Anxious or Calming? This Is What Happens When You Reduce Your Coffee Intake
Drinking coffee is thought to improve mood. However, what are the effects if you gradually reduce your coffee intake? Here's what experts explain!
Caffeine, including the caffeine in coffee, does more than just boost energy or keep someone awake. It can also affect how calm or anxious someone feels, especially if you're sensitive to it or regularly consume a lot of it.
Caffeine consumption has long been thought to improve mood. However, this benefit appears to be negated if consumed in excess. Caffeine intake can actually contribute to anxiety.
So, what happens if you reduce your caffeine intake? Apparently, reducing caffeine consumption can ultimately lead to more stable moods for some people.
As reported by realsimple.com (20/9), here is an explanation of how it works according to experts.
1. Short-term effects of reducing coffee intake
Reducing coffee intake doesn't immediately make someone feel calmer. For the first few days, coffee intake can worsen mood.
For most people, caffeine withdrawal symptoms peak within the first 1-2 days after stopping caffeine intake. Expert Lyndsay Hall, RD, explains that during this peak withdrawal period, symptoms such as mood swings are more likely. However, mood generally begins to improve within a week or two of stopping caffeine.
The severity of caffeine withdrawal will depend on several factors, such as how much caffeine you normally consume and how quickly you reduce it. Furthermore, individual sensitivity will also play a role.
2. Long-term effects of reducing coffee intake
Meanwhile, in the long term, reducing caffeine or quitting caffeine consumption can bring positive changes, such as reduced anxiety, more stable energy levels, and increased alertness after the initial coffee withdrawal period ends.
"After reducing or eliminating caffeine long-term, a person may notice a stability in energy levels throughout the day, because they no longer experience the temporary energy spikes triggered by caffeine," explains expert Hall.
Caffeine can also disrupt sleep and cause temporary insomnia in some people. Cutting back on coffee can contribute to healthier, more regular sleep patterns.
However, it's important to remember that this potential for mood changes doesn't mean everyone will feel significantly better after drinking less or no coffee. Caffeine affects people differently. In moderate amounts, it can improve mood for some, while for others, it can actually cause anxiety.
3. People who benefit most from cutting down on coffee
Cutting back on coffee may be particularly beneficial for individuals with certain health conditions, such as those with higher levels of anxiety. They will likely experience a mood improvement after reducing their caffeine intake. Hide quoted text.
Expert Hall explains, "This is because caffeine in general can increase anxiety for many people. Caffeine temporarily blocks certain brain receptors that result in the release of norepinephrine, triggering the fight-or-flight response of the central nervous system."
If you want to test the effects, you can start by gradually reducing your caffeine intake. This gradual process can make the initial transition easier. Try reducing portion sizes, switching to decaf, or cutting out one caffeinated beverage at a time. This will give your body time to adjust.
Expert Hall also explains that caffeine intake of 50 to 100 milligrams per day can help during the withdrawal period and prevent an increase in withdrawal symptoms.
Ultimately the effects depend on the individual, including the dosage of the reduction and one's sensitivity to caffeine also play a role.
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