Tips To Cut Down You Daily Caffeine Consumption

Posted: Wednesday 2 November 2011 11:05am

Hands up if your day doesn’t start until you’ve had a coffee? And if you then find yourself hurtling towards the vending machine for a can of cola at 3.30pm only to be kept up half the night because you can’t sleep. Cue morning wakeup call and a day that doesn’t start until you’ve had a coffee. It’s a vicious cycle. Follow these steps to cut down your caffeine intake.

DON’T GO COLD TURKEY
As with many addictions, going cold turkey can lead to a definite case of the cranky-pants. Headaches and the shakes are common symptoms of a cold turkey withdrawal. Try and reduce your intake step by step to lessen the impact you’ll feel. If you struggle with addiction, call Lifeline 13 11 14.

PLAN AHEAD FOR WITHDRAWAL
Don’t start the cut-backs process when you’re likely to be under stress. If the end of year is tough time with work and family, don’t pick December 1 to cut down. Perhaps aim for the week before Christmas when everything is winding down and you’re likely to be indulging in other beverages!

Monday morning is also a tough time to start the method, your body is probably eagerly anticipating a caffeine hit in the form of a cardboard cup. So give it what it wants to save yourself the stress and rage you might feel later in the day.

TRY TO TRICK YOURSELF
If you make yourself a coffee at home or work with a percolator, try filling up the cup with some hot water before you add in the coffee. If you make instant coffee, try halving the amount of granules you would usually add but still use the same amount of water and milk.

GIVE DECAF A GO
Many brands of store bought coffee and almost all cafes offer decaf options. The taste difference is minimal and your body will be cheering out of excitement that it doesn’t have to try and process all that caffeine! And this one is not just for coffee, there are many brands of tea that offer decaffeinated options.

TRY TEA
If you’ve never thought of yourself as a tea drinker, now could be the time to change. Though tea does contain caffeine, it is not nearly the same dosage as a cup of coffee. Most workplaces provide standard tea bags and boiling water (and mugs too, if you’re lucky!) so as well as reduced caffeine, this will save you a few dollars each day. Tea is also full of anti-oxidants and are an easy way to get more of them in your diet. You could also experiment with herbal teas like peppermint to aid digestion, chamomile to help you sleep (maybe not for the workplace) and green tea to help lower cholesterol.

SWAP, DON’T STOP IT
Part of the need for the caffeine is likely to be habitual. Every morning you get a cup of coffee. At 11.30 you go for a walk to the cafe and get a cup of coffee. The coffee is often the by-product of a need to get some fresh air or stretch your legs. Swap your caffeinated water for a glass of warm water with a slice or squeeze of fresh lemon. You’ll still enjoy the warm drink, and the lemon will help flush out toxins from your system, particularly if you have it first thing in the morning.

MAKE LIKE THE ITALIANS
Limit your coffee with milk to the morning. If you’ve ever been to Italy, you will know that the barista at the coffee house will look at you with judgement if you order a cappuccino after breakfast. The Italians love their coffee, but traditionally limit it to the AM. Though they do indulge in an espresso or similar after dinner and at other times, chances are the coffee you like to drink is a latte or flat white, so we don’t think you’re likely to take up this habit!

STAY HYDRATED
Don’t forget to drink lots of water. As damaging as caffeine can be for you, your cup of coffee is still fill of water and you don’t want to forego that dose of H2O. Make sure you’re sticking as close to the 6 glasses of water a day (plus an extra one for every standard drink of alcohol or caffeinated drink you consume). An easy way to make sure you’re getting enough water is to fill up a large jug and put it on your desk, and then try to work your way through the jug over the course of the day. (read: don’t look at the jug at 5.25pm and decide to guzzle down the whole thing)

WATCH OUT FOR HIDDEN CAFFEINE
Tea, chocolate and some medicines have caffeine as an ingredient, though not nearly as much as coffee. By being aware of these other sources of caffeine you can keep track of how much caffeine you are actually consuming each day.

LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE
Think about the other benefits there could be from cutting out caffeine, especially coffee. You’ll have more money in your pocket each week ($3 per cup x 2 each day x 5 days a week = $30) and be reducing your individual impact on the environment with less plastic lids making their way into landfill. Thinking about the big picture of your coffee consumption will help you to see that there are so many positive reasons to cut back the black gold.

Your say: Do you drink coffee? Do you think you drink too much caffeine? What are your tips to cut down? Did reading this just make you want a coffee? Share with us below.

by Jessica Swavley

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