Caffeine Withdrawal: Are you feeling any of these symptoms?
Most people who suffer withdrawal from caffeine will likely feel a headache as soon as 12 hours after their last intake of caffeine. It gets worse after 24-48 hours and can take as long as a week.
Why does caffeine withdrawal happen?
It is because caffeine blocks receptors in the brain that can dilate blood vessels which then causes headaches. Also, when our intake of caffeine is reduced, our blood pressure drops which leads to an excess of blood in the head but not necessarily in the brain.
This is the reason why we feel cranky if we don’t get our cup of Joe in the morning or for a long period of time. Imagine waking up in the morning and feeling excited about getting your daily dose of coffee and you realized you’re late for work or a meeting so you rush out.
Good for you if coffee is served during the meeting but if not you’ll add another two to three hours without any caffeine in coffee or espresso. Talk about a bad morning with a headache!
It is not just coffee that is the reason for the symptoms. Cola and tea give you approximately 40 milligrams each while coffee gives you 100 mg.
Here is a list of caffeine withdrawal symptoms:
- Headache
- Irritability
- Sleepiness
- Inability to concentrate and/or focus
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Restlessness
- Jitteriness
- Flushed face
- Nausea
- Accelerated heartbeat
How do you avoid these symptoms?
It would be hard to avoid these symptoms especially if your intake is more than three cups of coffee a day. But what we can do to make sure we don’t feel those severe headaches and other symptoms is to slowly lessen the intake of your coffee or cola.
We don’t to do this abruptly as it will trigger those nasty withdrawal symptoms. How do we do it? Let’s say you take an average of three cups of coffee a day, what you can do is this:
Week 1 – Lessen to 2 1/2 cups of coffee a day.
Week 2 – Lessen to 2 cups of coffee a day.
Week 3 – Lessen to 1 1/2 cups of coffee a day.
Week 4 – Lessen to 1 cup of coffee a day.
We know it’s hard to do but if you’re continuously experiencing the symptoms and it has been affecting your relationships and work then it would be best to cut down on your caffeine. It should be best for you in the long run.
Here are good caffeine side effects that you need to know.
Caffeine especially from coffee and tea have always been marketed as an addictive drug and has always been surrounded by negativity. People think that there are just too many caffeine side effects.
Because of this we forget or aren’t made aware of that there are actually caffeine benefits.
Whether it’s caffeine in coffee, tea or other drinks, I’m here to show you what the effects of caffeine are to the body and how it can be beneficial.
Of course, let’s keep in mind that too much of anything is not good to the body and that goes for caffeine too. So sit back, relax and enjoy your cup of coffee while knowing that what you’re drinking does have a lot of good effects.
Here are 5 good caffeine side effects:
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- Improves Brain Power – Caffeine in coffee helps keep our minds alert and more focused on the task at hand because it is a stimulant. The effect may not last that long but one to two hours of extra mind alertness can go a long way in terms of work, school and even sports.
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- Increases Stamina – Caffeine in coffee will also fight muscle fatigue because it slows down adenosine, which is linked to our muscles getting tired easily. So if you’re going for a run, a swim and even a workout, caffeine in coffee can actually help you last longer.
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- Relaxes Muscles – People with asthma would love this as caffeine benefits them a lot by making the muscles of the lungs relax, and easing symptoms of asthma.
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- Prevents different sickness- Studies have shown that one of the best caffeine side effects is that it may help prevent heart disease, Parkinson’s disease and even diabetes. Caffeine in coffee is especially good as it contains antioxidants that lead to a healthier heart. (Take note that it may prevent and would be different if you already have a heart problem).
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- Burns Calories – Not only does caffeine benefit you in terms of stamina, it also speeds up your metabolism – given that you don’t put too much sugar. In a research done by University of Copenhagen, they found out that those who took 50 mgs of caffeine experienced anywhere from a three to 16 percent increase in thermogenesis (the rate one burns calories).
We’re not saying that you should go out and just drink coffee or tea because of the good effects of caffeine we showed you. If you’re someone who’s not used to caffeine, then it would be wise to talk to your family doctor first especially if you’re above 30 or take it one cup at a time.
A little precaution about caffeine from teabeancoffee.com
Research through the years has found that there are good caffeine benefits but remember not to overdo it all right? You should still limit your in take to avoid the caffeine side effects. Visit this link to know more about caffeine overdose and how to avoid it.
One more thing, if you’re pregnant you might want to limit your intake of caffeine as it may not be good for you and your baby. Please visit this link to learn more.
Don’t rush withdrawing caffeine from your body. Take your time and you’ll be fine. Good luck!
