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If you're a Red Bull-loving, coffee-swilling caffeine junkie, the idea of giving up America's most popular stimulant may seem absurd, even impossible. Fortunately, cutting back on caffeine isn't nearly as hard as you think. All it takes is time, patience and a few well-chosen alternatives.
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Step 3: Gradually Cut Back on Caffeine
Caffeine Reduction Strategies
- All of the following caffeine elimination strategies require that you cut back on caffeine gradually. It is not advisable to go cold turkey.
- According to Dr. John Hughes, director of the Human Behavior Pharmacology Laboratory at the University of Vermont, even light coffee drinkers can have withdrawal symptoms.MotherNature.com: Caffeine Dependency "It's best if you gradually give up caffeine over the course of several weeks, rather than giving it up abruptly."
- Gradually Reduce the Amount: Dr. Hughes recommends reducing your caffeine intake by 10 to 30 percent every few days.MotherNature.com: Caffeine Dependency "If you drink 3 cups of coffee a day, drink 2 or 2 1/2 for three or four days, then decrease by another 1/2 cup a few days later and so forth. Give yourself plenty of time."
- Switch to Tea: Tea has a lower amount of caffeine than coffee. Switch over one of your daily servings from coffee to tea. Slowly transition completely to tea, then to caffeine-free or herbal tea.
- Blogger Jay White recommends switching to a flavored tea that you A) love and B) comes in a caffeinated and decaffeinated version so that your eventual transition to the caffeine-free lifestyle is less dramatic.
- Brew Tea for Less Time: According to the Mayo Clinic, brewing tea for less time cuts down on its caffeine content.Mayo Clinic: Caffeine: How much is too much?
- Use a Coffee Alternative: Cut your coffee with a healthful alternative like soy-based coffees Rocamojo and Soyfee or an herbal caffeine-free coffee like Teeccino.
Tips for Achieving Success
- The following tips will help you cut caffeine out of your diet regardless of which "caffeine fading" strategy you adopt as your own:
- Establish a Baseline: In order for any weaning process to work, you have to know what your intake was to begin with. Establish a baseline by documenting the amount of caffeine you take in over the course of the week. Don't forget to include caffeine-laced pain relievers, weight loss pills, chocolates and sodas in your count.
- Don't Use Pain Relievers Containing Caffeine: When you suffer from a caffeine withdrawal headache, don't reach for a caffeine-filled pain reliever. Several over-the-counter products, like Excedrin and Anacin, are loaded with caffeine. Read the labels carefully, and choose a pain reliever that will help rather than hinder your progress.
- Give Up the Drug, Not the Ritual: You're giving up coffee, not your coffee break. If coffee, an energy drink or soda is part of a daily ritual for you like reading the paper or taking a mid-day break at work, keep the ritual. Replace the drink with water, juice or another caffeine-free alternative.
- Stay Healthy: Drink lots of water, get some fresh air and exercise. Aerobic exercise, in particular, creates a natural high that can help start your day in a more healthful way than coffee ever could.
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