Yesterday was my first day without caffeine in a while. I bought some decaf coffee over the weekend in anticipation of this two-week attempt at surviving without any caffeine. The decaf coffee helped a little because I was able to enjoy my routine. Since about 9:00 yesterday morning I felt like I have the beginnings of a cold. I have a slight headache. Even though we went to sleep a little early, I feel like I got a terrible night of sleep. I’m tired and my mental focus is not very sharp. Lately I’ve been drinking way too much coffee a day, and I know my sleep is probably suffering because of it. Hopefully this two weeks will help.
If not, well then my first cup back will be glorious.
Withdrawal symptoms—possibly including headache, irritability, an inability to concentrate, drowsiness, insomnia and pain in the stomach, upper body, and joints may appear within 12 to 24 hours after discontinuation of caffeine intake, peak at roughly 48 hours, and usually last from one to five days, representing the time required for the number of adenosine receptors in the brain to revert to “normal” levels, uninfluenced by caffeine consumption. Analgesics, such as aspirin, can relieve the pain symptoms, as can a small dose of caffeine. Most effective is a combination of both an analgesic and a small amount of caffeine.
Yeah, apparently people even experience paranoia. I’ve been lucky enough to not have to.