From mid march to mid september this year I abstained from caffeine. So a total period of 6 months or 26 weeks or 180 days of abstinence from all kind of Coffee, Black Tea, Cola or Energy Drinks.
Why did I did this? It was an experiment to see how my body react on this abstinence. How I feel and live without caffeine and 180 days without coffee in the morning.
For a further understanding of this experiment I have to tell a bit about my pre experiment caffeine habits. In the past I normally drunk a big cup of coffee in the morning. I drink coffee black without milk or sugar. I thought I need this how many people think they need a cup of coffee in the morning to get energized and motivated. Further I drunk at least one but most of the times more than one cup of coffee over the day. I drink very less other caffeine drinks, my caffeine consume existed mostly out of coffee.
My reasons for the experiment was different. I wanted to do the opposite of what people normally do. I wanted to see how my body and mind react on the abstinence of caffeine. I wanted to check if my body neutralize the caffeine level and can live without coffee after one or two months without caffeine. I wanted to see when I have down phases over the day and how I can use the up phases for maximize productivity.
The first days and week was very hard. It was very uncommon to not drink coffee in the morning and over all not to drink coffee. But instantly I noticed that the abstinence of coffee also gives you more time for other stuff in the morning. It maybe only saves you up 5 minutes, but 5 minutes in the morning is worth gold.
After a few weeks a new routine without caffeine caught me and over the night it seemed normal for me to abstain from coffee in the morning. I was very glad that it developed like this, but soon I observed that something is missing.
Around the noon hours I felt tired and especially after lunched it was very hard for me to go back to study or work. It overall improved over time, but I clearly noticed when my down phases were.
Often times I substituted the coffee with a lot of water. Sometimes I drunk tea, but that was more rare than regularly. I noticed that drinking water and staying hydrated can have an amazing effect and wake my body up and clear my mind. And not only in the morning, also in phases where I was normally down.
The months passed, a big study phase came and I was there without outlook on a cop of coffee. I somehow managed to survive. I did a lot of other things like a lot of sport.
In mid september I started again to drink coffee. But my behaviour changed. I now don’t drink coffee before 11 AM and not after 4 or 5 PM. I also do not drink coffee every day, I would say only around 4-5 days per week.
I have the feeling now that I can concentrate longer throughout the day without depending heavily on caffeine but also not without to miss it.
My experience showed me that caffeine in the right dose and at the right time can have a great effect and boost your energy and motivation level.
I am drinking coffee again sine 1 1/2 months and I feel great because I know how I can use it effectively now.
Just some words about my journey and my experience.
Written on October 29th, 2018 by Lasse Schultebraucks