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I quit caffeine

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Re: I quit caffeine

#271

Post by kzrdude »

carlgreene wrote: post #165
kzrdude wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you sleep better now, is that the explanation? I quit coffee for a few years, to fix my sleep, and it really did (now I'm back on caffeine and managing ok-ish). I would suggest to anyone curious to try. And if you quit coffee make it two weeks or so to really see the difference.

I dream more, but I didn't ever really have a problem sleeping.

Maybe you sleep better without sleeping longer. I'm no expert, but I've read that caffeine and alcohol can affect sleep quality in that way. Either way, great that it has a good effect.

Re: I quit caffeine

#272

Post by Fnoord »

kzrdude wrote: post #141
carlgreene wrote: post #112

I quit caffeine about 8 weeks ago for mental health reasons. It has been TREMENDOUS so far. I'm still hesitant on writing about it because it's such a new experiment. When I was on caffeine I was on a lot of it. Probably around 400-600mg a day combining my pre workout with my daily coffees. It is one of my favorite drugs and I loved taking it. This was the last 15 years of my life. I became quite irritable over the p…

Do you sleep better now, is that the explanation? I quit coffee for a few years, to fix my sleep, and it really did (now I'm back on caffeine and managing ok-ish). I would suggest to anyone curious to try. And if you quit coffee make it two weeks or so to really see the difference.

I quit drinking coffee in the evening, and that helped with sleep. But sleep is also a matter of habit. If its broken, you need to fix it by breaking the current habit of sleeping schedule.

Re: I quit caffeine

#273

Post by Fnoord »

oneplane wrote: post #129
wbobeirne wrote: post #57

I catch a lot of flak for all the money I waste by buying coffees at coffeeshops, but it's my way of rate limiting. If I want a cup of coffee, I first have to make myself presentable, go for a walk, and pay a cost. I also feel a bit weird about going back to the same place twice in one day, so that usually dissuades a follow-up trip, or at least makes me go on an even longer walk. Caffeine plays with everyone differe…

I used to drink a lot of the crappy stuff as well but as soon as you know the taste of real coffee (be it an excellent 3-minute 1:15 V60 single origin or a double shot espresso fresh from the machine from a local specialty roasting place) it just doesn't go down anymore. While it wasn't really much of a caffeine thing for me, I did simply like the taste and the fact that it's warm, but once you see it for the watery…

> to paper coffee pads

They're plastic, actually, but the other ones you mention are worse.

> we have things like infusions (ginger, mint, fruits, but also Rooibos) that doesn't really "do" anything but definitely make for a tasty hydrating drink.

Rooibos, for certain, 'does' a lot. It lowers your blood pressure. You can use it as a downer though it might be unnecessary if you don't use caffeine otherwise.

Re: I quit caffeine

#274

Post by Fnoord »

bduerst wrote: post #234
niklearnstodev wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a similar habit getting similar flak, but with another added reason. As a remote worker, going to a place every day (often leading to small interactions with others) helps replace replace some elements of working from an office (commute, small chats with other frequenters, the getting presentable ritual you mentioned, etc). I'll append a gripe to this and say that employers should allow "work-from-home budgets…

I've heard nicotine addiction described the same way by more than one person. It's not about the cigarettes, it's about the smoke break, which gets you away from your desk, outdoors, and socializing with strangers.

I never liked the socializing part, it was more some kind of FOMO with the smokers. The other ones stand. But the way it should be is that everyone gets a break, and that you can do smoking during the break or something else. Something like smoking a cigarette was something to hold in my hands and something to do when nervous. I know a better way to get some exercise: do a warming up, put on a podcast or music, and go run (cardio). You do two in one, and you don't have to go to a coffee shop (I find the idea of a coffee shop ridiculous, like a pub, because these goods are perfectly affordable and reachable at home but then again I'm not into the socializing aspect).

Re: I quit caffeine

#275

Post by tpoacher »

I don't want to quit coffee. I like it in my life. Especially the behavioural aspect of having a 'coffee making ritual' when I need a break at work. That and the fact I really enjoy coffee shops.

But I did feel the need to quite _caffeine_.

I found a wonderful shop which sells a nice range of decaffeinated coffee beans (any other brand I tried tasted like crap), and now I just do a half-half grind in the morning, and stick to a full decaf grind any other time I want to have a nice coffee break.

As for coffee shops, I go, but it's a treat rather than a daily need. Therefore I think the extra caffeine from that is ok.

Re: I quit caffeine

#276

Post by SunlightEdge »

eurasiantiger wrote: post #265
SunlightEdge wrote: post #221

I love the taste of coffee. Unfortunately I can't drink it as I get a near euphoric high followed by unpleasant hyperactivity and weird anxiety. Seriously. It's so unpleasantly strong for me. Tea I can drink but I don't touch it during work hours.my problem is having too much energy so I drink a lot of red bush tea during work hours. It's very calming.

