Reflecting on 30 Days Without Caffeine

Yesterday marked the second time coffee touched my lips in the past 40 days.

The first occasion was last week, in celebration of reaching the 30-day mark without any caffeine whatsoever.

And let me tell you - that first sip was freaking glorious.

Of all of the health hacks & tools I’ve experimented with, giving up caffeine has had one of the most profound impacts on my mental health & sleep quality.

While I plan on bringing caffeine back into my routine, I intend to do so in a more conscious manner moving forward.

Today, we’ll dive into how…

Let’s explore ☕

So Why’d I Do It?

My caffeine addiction started back in college.

Penn State’s freshman lounge sold Starbucks DoubleShots, so, despite their cringe-worthy ingredient list, these energy drinks became a staple in my study routine.

After graduating & starting my first job, my reliance on for caffeine only grew.

I was drinking 6-8 cups of coffee a day and was anxious pretty much at all times.

Somehow my 22-year-old brain didn’t connect the dots…

Eventually, I learned about the 4-5 hour half life of caffeine, and its harmful effects on sleep quality. With this knowledge, I chilled out with the late-afternoon coffee breaks.

It wasn’t until years later, however, that I began to reconsider my relationship with caffeine.

During a conversation with a co-worker, he said to me, “I can’t drink coffee anymore because of how it affects my anxiety.”

Interesting… I thought. This insight sparked a curiosity in me, prompting me to continue exploring caffeine’s impact on the nervous system & emotional stability.

So What Happened?

The first few days without caffeine were tough.

Not because of headaches (there were none), but because I missed the ritual of a warm morning beverage.

I quickly realized this challenge wouldn’t be sustainable unless I replaced the habit - with something comforting & caffeine-free.

Bone broth came in off the bench and absolutely t h r i v e d during this time.

Throughout the 30 days, I felt way more relaxed. Grounded. Calm.

I had a little less energy for my workouts, but it was way easier to fall asleep.

Surprisingly though - there was far less of an impact on productivity than I expected.

I still got shit done, just without that “chicken-with-its-head-cut-off” energy.

An idea that’s come up for me during & beyond this experimentation:

Ease Can Create Effectiveness.

So What’s the Data Say?

Beyond anecdotal evidence, I saw favorable trends in both my Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and Resting Heart Rate (RHR).

Measured through my fitness wearable, Whoop, both scores suggest an increase in cardiovascular health & fitness levels.

In other words - my internal feelings of calm were also supported by the data.

While other factors play into each of these metrics, giving up caffeine was the main lever I pulled in January, so I’m interested to see how these adjust in February, as I reintroduce caffeine more thoughtfully.

6 Caffeine Rules I’m Setting for Myself

1) Water Before Caffeine, Always: We lose a lot of water while we sleep, so it’s important to rehydrate before we caffeinate. This also helps offset the dehydrating effects of coffee.

2) Prioritize Sourcing: Bad news alert, but commonly sold coffee is often loaded with pesticides, herbicides & mycotoxins.

Mycotoxins are poisonous substances produced by mold, and one study showed that over half of commercially available coffees are contaminated.

There are even rumors that coffee exceeding the permitted mycotoxin level in the EU may be shipped to the U.S., as the U.S. does not regulate the levels of mycotoxins in coffee.

Here’s an article with some recommendations & deeper explanations about this topic.

3) Wait 60-90 Minutes: Full credit to Huberman for popularizing strategy this in recent years, and shout out to Before Skool for making this cool video (below). 

In summary, caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation & sleepiness. By doing so, caffeine simply masks feelings of tiredness…. it doesn’t actually give us energy.

As caffeine wears off, however, adenosine can accumulate, leading to a sudden onset of fatigue (also known as the afternoon crash).

Waiting 60-90 minutes after waking allows for the adenosine to clear naturally, reducing the likelihood of a late afternoon energy crash.

4) No Caffeine After 2pm: Caffeine has a half life of ~4 hours, meaning if you drink a 100mg coffee at 4pm, half of it will still remain in your system at 8pm (50mg), and ~25mg will still be there at 12pm (on average).

Some people are more sensitive to this than others because of genetic factors, specifically, the CYP1A2 gene, which codes for an enzyme responsible for breaking down caffeine in the liver.

Over the last few years, I’ve realized that if I have caffeine late, my sleep that night is a wash. So, I’ll be sticking to a 2pm shut off point. Experiment & see what works for you.

5) Mix it with Collagen or MCT Oil when possible. I’m a huge believer in Bulletproof Coffee because of the brain-boosting & hunger-suppressing benefits I experience.

Adding fats to coffee can dampen its overly stimulating effect by slowing down the absorption of caffeine, resulting in a more balanced & sustainable ride.

6) Take at least 3 days off per week: While there’s no science evidence backing this practice (that I’m aware of), it resonates with me based on my January experience.

One of the most gratifying aspects of quitting caffeine, for me, was breaking free of dependency. There were times in the past when I couldn’t get out of bed, much less out the door, without caffeine.

Now, I control my relationship with it. But I want to continue to feel that freedom, so I’ll be taking a few days off each week.

Thank you for Reading

Wishing you a great week ahead.

With gratitude,

Aidan