The endless battle of fighting caffeine takes so much strength from me, I feel like I need an iced coffee to manage it. Years as a caffeine addict has taught me that the contradictory buzz is both my lifeline and my downfall. The sound of my alarm each morning doesnât call me to get up and start my day, but rather signals me to walk towards the fridge to grab an energy drink to function. Despite being fully aware of this addiction that costs me nearly $50 per week, unlearning the habit of reaching for a caffeinated drink for mental and physical support is difficult. Luckily enough, I was able to take a short break this past summer and get a glimpse of what life without artificial energy reliance is like.
For context, my days with caffeine began with a morning coffee or matcha. Then, the afternoon crashes led me towards an evening âpick-me-up’ drink, like an Alani or Celsius energy drink. IÂ strategically timed these caffeine boosts around my daily tasks, whether that meant studying, going to class or working out. Because I had become so dependent on these drinks to get my responsibilities achieved, the productivity they seemed to provide made it hard to see why quitting was in my best interest.
However, it wasnât always sunshine and rainbows. Although caffeine consistently helped me regain my focus and block sleepy brain signals to keep me energized, the heart rate spikes and withdrawals can lead to many anxiety increases and headaches. When consuming over 200 milligrams of caffeine each day, it’s hard for the brain to reset and calm down. Especially when it’s time to head to bed, too many of these drinks impact sleep schedules. Unfortunately, days where I consumed an above-average amount of caffeine resulted in getting only five to six hours of sleep and an increased sense of mental exhaustion when the caffeine buzz wore away. These effects eventually led me towards greater self awareness and a summer break without caffeine dependence.
This summer, I spent three weeks not indulging in my usual daily routines. This was sort of a self set-up experiment, soI could fully analyze how my body reacts to a reset. The first few days without caffeine were when I noted how much harder it was to wake up and focus on certain activities. Yet, with time, little functions became easier when I chose to prioritize water intake over coffee and energy drinks. Throughout June, July and August, I took summer courses, so I was also able to see how the absence of caffeine showed up in my study habits. Ultimately, I felt like I was able to have a steady consistent focus, over short bursts of stronger focus. I found the same trend when relating this to gym and workout habits, finding consistent workout sessions over a longer period of time, over high intensity bursts at the beginning of my gym time. As expected, I also found a more steady sleep schedule and had less trouble falling asleep towards the end of the night. Instead of resting my head on the pillow at night with racing thoughts, I was able to close my eyes and be asleep within the hour.
Overall, my summer experiment taught me that my body can reset with time and function normally without caffeine. This doesnât mean that I believe caffeine is purely harmful. Sometimes an energy extension is exactly what is needed to help realign focus on off days or during sleepy moments. Whatâs important to consider, as college students, is that it is crucial to set good intentions and make positive routines now, as these are the ones that will stick with us for the rest of our lives.
Unfortunately, I am not a saint when it comes to practicing what I preach. This semester, I have definitely let myself spend weeks on end where I consume one, two, and sometimes three caffeinated drinks to stay awake and accomplish all of my assignments and activities each day. Since college environments can be so overwhelming, it’s no surprise that so many students choose to rely on caffeine to help manage school, extracurriculars, social settings, and everything else life puts on our plates.
A major takeaway from analyzing the differences in my daily life when I rely on caffeine versus when I cut it out, is there is power in the concept of balance and knowing how to control it. We shouldnât use caffeine as the only way to be able to get things done, but that doesnât mean we need to eliminate it from our lives entirely. Before reaching for a second or third cup, ask yourself if you need the boost or if youâre simply running on routine.Â