Caffeine can give you rushing energy and boost your productivity, but what about the other side of the coin? Even if your caffeine intake is moderate, you are likely to experience some unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop consuming this stimulating drug. In this post, we are going to discuss how to get rid of caffeine withdrawal.
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Making Lifestyle Changes
Your ability to handle caffeine withdrawal symptoms, to a great extent, depends on your lifestyle. Here are a few ways to make positive changes in your lifestyle:
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Get More Sleep
Caffeine withdrawal will make you feel tired. You may find it hard to think clearly and focus on the task at hand. Getting more sleep is the best way to deal with headaches and sluggishness. A 2009 study has established the relationship between sleep migraine reliefs
People in the twenty-first century sleep less, and that is a public health issue. However, too much of anything is bad. For some people, sleep can trigger a headache. It is up to you to figure out how your body responds to sleep.
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Stay Hydrated
Another way to deal with caffeine withdrawal is to drink more water than you usually do. All people do not need the same amount of water to stay hydrated. As a rule of thumb, an adult should aim for 8 glasses of water in a day.
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Engage in Physical Activities
Lethargy is one of the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal. With no caffeinated beverage in the morning, you will feel weak. Getting physical activity and moving around can boost your energy. Some light exercise can remove fatigue, making you alert. A short workout or a quick jog can do wonders.
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Drink Herbal Tea
For many people who are wondering how to get rid of caffeine withdrawal, herbal tea can be part of the solution. Herbal tea is caffeine-free, but it can combat the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal.
Drinking herbal tea is also a good way to stay hydrated. Herbal tea is an antioxidant and has a host of health benefits. Consider replacing your coffee with hot or cold herbal teas.
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Stay Positive
For those who are wondering how to get rid of caffeine withdrawal, here is the most important piece of advice: stay positive. Remember that the symptoms are temporary. While you are experiencing some unpleasant symptoms, your goal is to get rid of a potent stimulating drug.
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If Needed, Get Support
Quitting caffeine can lead to fatigue, mood changes, and mental cloudiness. If you think the symptoms are too much for you, remember that it is not necessary to deal with them alone. Tell your friends and family members that you are quitting or cutting back caffeine, and dealing with some unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
Taking Medications
Headache is the most commonly reported caffeine withdrawal symptom. Before you learn how to get rid of caffeine withdrawal headaches, understand why headaches happen when you abruptly stop caffeine intake. As you consume caffeine, the substance narrows the blood vessels in the brain.
And when you stop consuming it, the vessels widen, resulting in a boost in blood flow. This change can trigger a headache.
However, there are a host of other possible symptoms. There are medicines to treat these conditions. Below we are going to recommend some medications to treat caffeine withdrawal symptoms.
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Take an OTC Pain Reliever
Aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen are some over-the-counter pain relievers that can treat caffeine withdrawal headaches. Take these medications every four hours until your headache subsides.
Some pain relievers contain caffeine, and they work pretty well. However, you should try not to use these medications because you are trying to get caffeine out of your system.
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Get Melatonin Supplements
The disruption of sleep patterns is one of the commonly reported symptoms of caffeine withdrawal. It will be hard to fall asleep, and during the night you will wake up a lot. Your body produces melatonin to promote sleep. Melatonin supplements are used to bring normal sleeping patterns back. It is ideal to take the supplement 50 minutes before you try to sleep.
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Take Vitamin Supplements
You are going through withdrawal because your body is functioning without caffeine, a potent stimulant. Your bowels and some other organs may not function optimally when you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
Vitamins and minerals may help you better adjust to the situation. Increase your intake of vegetables and fruits. Take magnesium, vitamin C, potassium, calcium, B-vitamins, and zinc in the form of supplements.
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Apply Peppermint Oil
If you are wondering how to get rid of caffeine withdrawal symptoms, especially headaches, you may try this simple remedy. Menthol, which is the active ingredient of peppermint, is known to reduce inflammation and soothe headaches.
