3 Ways to Cut Back on Caffeine

Caffeine addiction is a hard habit to break; just cutting out 100 milligrams per day (five to eight ounces of coffee, two cans of soda, or two or three cups of tea) may even cause such withdrawal symptoms as headache, irritability, nausea, and depressed mood. 

In fact, caffeine withdrawal is recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the handbook of psychiatric disorders used by mental health professionals.

In addition, drinking too much can cause side effects that are bad for your health and your long-term sobriety. These include: 

• Jitters
• Anxiety
• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Disrupted heart rhythm 

Caffeine isn’t always bad for you. In moderation, it can have a host of physical and mental benefits, including: 

• Improved cognitive function
• Better mood
• Less fatigue
• Greater athletic performance

If you can’t seem to function without it and find yourself drinking, for instance, three (or more) cups of coffee to just get through your morning, it may be time to consider scaling back. Try these tips to get started: 

Find a replacement ritual. Do you wake up and automatically make yourself a cup of coffee or tea? Try finding a healthier habit. A morning mediation routine, for instance, can help alleviate some of the caffeine withdrawal symptoms and also put you in a positive mindset for the rest of the day. 

Wake up with water. Put down the coffee and pick up some H20. Whether you drink it hot or cold, water can do wonders for your body and mind, including: 

• You’ll feel more refreshed and alert.
• You’ll flush unwanted toxins from your body.
• You’ll wake up your metabolism.
• You’ll fuel your brain. (Fun fact: Your brain is 75 percent water).

Get up and get moving. A few jumping jacks can rev up your energy as much (if not more) than a cup of Joe. And, perhaps the best part, study shows that exercising in the morning will help keep you in a good mood all day long. You don’t need an hour-long sweat session, either. Stretch, do a few yoga poses, go for a walk, perform a plank or some push-ups – just get moving! 

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