5 Benefits That Make A Caffeine Break Worth It
By: Michael Papas
Tags: Self Improvement, Energy, Coffee, Work, Caffeine

5 Benefits That Make A Caffeine Break Worth It

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

One week from the roughest exams of my life, I cut caffeine.

I’d considered quitting for a while. At this point, I was drinking up to six cups of coffee a day — without which I’d wither. I was dependent. I’d sleep on my desk if three hours went by without a hit.

With just over a week to go, I hadn’t studied for these exams. And when I saw how much work I had to get through, I panicked.

I started cramming, spending the first two days hopped up on a chain of coffees. I was wired. My heart pounded like a sledgehammer, my jaw clenched from tension, my mind was alert like a hunted rabbit. But I felt distractible. And I didn’t like the feeling, at all.

So on the third day, I quit. I went from six cups a day to zero. I spent the rest of the week studying, eating, drinking water, and sleeping — no stimulants. These were my observations.

1. You can hear yourself think

I was studying, so I was focused on thought and memory. I was attending to the way in which I was thinking, and without caffeine, it felt different.

The ‘thinking voice’ within was clearer and calmer. It wasn’t in such a rush. I could think methodically, one idea at a time.

In the past, I would study differently. I’d be in a hurry to understand an idea or think something through. I’d cut mental corners. I’d skip details. My thinking was shallow — so my understanding was surface-level.

Now, at a relaxed pace, I could hear my thoughts clearly. They wouldn’t slip away before properly inspected. I’d take more time but would truly understand an idea before moving on.

By understanding ideas with more depth, I could connect them to other concepts. That led to something unexpected — more creativity.

2. You’re in a better mood

I still remember the moment. A few days after quitting, I was sitting on the couch at the end of a long study session. I was exhausted. But I felt good. I didn’t feel awful, as I’d felt at the end of coffee-stained days in the past. I was relaxed. Despite exams looming, I was less anxious than I’d been in a long time.

In the past, a day cramming for exams would be a day of filthy moods. You wouldn’t have been able to talk to me, I’d be so wrapped up in stress. I’d be tense, short-fused, and in my own world.

Without caffeine and despite all the pressure, I was calm, stable, even jolly.

3. You have more energy

I didn’t expect this.

For the first few days after quitting, I had some withdrawals and fatigue. But sooner than expected, I recovered. I wasn’t tired in the mornings like I’d been when I’d been drinking coffee. And from the morning on, my energy would rise.

After drinking a coffee in the past, I would shoot up to maximum energy. It would soon tail off, though, and the only thing that would get it back up would be another hit.

Without caffeine, this was very different. Instead of spiking and plummeting until the next hit, my energy would rise gradually, last longer, and come down slower. The rate of release was slower but more constant.

My energy was consistent. It built during the morning, as I worked. It peaked in the late morning and slowly faded after lunch. But I could still work in those afternoon hours. My energy was fading, not crashing.

4. You spend less money

I saved money not drinking coffee. Nothing major — but it helped. Coffee costs me about 5% of my weekly grocery expense. Cutting it saved me that 5%.

This doesn’t include savings made not buying coffee at cafes, restaurants, and on the road. Overall, it ended up being a decent saving.

5. You’re not dependent

After 3 weeks without caffeine, I didn’t crave it. I no longer need coffee like I used to.

I broke my addiction to it. With that addiction broken, I could see its nature. It’s a cycle:

A hit of the substance cures the pain of its absence.

The hit is not a pleasure, but a relief from pain.

But the hit creates more pain down the line — withdrawal.

The only relief from withdrawal is another hit.

And so it goes.

3 weeks’ cold breaks that cycle. Freed, I could see that the caffeine routine wasn’t a cycle of energy, but a cycle of pain and relief. Released from its grip, I was at ease.

Now, I use coffee as a tool, not a crutch. After 3 weeks, I started experimenting with very weak coffees before writing. They’re potent. It’s enough to power my writing, and I feel it all day. And it’s all I need.

Recommendations

This isn’t for everyone. I was one of those kids whose parents were told he had ADHD. My energy levels naturally carry high — much like Dan Harris.

So I don’t need coffee. If I add too much into the mix, I’ll buzz and shake all day. I can get by without it. If I do use it, it’ll give me a real boost.

It may be different for you. Your energy may naturally carry at a lower threshold. You may need that morning cup to get you up and going for the day.

In the end, the takeaway here is not to just quit coffee. It’s to know yourself. Observe how the substances you use affect you. Try self-experiments to see if you really need them. Try quitting for a while and seeing what happens. You may be in for a surprise.