When it comes to relieving tension headaches, peppermint oil can work wonders, just like acetaminophen. You can apply the oil very easily. Just massage a few drops of the oil on your temples and forehead.
Dealing with Symptoms
Apart from making lifestyle changes and taking medication, it is important to listen to your body. Everyone responds a bit differently to caffeine withdrawal. So, you have to notice what symptoms are occurring in your body and mind, and deal with the symptoms.
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Notice Headaches
More than 50% of people who quit caffeine experience headaches. You are likely to notice headaches about 12 hours after your last cup of coffee. The intensity and duration of headaches will depend on a host of factors, including how much caffeine you usually consume per day, your age, gender, caffeine tolerance, and even your genetics.
Ice can be a handy remedy. When you feel headache pain, just apply an ice pack. It works by numbing the area or altering blood flow. You can also apply it to your neck. That will make you feel a lot better.
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Stimulate Your Acupoints
Pressing on Acupoints or pressure points can ease muscle tension and thus relieve headaches. For treating chronic headaches, acupressure treatment is more effective than muscle relaxants, according to a 2010 study.
The base of your index finger and thumb is one particular acupoint that is tied to headaches. When you experience a headache, press on this point firmly for about five minutes. Do the same on the opposite hand.
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Recognize Other Symptoms
Caffeine is a potent stimulant that directly stimulates the central nervous system. The drug basically works by blocking a neurotransmitter called adenosine. It also promotes the release of some other mood-altering neurotransmitters like dopamine, glutamate, and norepinephrine.
In order to learn how to get rid of caffeine withdrawal, you have to first recognize what particular problem you are facing. Not all people experience the same symptoms.
Commonly reported symptoms to include dizziness, drowsiness, irritability, lethargy, constipation, brain fog, muscle pain, anxiety, and depression.
Feelings of anxiety are common in people who consume high doses of caffeine, especially when they quit caffeine cold turkey.
Brain fog, one of the frequently reported caffeine withdrawal symptoms, leads to difficulty staying on task and difficulty thinking clearly. During this time you may feel spaced-out and strange. However, this symptom lasts only a few days.
Caffeine releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked to motivation, happiness, and assertiveness. After you quit caffeine, you may find it hard to stay motivated and make decisions.
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Gradually Lessen Your Caffeine Consumption
If you are worried too much about symptoms, quitting cold turkey may not be a very good idea for you. By gradually reducing the amount of caffeine intake, you can drastically reduce the symptoms.
If you usually drink 4 cups of coffee per day, bring it down to 3 cups a day, for the first few days. After that, drink two cups a day, and let that go on for a week. This way, you can taper off, and at a point quit completely. For most people who want to learn how to get rid of caffeine withdrawal, it may be the most effective way.
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Expect Some Long-term Symptoms
As we have already stated, everyone does not experience the same withdrawal symptoms after quitting caffeine. For some people, the unpleasant symptoms last only for a few days. For others, they may last for a few weeks, even up to a couple of months.
If a person is a heavy coffee drinker and stops suddenly, the symptoms will be more intense. However, long-term symptoms are not usually intense, and they seem to come and go until they disappear.
What Is a Healthy Level of Caffeine Consumption?
An adult’s caffeine intake should not exceed 400 mg per day. This is roughly about 4 cups (8 ounces each) of coffee. This recommendation comes from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
A 2015 study revealed that on average, an adult consumes around 130 mg of caffeine per day. However, about 14% of coffee drinkers exceed the official recommendations.
Final Thoughts
Headaches are the most common symptom of caffeine withdrawal. However, there are a host of other possible symptoms, and some of them can be very unpleasant. The good news is these symptoms last only 2-9 days. We have discussed how to get rid of caffeine withdrawal symptoms. We hope now you have a better understanding of caffeine addiction and are prepared to deal with the withdrawal symptoms.
