Why, How (and What Happened When) I Eliminated Caffeine From My Life

Licorice tea for me, please.

Nobody loves a hot beverage more than me, and while my love affair with tea and coffee goes way back, I was never someone who drank it all day long. Like a lot of people, it was the morning ritual of brewing it, pouring it into my favorite mug and sipping it as I started my day.

However, coffee became a bad boyfriend I couldn’t quit. I’d ween myself off and go caffeine-free for a couples of weeks - and feel fantastic - but end up going right back to him in a moment of weakness.

I wish it wasn’t true, but alas, those windows of time when I’d be caffeine-free, I’d be better for it, all around. My skin was less dry, my lips less chapped. My sleep was more solid (I’d fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow). I was better able to focus, and energetically steadier. I was calmer and less anxious. Going caffeine-free proved itself to me again and again…it was a boon for my wellbeing.

However, the number one reason I needed to quit my “bad boyfriend” once and for all at age 53 was hot flashes…without caffeine, they were pretty much non-existent. Yup, caffeine, even in a moderate amount, was irritating my liver and exacerbating hot flashes.

Today marks a full year of zero caffeine, and aside from clearing my kitchen counters of coffee makers, here are six hot tips for you, if you’d like to dump your caffeine habit:

First, know that the first month will be the hardest. The first 30days is when you are actively overriding a deeply ingrained habit, so don’t think beyond 30days in the beginning.

Second, avoid all coffee shops for the first month. They are way too tempting.

Third, once you’ve got 30days under your belt, go to your local coffee shop and tell them, “I’ve changed.” Explain that you love frequenting their space, but you’ve gone caffeine-free for health reasons. Tell every one behind the counter and perhaps a few of the regular customers too. Then tell them your new beverage of choice is a go-to herbal tea order. Maybe it’s hibiscus, maybe it’s lemon balm. It can be hot or cold. Every cafe has chamomile, so you can always order that and ask for a lemon wedge and some honey.

Fourth, if you’ve been consuming caffeine for years and years, you need to know that caffeine withdrawal will not be over in a day. Sure, you’ll get a headache on day one and it’ll be over by day 2, but other symptoms come in waves, including irritability, no “get up and go,” general malaise, and depression. One interesting things I blurted out after one week of no caffeine was, “I’m unexcited without coffee….” These symptoms will pass.