Are you wondering how long it takes to feel normal after quitting caffeine? It definitely should not take months. For most people, caffeine withdrawal symptoms can last two to nine days and you should be feeling fine again no more than two weeks after you stopped using caffeine.
If caffeine is a big part of your daily diet, taking it away can have a host of unpleasant effects in the short term. These include headache, tiredness, sleepiness, down moods, trouble concentrating, and crankiness. You'll start to feel symptoms a day or two after you stop. They can last anywhere from 2 to 9 days.
Typically, the onset of symptoms starts 12 to 24 hours after caffeine cessation, peaks at 20–51 hours, and may last up to two to nine days.
However, caffeine can also stimulate the body's fight or flight response, leading to symptoms such as nervousness, stress, anxiety, low mood, heart palpitations, and panic attacks. Quitting caffeine can make you less anxious, especially if you are prone to anxiety.
You Could Lose a Few Pounds
Whether you're hooked on coffee, soda—yes, even diet soda—or another caffeinated beverage, quitting caffeine could cause you to lose weight.
In fact, when you quit coffee, after a few days your body's response will be overwhelmingly positive. One of the most widely reported side effects of quitting coffee is weight loss.
THE BOTTOM LINE
In general, experts agree: Abrupt coffee detoxes aren't necessary and can come with a wave of uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. If you're drinking more than 4 cups of coffee a day, cannot function without it or are struggling with side effects, gradually cutting down can help you feel better.
First alternate between decaf and regular, then slowly change to more decaf and taper off regular coffee. Gradually reducing your caffeine consumption over a period of two to three weeks will help you successfully change your habit without causing withdrawal symptoms.
Studies have shown that quitting coffee helps you lower anxiety (which can cause stress eating) and even help lower cortisol in the body (which tells your body to store belly fat) and other studies show it can help lower blood pressure several points.
Headaches aren't the only painful symptom of caffeine withdrawal. Those who stop consuming coffee have reported side effects like depression, anxiety, dizziness, flu-like symptoms, insomnia, irritability, mood swings, and sluggishness.
Caffeine withdrawal fatigue can last anywhere from two to nine days. If you're sleep deprived and rely on coffee to perk you up, though, you may feel fatigue until you address this.
If you drink coffee regularly, quitting coffee cold turkey can leave you feeling tired and irritable. Withdrawal symptoms should get better within a few days, but they're not a pleasant experience. For many people, withdrawal symptoms can be avoided by tapering off coffee gradually. Was this page helpful?
Essentially, caffeine changes your brain chemistry, which is why coffee withdrawal feels so terrible. You might experience brain fog, feelings of depression, and an overall “life sucks” attitude. If you're a coffee addict, you'll feel these effects after a day of skipping caffeine, or even a few hours!
Caffeine's addictive qualities make it difficult to quit. When we use caffeine every day, our bodies become accustomed to it and need more to achieve the same feeling of alertness. This can lead to a physical dependence on caffeine.
One way is to take a week off from coffee every month. That's what Ashley Richmond, the founder of Momentum Habits, does. She recommends taking the first week of the month off so it's easy to remember. If that sounds too harsh, try the slower approach.
Most people who give up alcohol notice that their skin is dewy, and healthier looking after just one week. By the end of Dry January, you're likely to see less swelling, clearer skin, and an overall healthy glow.
How much caffeine is in decaf coffee? Decaffeination removes about 97% or more of the caffeine in coffee beans. A typical cup of decaf coffee has about 2 mg of caffeine, compared to a typical cup of regular coffee, which has about 95 mg of caffeine.
Slowly back away from the caffeine
These tips can help you incrementally stop your caffeine intake. Set a time limit: Set a time by which you stop your caffeine intake each day. Medical professionals recommend 2 p.m., so as not to interfere with your sleep. Substitute a lower caffeine drink: Start with small changes.
There can also be side effects to consuming too much caffeine, such as jitteriness, anxiety, nervousness, increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, difficulty sleeping, irritability, tension, and even exacerbated panic attacks.
Stopping coffee consumption may have positive effects on the skin. It may help collagen production, which supports skin structure. Some may also see a decrease in acne. That said, you may also lose out on some of the benefits of coffee for the skin, like protective antioxidant properties.