I’ve been having caffeine for about a decade, around 400mg a day. It has changed my brain, so tapering slowly seems like the only sustainable solution.
If I go cold turkey I’m just too miserable and cognitively incapable. I think my sweet spot is around 5% reductions every 4-7 days.
Just wanted to let you know that maybe your target reductions could be even smaller.
If 5% every couple of days is too slow, I’ve heard people doing up to 15% every couple of days. Of course, the only way for you to know what works for you is testing it.
I’ve quit twice to see the effects. Crushing headaches start in 24 hours and can’t be relieved with anything but caffeine. Yet mere sips of coffee/tea taken daily can stave off withdrawal. With < 2 cups of coffee total, you can wean yourself off completely symptom free.
For one, to see if I can (been drinking coffee since I was maybe 7 or so)
For two, because maybe I’d feel better or sleep better !
I don’t drink coffee after 3pm for that reason, and it’s definitely helped with settling for sleep at night. Good luck with your efforts.
withdrawals can be rough, but I think it’s worth trying
Maybe I’ll try only 1 cup of kaf a day to start then do every other…
yes, a gradual taper is a good idea - much better than cold turkey.
Eventually switching to black tea, then green tea, then white tea would also help.
Might also be good to keep a log as a way to ensure you know exactly how many mg of caffeine you’re consuming, and to keep yourself honest.
I’ve been having caffeine for about a decade, around 400mg a day. It has changed my brain, so tapering slowly seems like the only sustainable solution.
If I go cold turkey I’m just too miserable and cognitively incapable. I think my sweet spot is around 5% reductions every 4-7 days.
Just wanted to let you know that maybe your target reductions could be even smaller.
If 5% every couple of days is too slow, I’ve heard people doing up to 15% every couple of days. Of course, the only way for you to know what works for you is testing it.
I’ve quit twice to see the effects. Crushing headaches start in 24 hours and can’t be relieved with anything but caffeine. Yet mere sips of coffee/tea taken daily can stave off withdrawal. With < 2 cups of coffee total, you can wean yourself off completely symptom free.
Day 1 150ml
Day 2 125 ml
Day 3 100 ml amd so on.
I’ve been using decaf at home for a couple of years now. Then again I wasn’t really dependent on caffeine so it wasn’t hard for me to switch.