Giving Up Caffeine : Part 2

It has been exactly one month since I gave up caffeine.

The day I started, I didn’t experience anything noteworthy. However, for the following two days, I had some intense muscle cramps that made made me think that I had the flu. I probably should have looked this up beforehand, but it turns out that muscle cramps are one of the possible symptoms of caffeine withdrawal.

This didn’t last long though. On the fourth day, I was feeling 100% again and have been since.

In terms of the benefits of giving up caffeine, I haven’t noticed any improvements in my daily life. I don’t think any more or less clearly. I don’t concentrate any better or any worse. I don’t feel any more or any less jittery or irritable. I don’t feel any more or any less anxious.

What I have noticed, though, is that I have been sleeping worse. Moreover, it is noticeably more difficult for me to stay awake after 22:00, whereas before I would not even feel mildly tired even if I was pulling an all-nighter.

I still want to drink coffee, but I don’t have any serious cravings. I’m surprised by this, because everything I have read has indicated that the more caffeine you typically drink per day, the worse the withdrawal symptoms are. This study does allow for genetic differences in the experience of withdrawal symptoms. I know my grandfather drank a similar amount of coffee as I do now with no obvious side effects. I don’t know if he ever tried to give it up though.

According to the study, symptoms typically last for two to nine days — considering this, I doubt I’ll be experiencing anything new between now and next month. But for good measure, I intend to continue my experiment for two more month as planned.

I’ve made it this far. Here’s hoping I make it to the end.