You could feel sick (but not for long) Those who stop consuming coffee have reported side effects like depression, anxiety, dizziness, flu-like symptoms, insomnia, irritability, mood swings, and sluggishness. Here's the good news: you won't feel this way forever.
The severity of symptoms vary from individual to individual, and most commonly include a headache, fatigue, decreased energy/activeness, decreased alertness, drowsiness, decreased contentedness, depressed mood, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and feeling foggy/not clearheaded.
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.
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.
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.
Caffeine slows down the rate at which your body makes collagen. This is a protein that gives your skin its tightness and elasticity. Once it drops, your skin starts to sag, and wrinkles appear.
Quitting has made me feel empowered. I experience less anxiety - Caffeine is a naturally-occurring chemical stimulant that affects the central nervous system. I no longer feel the racing heart feeling I used to get and my anxiety has calmed down overall.
In this battle over health benefits, coffee comes out on top. Coffee drinkers can raise a mug to fiber, microbiome health and lowering risk for cancer and diabetes. But tea drinkers, do not despair. Tea is undoubtedly good for your blood pressure, cholesterol, stress levels, mental health and productivity.
Benefits of Quitting Caffeine
These speak for themselves, but cutting down on your caffeine consumption can lead to less anxiety, better sleep, more efficient nutrient absorption, whiter teeth, balanced hormones, improved brain chemistry, and fewer headaches.
Symptoms of withdrawal begin 12 to 24 hours after the last caffeine intake and can last two to nine days. Caffeine can be a useful tool for an adult who needs help waking up and concentrating. But, it can also cause problems if you're not careful with it.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no caffeinated coffee, tea, soda, sports drinks or other products for children under the age of 12, while adolescents between the ages of age 12 and 18 should limit their intake to less than 100 milligrams per day – about the size of an old-fashioned cup of coffee.
Caffeine can cause your blood vessels to constrict, and as a result, the vessels at the surface of your skin won't deliver as many antioxidants and nutrients to promote collagen production. "The results of drinking too much coffee can cause the skin to wrinkle prematurely, and become more lax with time," says Dr. S.
Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it's not ideal for promoting quality sleep. Removing it from your day keeps cortisol and melatonin at their natural rhythms, which results in better sleep and less fatigue.
Many people who quit caffeine find that the boost they experience in their sleep quality results in them feeling happier and more energized. In individuals who are prone to experiencing depression, anxiety, or irritability, regular caffeine consumption can make these feelings worse.
Common symptoms include headache, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and dysphoric mood. Low doses of caffeine have been shown to suppress these symptoms.
Abruptly quitting caffeine can cause a dramatic change in the chemicals present in the brain, which may cause feelings of anxiety, depression, or irritability.
Coffee contains caffeine, which is a stimulant that can boost mood and energy levels. The caffeine in coffee works by increasing the levels of certain chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine and norepinephrine, which can lead to feelings of happiness and euphoria.
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.