydrated and naturally removes caffeine from your body.
3. Dilute
Diluting your coffee with milk, water, or decaf over a period of a few days is a simple and progressive strategy to start consuming less coffee. For instance, by adding hot water to your coffee, you’ll be able to continue drinking the same number of cups each day without having to deal with the stress of a sudden shift in habit.
If you don’t like the bland flavor, add more milk or cream to achieve the same result. Alternatively, add MCT oil to your coffee to thin it down. Coffee’s energy-boosting properties combined with MCT oil’s health advantages can help increase satiety, stimulate ketone production, and otherwise improve your morning habit of drinking coffee.
Adding MCT oil to your coffee demands caution and thought, just like any other dietary modification, in order to prevent MCT oil side effects. Try MCT oil in coffee if you’re not dealing with a health issue like high blood pressure or heart disease. It might help you become more productive and reach a peak level of health and
4. Sleep More
Even in the afternoon, caffeine might disrupt your sleep. Sleep deprivation of any kind can accumulate over time and affect your attentiveness and productivity during the day. Caffeine used to compensate for lack of sleep might lead to an undesirable cycle.
For instance, if you have problems staying awake during the day, you might take caffeinated drinks. However, caffeine reduces the amount of time you spend sleeping at night by preventing you from dozing off.
Sometimes the only way to stay awake during a long study session is to reach for coffee cup number three. But sleep is always an obvious option and you may make numerous simple adjustments to improve the quality of your sleep if you can’t squeeze in extra hours of sleep due to a hectic schedule.
To start, keep your bedroom cold, dark, and in night mode on your phone to reduce the blue screen light that can disrupt your body clock.
The Bottom Line
Caffeine is likely a component of your everyday routine if you’re like most folks. Typically, it won’t cause any health issues. But be aware of any potential adverse effects from caffeine, and be prepared to reduce your intake if required.
Always consult your doctor before making significant dietary or lifestyle changes because they may impact your mood or medical concerns.
