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> And due to the quick quitting, the benefits were much more noticeable. Within a couple of weeks it was immediately obvious to me how much more alert I was thr

> And due to the quick quitting, the benefits were much more noticeable. Within a couple of weeks it was immediately obvious to me how much more alert I was throughout the day, how much of my normal workday sluggishness and brain fog was artificially caused by caffeine, and how much less greasy my skin was Interestingly, I also quit fairly quickly, about two years ago. Honestly though, I did not experience such major, obvious benefits. I was definitely overdoing coffee in the past, and when it got to the point that I needed two strong ones before 9AM to get going, I decided it's time to stop taking loans out against my sleep. But basically post-quit, I have similar levels of energy/tiredness, overall (compared to a normal, on-coffee day). It's just less peaky and trough-y, and sleep is more predictable. The main difference I would say is that on that rare occasion when I now have a coffee, it has an extremely sharp effect. It's pretty odd, and I'm wondering if people are overblowing the effects, or if I'm just the odd one out.

ChrisRR 6y ago
Don't forget that caffeine may not be the only thing causing lethargy. You may also be deficient in other vitamins (quite often people don't eat anywhere near enough vegetables), or you may just be getting a bad night's sleep. Maybe you're not sleeping for long enough, or suffering from sleep apnoea Maybe you're simply sat in your office chair for too long every day and just need to go for a wander once an hour to get the blood flowing. Quitting caffeine is just one step, but if it's not what's causing your issues, don't forget to look into other aspects of your lifestyle,
- danielbarla 6y ago
  I suspect you're right. I've got most of the first paragraph covered very well, but definitely could have a more diverse diet, and my physical activity levels vary between something quite decent (walking / cycling to work, alongside other fitness routine) to periods of almost no activity (lockdown + no fitness routine). It could definitely be improved, and I will put a bit of focus on it.
- netizen-9748 6y ago
  For me exercise is vital, it wakes me up better than caffeine ever has. Working up a light sweat and getting your heart rate up seems to increase mental sharpness, likely due to the norepinephrine response.
taeric 6y ago
I'm in this boat. I didn't drink coffee til mid twenties, and I have never used an alarm clock. Now, I love the taste of coffee. I have given it up a few times, but have never really felt better or worse for it.
brundolf 6y ago
Same here; coffee has never made me feel generally "bad" in any way that I can detect. I drink several cups a day - sometimes (not usually) as late as 5 or 6pm - and sleep like a baby anyway. I haven't ever given it up completely, but I did cut down to a single (8oz) cup first thing in the morning for a little while. The only noticeable effect was - as you said - the coffee I did drink had more of a punch than before. I didn't feel like I had more or less energy overall; I certainly didn't notice anything like "skin greasiness" before or after. It's interesting that it affects people so differently. It takes a whole lot of coffee for me to even feel jittery; most of the time it's just a pleasant boost of emotional energy. Like an anti-depressant. I feel excited about life and ready to go dive into it. That's the main reason I drink it most days; not to keep myself awake. It just feels good, seemingly without downsides.
petemill 6y ago
Maybe because caffeine is inversely additive. The more you have the less its effects are. https://lifehacker.com/what-caffeine-actually-does-to-your-brain-5585217 https://lifehacker.com/what-caffeine-actually-does-to-your-b...
asdff 6y ago
The big benefit of caffeine for me is avoiding drowsing off. I haven't been drinking coffee very much at all during the pandemic, but that's because there is no risk if I drowse off at home. At work, if I didn't have my coffee I would be clonking off in every presentation, because who doesn't start feeling relaxed and tired in a dimly lit climate controlled room in a comfortable chair with nothing to do but sit in silence for a while? If I sit anywhere not doing anything I will start falling asleep, and I do get my 8 hours+ a night. What was worse was if I had to drive. Same issue. Comfortable chair, light vibration from the car, warm interior, not much going on going straight on the highway, and I start dozing off. Coffee prevents that from happening. In desperate times I would start to rip out a leg hair every now and then to keep myself awake, or slap myself quite hard in the face. I keep emergency caffeine pills in my car now for this purpose.

ChrisRR 6y ago

Don't forget that caffeine may not be the only thing causing lethargy. You may also be deficient in other vitamins (quite often people don't eat anywhere near enough vegetables), or you may just be getting a bad night's sleep. Maybe you're not sleeping for long enough, or suffering from sleep apnoea Maybe you're simply sat in your office chair for too long every day and just need to go for a wander once an hour to get the blood flowing. Quitting caffeine is just one step, but if it's not what's causing your issues, don't forget to look into other aspects of your lifestyle,

danielbarla 6y ago
I suspect you're right. I've got most of the first paragraph covered very well, but definitely could have a more diverse diet, and my physical activity levels vary between something quite decent (walking / cycling to work, alongside other fitness routine) to periods of almost no activity (lockdown + no fitness routine). It could definitely be improved, and I will put a bit of focus on it.
netizen-9748 6y ago
For me exercise is vital, it wakes me up better than caffeine ever has. Working up a light sweat and getting your heart rate up seems to increase mental sharpness, likely due to the norepinephrine response.

taeric 6y ago

I'm in this boat. I didn't drink coffee til mid twenties, and I have never used an alarm clock. Now, I love the taste of coffee. I have given it up a few times, but have never really felt better or worse for it.

brundolf 6y ago

Same here; coffee has never made me feel generally "bad" in any way that I can detect. I drink several cups a day - sometimes (not usually) as late as 5 or 6pm - and sleep like a baby anyway. I haven't ever given it up completely, but I did cut down to a single (8oz) cup first thing in the morning for a little while. The only noticeable effect was - as you said - the coffee I did drink had more of a punch than before. I didn't feel like I had more or less energy overall; I certainly didn't notice anything like "skin greasiness" before or after. It's interesting that it affects people so differently. It takes a whole lot of coffee for me to even feel jittery; most of the time it's just a pleasant boost of emotional energy. Like an anti-depressant. I feel excited about life and ready to go dive into it. That's the main reason I drink it most days; not to keep myself awake. It just feels good, seemingly without downsides.

petemill 6y ago

Maybe because caffeine is inversely additive. The more you have the less its effects are. https://lifehacker.com/what-caffeine-actually-does-to-your-brain-5585217 https://lifehacker.com/what-caffeine-actually-does-to-your-b...

asdff 6y ago

The big benefit of caffeine for me is avoiding drowsing off. I haven't been drinking coffee very much at all during the pandemic, but that's because there is no risk if I drowse off at home. At work, if I didn't have my coffee I would be clonking off in every presentation, because who doesn't start feeling relaxed and tired in a dimly lit climate controlled room in a comfortable chair with nothing to do but sit in silence for a while? If I sit anywhere not doing anything I will start falling asleep, and I do get my 8 hours+ a night. What was worse was if I had to drive. Same issue. Comfortable chair, light vibration from the car, warm interior, not much going on going straight on the highway, and I start dozing off. Coffee prevents that from happening. In desperate times I would start to rip out a leg hair every now and then to keep myself awake, or slap myself quite hard in the face. I keep emergency caffeine pills in my car now for this purpose.