Are You Overdosing on Caffeine? | Outside Online

When I gave up caffeine, the first day was like a scene out of Trainspotting. Picture a grown man balled up on the couch, sweating in November, on the cusp of vomiting, head split right in two. Then a low-grade headache that lasted for a week set in. But I was also sleeping sounder and longer, and, despite a few mornings with a serious coffee craving, I felt better. I didn’t have as much of an afternoon slump, and I was less irritable—I was using my car horn less, and I didn’t feel as annoyed by things not going exactly how I planned. Within a few weeks, I’d lost four pounds. I’ve been off the stuff ever since. Caffeine can indeed be a great thing, but it can also work against you. Your experience with the drug depends on your biology and how much of it you take in. Before I decided to give up caffeine for good, I was drinking upward of three cups a day. But conversations with people much smarter than myself—biochemists, nutritionists, sleep experts, neurologists—led to me to believe that I was overdoing it at a rate that was bad for my health, sleep, disposition, and performance.When you’ve been mainlining caffeine for your entire adult life, it can be tricky to parse out how it impacts you. Start by analyzing just how much you’re consuming, then check in with your physical and mental states. If you think it might be time for an intervention, here’s some advice on how to cut down.

Source: Are You Overdosing on Caffeine? | Outside Online