Parting with my daily caffeine fix was something I never imagined myself doing. I love the taste of coffee – and like a lot of people, getting a Pret first thing was like a morning ritual. Before I quit, I was drinking three coffees every morning. But today, I’m one of the 1 in 5 coffee drinkers now regularly reaching for decaf.
It all started back in November 2023 when I was walking to work – I began experiencing regular episodes of heart palpitations. Whether this was entirely caffeine related or not, it was incredibly scary. I wondered: were my morning coffees taking their toll? I’d been thinking about reducing my caffeine intake anyway, after a few colleagues said going decaf had helped with their low-level anxiety.
It felt like something I needed to give a try, and so, the caffeine cut-off began – leading me to a different addiction that I did not expect.
After weighing up my options and the potential benefits, I decided to go cold turkey and switch out my usual lattes for decaf alternatives. Before I knew it, I was a daily ‘decaffer’. I even cut out Coca Cola and switched to decaffeinated tea as a placebo, which was nowhere near as hard as I thought it would be.
Admittedly, for the first week and a half, I had a few persistent headaches and felt more tired than usual. The only way I managed to get through it was by drinking lots of water, taking paracetamol if it got too much, or sneaking in a lunchtime nap when working from home. But that all quickly subsided.
While there have been a couple of moments over the past year when I’ve felt like I really needed a caffeine fix (a hangover after dancing a little too hard the night before probably doesn’t help), I’ve honestly found the switch away from caffeine pretty easy. The decaf placebo seems to always work its magic.
But the most notable benefit of going caffeine-free has been my lowered anxiety levels. Over a year ago, if I was getting ready for work, I would find myself getting worked up because I couldn’t find a missing sock, or panicking if the tube was delayed. It was incredibly easy to get stressed out, and I felt my mental state was constantly agitated – I’d go on to snap at my partner for stupid reasons. But now, I feel much calmer. Now, when I need to complete an urgent work task, I keep my calm and get the job done without the usual fireworks going off in my head.
“Caffeine acts as a stimulant on the central nervous system by acting on adenosine receptors,” says Dr Jack Mao, known for Channel 5’s GPs Behind Closed Doors. “At lower doses, it can have a positive effect by releasing adrenaline, which can lead to feelings of alertness and increased energy. However at higher doses, it can cause feelings of restlessness, insomnia, irritability and palpitations, all of which are common symptoms of anxiety.”