You are sensitive to the monoamine oxidase inhibitors in coffee. I assume you don’t get the same effects if you consume only pure caffeine?

Am I? I haven't heard of that before. You are right that when drinking tea I don't get the same unpleasant effect. Thanks I'll look this up!

Re: I quit caffeine

#277

Post by SunlightEdge »

Engineering-MD wrote: post #227
SunlightEdge wrote: post #221

I love the taste of coffee. Unfortunately I can't drink it as I get a near euphoric high followed by unpleasant hyperactivity and weird anxiety. Seriously. It's so unpleasantly strong for me. Tea I can drink but I don't touch it during work hours.my problem is having too much energy so I drink a lot of red bush tea during work hours. It's very calming.

Not even decaf? Yes, the flavour isn’t the same and it still has some caffeine, but I still enjoy the flavour.

Don't laugh but I also find decaf quite strong. I don't know if it's because decaf fools my system somehow or there is another chemical ingredient in decaf that makes me feel weird. But I don't drink decaf either (I do like the taste).

Re: I quit caffeine

#278

Post by ahD5zae7 »

derbOac wrote: post #185
carlgreene wrote: post #112

I quit caffeine about 8 weeks ago for mental health reasons. It has been TREMENDOUS so far. I'm still hesitant on writing about it because it's such a new experiment. When I was on caffeine I was on a lot of it. Probably around 400-600mg a day combining my pre workout with my daily coffees. It is one of my favorite drugs and I loved taking it. This was the last 15 years of my life. I became quite irritable over the p…

When I've read about people quitting caffeine, it seems like half of people see no difference and half of them feel like their lives have improved. I'm kind of thinking of stopping, only because it bothers me if I go on a trip or something and have to get caffeine to avoid headaches. Also, part of me wonders how caffeine is influencing me overall, if it's doing things I'm not aware of. To be honest, the reason why I'…

I'm trying to get into japanese green teas. They are plenty artisanal for me, at least the good stuff is. Temperature and time control when brewing is close to coffee pour over brewing, maybe not quite there. Water quality matters just as much - I'm adding minerals to osmotic filtered water, just as I did with coffee. When done properly they taste wonderful, although this is subjective of course. Caffeine content is much lower than coffee, unless you go into matcha tea, which is even more artisanal and expensive (per gram). And if you love spending money, making it can be even more expensive than coffee (per gram, not per cup) - it's not really difficult to spend over $30 for a 50 gram bag. And some even say it's healthy.

tl;dr: try japanese green coffee.

Re: I quit caffeine

#279

Post by thenerdhead »

kkjjkgjjgg wrote: post #171
thenerdhead wrote: post #13

I had this exact same problem just back in November. Regular coffee drinker (1-2 cups), having pre-workout before the gym. Starting having an absurd amount of anxiety and what I can best describe as a panic attack or flu-like symptom making my heart race & feelings of palpitations. Go to the ER, they find nothing wrong. Doctors say "cut your stimulates and lower your stresses". Seemed to be a combination of work stre…

Did you get vaccinated? I had these symptoms after the vaccination, but I am not 100% if other things changed at the same time, like increased coffee consumption or unrelated external worries.

I'm so sorry to hear that. I hear that quite often from friends and family members. I did not get vaccinated/boosted around this timeframe if you were curious if that was the cause. I even had covid earlier in january 2021. I did a few COVID tests(both ER & at home) and came back negative each time. Inflammation markers in blood work also looked normal according to doctors/cardiologist.

For my situation, I think it was a combination of many things. Stress, anxiety, caffeine, intense workouts, allergy season, diet, hydration, long COVID, seasonal flu, genetics, etc. Nothing really changed for me personally either, but the world around me did. Maybe it's my body & mind's way of saying "dude slow down". So I listened.

Re: I quit caffeine

#280

Post by kkjjkgjjgg »

thenerdhead wrote: post #279
kkjjkgjjgg wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you get vaccinated? I had these symptoms after the vaccination, but I am not 100% if other things changed at the same time, like increased coffee consumption or unrelated external worries.

I'm so sorry to hear that. I hear that quite often from friends and family members. I did not get vaccinated/boosted around this timeframe if you were curious if that was the cause. I even had covid earlier in january 2021. I did a few COVID tests(both ER & at home) and came back negative each time. Inflammation markers in blood work also looked normal according to doctors/cardiologist. For my situation, I think it w…

Thanks - I hope it isn't serious but I'll try to get checked just in case.
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