How to give up caffeine without feeling exhausted.

It's easy to have a love-hate relationship with caffeine. Your Americano at 8 a.m. makes you look at the morning meeting with your eyes wide open and in a good mood, but also makes you nervous by the time lunch is approaching. A cup of afternoon tea won't let you doze off at your desk, but it also won't let you fall asleep early. And as soon as these disadvantages begin to outweigh the pros, you may think about giving up caffeine.

But giving up your favorite fatigue fighter shouldn't be an unpleasant experience.What is caffeine?

Caffeine is a naturally occurring substance found in more than 60 plants (remember: coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods), although the synthetic version is often added to energy drinks, snacks and bars. When consumed, caffeine blocks the binding of the neuromodulator adenosine to its receptors in the brain. And it is this obstacle that gives an energetic effect, because adenosine slows down nervous activity and makes you sleepy when it binds to its receptors. In addition, it stimulates your central nervous system, increasing the rate of transmission of messages from your brain to your body. This gives your brain a sense of energy — alertness. Since caffeine is fully absorbed within 45 minutes after ingestion, you will feel its invigorating effect shortly after you drink your morning cup of coffee.

How much caffeine is too much?

In general, it is safe to consume about 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, which corresponds to four cups of regular coffee of 250 ml. For reference, a 250 ml cup of coffee usually contains 80 to 100 milligrams, a 250 ml cup of green or black tea contains 30 to 50 milligrams, and a 250 ml caffeinated soft drink boasts 30 to 40 milligrams. If you consume more than this amount, you may experience side effects such as trembling, insomnia, headaches, dizziness, dehydration and anxiety.

However, how quickly you absorb caffeine, which is largely influenced by genetics, can affect how much of an impact it has on you. People who take caffeine quickly usually feel energetic and alert, and they may even notice an improvement in memory and mental activity just 15 minutes after drinking a cup of coffee. On the other hand, those who slowly digest it tend to feel more sensitive to caffeine and experience increased side effects.

One of the signs that you are one of these slow metabolizers of caffeine is a rapid heartbeat. Even if it's an ordinary cup of coffee, you feel that your heart is about to jump out of your chest, you have a headache, trembling or anxiety, and, in particular, insomnia.

Who should think about limiting or giving up caffeine?

Pregnant women should usually limit their daily caffeine intake to 200 milligrams, as the stimulant can penetrate through the placenta to the baby, and there are concerns about a potential link between caffeine exposure and the frequency of miscarriages. But there is not enough evidence to conclude that there is a link between high caffeine intake and miscarriage.

How to Quit Caffeine

Regardless of the reason why you are giving up caffeine, it is better for you to gradually reduce your caffeine intake rather than give it up.

After giving up caffeine, regular users may experience symptoms including headaches, fatigue, decreased energy and alertness, difficulty concentrating and irritability. The more caffeine you regularly consumed before eliminating it from your diet, the more serious these side effects can be. And these unpleasant symptoms develop quickly: they usually start 12-24 hours after giving up caffeine and can last up to nine days.

However, slowly limiting caffeine intake can help prevent these symptoms, and won't be as restrictive. For example, if you normally drink two cups of coffee a day, gradually reduce your intake to one cup, then switch to one cup with less coffee, eventually decaffeinated coffee. Slowly begin to wean yourself off of this so that there are not some negative consequences, such as the feeling that you can't concentrate.

Despite the fact that decaffeinated coffee contains only 2 to 15 milligrams of caffeine per 250 ml cup, the similar taste of the drink combined with the ritual aspect of making and drinking a cup can simply trick your brain into thinking that this is real coffee. For the same reason, consider having a decaf drink at a time when you normally drink a latte if you want to give up coffee right away.

In cases where you usually reach for a mug of matcha or soda to get much-needed energy, check your hunger signals. One of the signs of hunger is a feeling of fatigue and inability to concentrate. So, first of all, ask yourself: "Do I need a snack?". If you feel full and satisfied, think about how much water you have drunk during the day, as fatigue can also be a sign of dehydration. If you're sure you're drinking well, just have a cup of herbal tea or something soothing. It can also be a distraction if you feel like you're in this mental slump.

When you switch to a decaf lifestyle, keep asking yourself how you feel. Since you gave up caffeine, have you become less worried? Do you no longer encounter such daytime accidents? Do you sleep more peacefully? Noticing these improvements will give you the motivation you need to continue the path of giving up caffeine.