CAFFEINE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS
These hit you when you haven't consumed anything for awhile. These have nothing to do with the "crash" you get after drinking a pot of coffee in the morning. That happens right after consumption. Withdrawal symptoms occur when you haven't had caffeine for at least 24 hours. Some people never experience them, and some people do. Everyone is different.
Let's take a look at some caffeine withdrawal symptoms:
Tired all the time - People drink coffee or energy drinks to wake up. When they don't have those things, they psychologically are more tired, or so they think. It's not as if their body is actually fatigued in the morning without a blast from coffee. Psychologically, they think that they can't possibly make it another hour without something to boost themselves up. It's such a joke.
Now I love my morning coffee, too, but I also know it's a psychological dependence. I don't actually need anything, but yet it's the first thing I crave or think about when I wake up. Why is that? I'm addicted to that jolt.
Some people will say, "I love the taste of coffee in the morning." That really is such a denial statement. You can say that about anything. It's not the taste of coffee you crave, otherwise you'd be fine drinking decaf. It's the caffeine you're after, not the taste of coffee itself. Drink decaf for a few days and see how you react to it. You'll probably throw it away. That's a red flag.
Imagine how tired you'd be if, instead of gulping down cup after cup in the morning and potentially NOT eating, you drank a glass of juice and made a nice breakfast. Caffeine curbs your appetite, so most coffee drinkers only drink in the morning. They don't eat. Food, however, equals energy. It's energy that cannot be found in caffeinated products. It's real energy.
In all reality, you'd be much more functional throughout the day if you abstained from caffeine. Healthy foods and juices would give you 10x more energy, and energy that will LAST. People just don't want to believe it, and some people like the appetite-suppressing qualities it has. They view it as dietary. They don't want to gain weight by eating. Sadly, that is not a correct way of thinking.
Headaches - If you haven't had any caffeine for more than 24 hours, you might develop headaches. It's your body's way of telling you it needs caffeine. If you overdo any substance, and suddenly stop, you'll experience some sort of withdrawal. Some people get headaches, and some people don't.
When I abstained for about 5 months, I never got headaches. I read about them, and I knew people got them, I just never experienced them firsthand. I was abnormally tired, yes, but I never got headaches. That being said, there is nothing wrong with taking a nap. Sleeping is good for your body. Keeping it awake for hours on end, without rest, is not.
Always looking for caffeine to consume - This might not be as obvious as you think, but it's as clear as day once you stop. If you open the fridge, perhaps you'll look for a soda first. If you're in front of a whole selection of sodas, maybe you'll pick out the one with the most caffeine in it.
Maybe you'll instinctively buy a candybar or two on the way home from work. That has caffeine in it, too.
It's just like any substance you quit. You're always going to be looking for it.
When I quit for 5 months, I would catch myself at work going for the highly carbonated beverages, instead of the caffeine-free kinds. Psychologically, I would think they'd taste better, but the taste is not what I was after. I was after the jolt.
You just have to realize that it IS possible to have an energetic day without drinking a pot of coffee. It's not about the taste. Drink more juices and eat a healthy breakfast. That's more of an energy boost than caffeine will ever provide.
