Let's talk about caffeine

[KIAman]

You all are lucky. I avoid caffeine as much as possible because I am hyper sensitive. At one point, I drank coffee before work outs and I was a raging beast in the gym but the feeling of hyperactivity never stopped and I couldn't sleep for the next few days.

 

[PeterScott]

There are so many good hot drinks rich in beneficial phytochemicals where caffeine comes as part of the package (green/black/white tea and coffee). I usually end up having some caffeine about 2/day as part of green/black tea and coffee.

I find it beneficial for getting me jogging. I pretty much always have coffee and/or tea before I go jogging.

I do find I don't sleep as well as when I went caffeine free, but I limit my intake to 3 small serving/day max, and usually all before 6PM so the impact is small.

Overall the benefits outweigh the downsides for me. YMMV.

 

[Julia5]

As much as I love coffee I try to avoid it or only drink one cup in the mornings. I switched to green tea which made me have anxiety I feel like its stronger than coffee. Now I only drink black tea. Super light and okay

 

[pete6032]

This is day 6 for me w/ virtually zero caffeine. I have only had 2 cups of decaf. I know there is some in decaf - about 5-10 mg. I've also had some chocolate. But no caffeine coffee or sodas. I feel pretty good, a little tired, but I hope that will go away soon. I have had incredible amounts of dreams. Before when I drank coffee I would sleep through the night but never dream. Now without caffeine I am dreaming constantly. The first few days were difficult. I did not have headaches but I definitely had problems with concentration and forgetting things.

 

[Carson Dyle]

You all are lucky. I avoid caffeine as much as possible because I am hyper sensitive. At one point, I drank coffee before work outs and I was a raging beast in the gym but the feeling of hyperactivity never stopped and I couldn't sleep for the next few days.

I'm hypersensitive, too, but that doesn't stop me from my morning 14oz cuppa joe. I always keep both regular and decaf coffee on hand and dial up my desired level of caffeination, usually 1:1, but I'll often do 1:2 or sometimes 2:1. I seldom have any coffee after noon, but when I do it's all decaf.

I get some weird results. Very often that 50% caffeine coffee I had at 10AM will keep me up past 3AM. And I can always tell when it's the caffeine and not just simple stress or insomnia.

Occassionaly, when I've had coffee every day for a stretch, I'll get to the point where my mind is playing ping-pong all day long. I can't stay focused on any one task, and I go just a little nuts. Then I take a day or two off and my mind is noticeably calmer. It's a great feeling. I suppose it's like the old joke about hitting yourself in the head with a hammer because it feels so good when you stop.

 

[HitAnyKey]

Love the stuff. I drink one in the morning Black. Been drinking one an hour before my afternoon workouts. The coffee at my company is pretty bad so I drink less now LOL!

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Caffeine has zero effect on me other than I get headaches without it. I often have coffee before going to bed and sleep just fine. I'm addicted.

 

[Trudyblammer]

I avoid it at all costs, makes me anxious but then I again I smoke over 10 cigs/day.