I know what you’re thinking – what a stupid article. I shouldn’t even be reading this. I love coffee. Always have, and always will.
I need coffee to stay alert, awake, and focused. Coffee is why I’m so productive; it’s why I can get so much done in so little time. I’m not like the others, I really do need it. I’m different. And special!
This is exactly what I told myself for the last eight years. For as long as I can remember drinking coffee, it was an integral part of my lifestyle and wellbeing – what good would it do if I gave it up?
This is not the article for mere coffee enthusiasts. It is not for the one’s who go to Starbucks on the weekend to order a Caramel Macchiato or a Chai Latte. I’m talking to the real addicts – the ones who drink it black, bitter, and bold without hesitation.
As part of a masochistic experiment, I decided to give up coffee for 30 days and note it’s effects. This article was supposed to be titled, “Benefits of giving up coffee for 30 days.” But as you can see, that’s not the case.
I have had a sudden, drastic change of heart, and I have vowed to never drink coffee again.
Here’s why.
1) Energy
One of the biggest illusions surrounding coffee is that it will give you more energy. Sure, in the next 4-6 hours you may find yourself in a hyperactive brain dance. But just like Newton said, “For every force, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”
Coffee is a stimulant. And like all stimulants, it carries a crash. Like most, I used to mitigate the crash by simply pouring another cup, all the more adding to my self-defeating tolerance. When I arose the next day, I could barely notice a difference – and that’s where it can be dangerous.
Coffee’s impact on energy works in mysterious, subtle ways. Its negative effects are so subtle that they are left in the mental blind spot. We only notice it when it’s already too late.
It took me about a week of abstinence to fully recover from coffee’s grip on me. One of the first things I noticed afterwards was how sustainable my energy became. For the first time, I could work from dusk till dawn without feeling like I was actually “pushing” myself.
It’s not that my energy was necessarily higher, but it was much less volatile. There were no jolts or crashes, and I felt much more connected to my body’s natural circadian rhythm.
This is not to say that coffee doesn’t give you energy. Of course it does. But over the long haul when you consume it in large doses, your energy will slowly deplete and make you dependent.
2) Addiction
Any substance that makes you want to jump, dance, and sing “Hallelujah” probably has some effect on your central nervous system.
I was very addicted to coffee. I could not go to the gym, study, work, or write without it. Sometimes I would even use it as a means to socialize. It became such an important part of my life that it actually gave me anxiety when I could not get my “fix”.
It’s important to recognize that caffeine is a drug that carries withdrawal symptoms. And like all addictions – no matter how harmless we may perceive them – they desensitize us from reality.
Chronic caffeine intake increases the sensitivity of serotonin receptors, producing a release of chemical happiness in the brain (1).
But what happens when you overload your brain with serotonin sensitizers? In the short-run, you will feel very happy. But to reach that same level of happiness in the long run, you will need more and more stimulation every time.
When used in excess, this can create a cycle of abuse. The more you feed your brain with psychoactive substances – caffeine and sugar included – the more stimulation your brain will need to feel normal.
3) Productivity
Coffee wears a mask of high-productivity. It’s the first thing we turn to when we are in need of a push. But consider this: why do we need a push in the first place?
It all goes back to the tolerance cycle. The more you use, the more you need. And when too much caffeine is consumed, your biological functions like sleep and emotional regulation will suffer. Inconveniently, these are very important for productivity.
The reason you are unproductive is not because you lack coffee – it is your brain lacking motivation. Coffee is conditioning you to become unmotivated, because every time you drink it you are associating yourself with a lack of enthusiasm.
When I first quit, it took me an entire week of mental agony to fully recover. I was lazy, unmotivated, and especially foggy. I simply could not focus.
But when I did finally recover, it was as if a weight had shed off my shoulders. I no longer relied on coffee for giving me liquid inspiration – it was already there.
Sure I was a little groggier in the mornings, but I got a much deeper sleep and my energy was sustained all the way until I went to bed. I went from a rollercoaster of productivity to a highway.
4) Stress
This one is kind of a paradox. At least for me, quitting coffee definitely took a toll on my mental wellbeing initially.
I’m a type-A personality, so I tend to be a little more impatient and anxious than the average Joe. I am on-the-go all the time, and I usually pack my day with millions of tasks and activities. So not doing anything for a week felt like I wanted to rip the hair follicles out of my chin.
But eventually, I felt better. Much better. By the 7th or 8th day, every urge I had to chug my beautiful brown beans had vanished along with my mental haze and anxiety. I can’t explain it beyond the fact that I simply felt much more comfortable in my own skin.
Research also indicates that coffee increases cortisol in the brain, which recreates the conditions of stress in the body (2).
This is because our brain is wired to release cortisol when it senses that we are in danger. So in order to give us the best possible odds of survival, the body will use more of its adrenal resources to help us escape (3).
The more your adrenal glands are activated, the less influence they have. This robs you of the creative and mental energy you need when you truly are in a state of high stress.
“Caffeine actually aggravates adrenal exhaustion and low blood sugars, amplifying the anxiety and stress symptoms and fatigue” – Dr. Teitelbaum
If coffee is the first thing you put in your body everyday, then you can imagine how annoyed your adrenals must feel when they are called into fight or flight war every morning. It is like sleeping in a lion’s den – you are conditioning yourself to expect danger.
5) Sleep
This was a surprisingly quick benefit I noticed when quitting coffee. But it makes sense. Caffeine is a stimulant, and stimulants make you go Weehoo! Not ideal for falling asleep.
Studies show that caffeine can delay the timing of your body clock, which will decrease your levels of deep sleep throughout the night (4).
The onset of sleep benefits appeared almost instantly compared to the other four. Listen, if you need a good sleep – I mean the type of sleep where you wake up with wrinkles on your stomach – try quitting coffee for a few days.
Conclusion
This article is not meant for everyone. It’s meant for the outliers who have let coffee take control of their wellbeing.
Do not be fooled – using coffee in excess can seriously mess with your biological functions. But used in moderation, you probably have nothing to worry about.
As an ex-coffee addict, it just makes sense for me to hedge my bets against coffee for good. I have since reclaimed all of my lost energy, I am much more productive, my sleep quality is much deeper, and I’m simply a happier person.
Maybe, you can be too.