I Quit Caffeine: Here's Why and What Happened

A month ago, I decided to quit coffee and caffeine.
Inspired by Michael Pollan's podcast and his findings on caffeine's impact on sleep, I decided to see how quitting would affect me.
In this video, I share my experience, including withdrawal symptoms, the science behind caffeine and adenosine, and the changes in my energy levels and sleep quality.
If you're considering quitting caffeine, join me on this journey and see if it's worth it for you.

[@alanwiltzius4862]

As someone who also loves the taste of coffee, I quit it due to the effects on sleep. Then more research i learned about how it interferes with absorption on nutrition. After giving it up for a good 6 months, I was free of that addiction, so I tried introducing it back in as a preworkout supplement. It again started to become a problem, so i went back to cutting it out for good. I never had that addiction issue with decaf, but with there being two ways, it's processed chemical vs. water method, and it seems most are done with chemical method. I've decided to say goodbye to an old friend. I do have better quality of sleep, teeth look whiter, and balanced energy. I'd highly recommend to anyone to kick it.

[@Project.Andrew]

Congrats on kicking it! I've gone back and fourth with caffeine for several years now.

[@MrChristiangraham]

Can't tolerate it, but love the smell of it.

[@ReflectionsofChristianMadman]

I don’t drink coffee, but I love green tea. I make sure to quit before noon and have no sleep issues. I’m on the longer end of sleep spectrum so I try to be in bed for nine hours since I need more than eight hours of sleep. I quit tea for a month to see if it affected me but I had zero withdrawal symptoms and my sleep wasn’t affected. I started drinking it daily once it again because I like it.

[@AzjatyckiCukier]

I occasionally quit for really long periods of time (my latest break was lik 14 months or so) and honestly.... I don't really see a lasting benefit to quiting caffeine. I've always had insomnia (does not go away even when I totally abstain from caffeine, including no chocolate, tea or anything that may have it) and without coffee it's harder to restart a routine after a poor nights sleep.

[@TheCuratorIsHere]

I’m having the opposite effect so there must be individual differences in how we handle carcinogens from burnt seeds (coffee grains) with insecticide (caffeine).

[@Project.Andrew]

Interesting! Yeah I've cycled off and on caffeine for quite a while. When I quit, I notice a substantial difference in my sleep immediately after, but that fades over time.

[@iTzJustProof]

Video well done!

[@shyeleganttrick2949]

Very nice video! Were you inspired by "What I've Learned" ?
Specifically: I liked that it was quick, concise and no BS!

[@xenon_l_mckeeth]

I've been off caffeine for 3 days now, and I've been watching videos like yours to help motivate me through the mild withdrawal. Actually, last year, I was drinking over 600mg of caffeine a day and when I decreased to 300mg/day max, I felt loads better and all of my mental health symptoms improved. My chronic fatigue lessened. I'm now quitting completely, as I learned that caffeine was probably causing all of my chronic fatigue symptoms and messing with my sleep pretty badly, despite it being an effective antidepressant. The withdrawal I'm having isn't too serious, just feeling lazy with occasional headaches that go away when I drink water (it's hot and humid here, after all.) It was worth it already for the improvement in sleep quality. Today I woke up with a boost in mood and energy; I was excited for the day despite not getting my fix. I do still have cravings but they are manageable. I have to fight my depressive symptoms a little harder, but it's teaching me to rely on activity and coping skills to improve my mood. I plan on re-integrating caffeine into my lifestyle, but only in small amounts on mornings I really need it, and not for two or more days in a row.

[@TheCuratorIsHere]

I highly suspect that blocking adenosine receptors affects adenosine triphosphate production. Yes, ATP ⚡️ .. I think we borrow for a boost and then pay back later with a lack of energy. That’s swing affects mood, sleep and a bunch of body processes that have to do with the sympathetic/parasympathetic axis.
Screw the studies. They are very very poor on the totem pole of evidence. At best they show a correlation and we all know it isn’t causation. Statistical significance is not clinical significance. Learn the difference.
Do you feed it to your children? No? Then that should tell you something about it.
The studies have bias. This isn’t good science.

[@Project.Andrew]

Interesting idea! Would be cool to see it tested somehow.

[@ryanmorton7229]

quit caffeine for a few weeks just because i felt like my morning coffee wasn’t doing anything anymore other than preventing withdrawal symptoms. afterwards i felt like it rlly gave me energy again which was fun! now i like to occasionally take breaks to reset my tolerance and more fully enjoy my morning coffee. thanks for the interesting video!

[@youtubethrowaway424]

Have you considered Dandy Blend as a coffee alternative? It's Dandelion Root but tastes like coffee.

[@corrie127]

Hey Andrew, I think I read in why we sleep that you should not consume caffeine within 90 minutes after you have woken up. Consuming caffeine earlier substitutes some of the regular waking up processes. Perhaps the body is still clearing up adenosine, but there are probably other processes at work.

[@Project.Andrew]

Yeah! I'm not sure if that was in Why We Sleep, but I've heard Matt Walker talk about it in podcasts. This week I'll introduce some decaf (water processed) coffee around 7:00 AM (I wake up at 5:00ish)

[@FellowHuman18]

Caffeine irritates my stomach, so i stopped drinking caffeinated tea a while ago. All herbal tea now. Never into coffee.

[@Project.Andrew]

I've been enjoying a herbal teas recently. Seems like herbal tea can improve the absorption of fluids? I haven't looked into it much.

[@TALKmd]

I've been there , you will discover (as you appreciate coffee flavor) ,that decaf eventually doesn't replace the greatness taste of ☕ cofee .
I don't know if you tried alot of specialty coffee rituals but it is worth while - and there is quite alot of people who appreciates coffee for what it is and for the rich flavors .
There is alot to taste, there is quite differences as the difference in bean , in processing coffee, in roasting, and in making the actual coffee .
Hope you will discover it all, and enjoy it .

[@AmitKumar-by7pz]

When i started taking before noon it does not affected my sleep

[@AmitKumar-by7pz]

Since you track sleep, i want know how it affected sleep zones like deep sleep and REM sleep.

[@iamthefiremanjj]

It increases deep sleep big time

[@gordanbabic8028]

I quitt coffee for 40 days during the lent. felt terribile for the entire period. never repeated that mistake again 😅
I love my coffee

[@Project.Andrew]

lol, yeah I feel that.

[@alMighty8989]

Did the same 4 years ago. Best decision ever 👍

[@campersruincod6134]

I quit caffeine a long time ago, same with most stimulant, like theobromine from chocolate.
We don’t realise how reliant our bodies become to these stimulants. There’s even natural stimulants in some forms of meat and dairy.

[@yefremjr]

doesn't decaf have more like 3% of caffeine?

[@Project.Andrew]

It depends on the decafination process. Chemical is different than swiss water processed, which is what I typically drink.

[@khalid1130]

I stopped drinking caffeine for 80 days. I came back for caffeine because the life style we live needs caffeine. If we didn’t have night light then we would not need caffeine.

[@serban2139]

that's a good point youtubers "who quit" don't understand well because they live in a bubble and good for them, but still not understand. I've tried to quit coffee and everyone is just so..FAST around me it's insane, how do you socialise when everyone is on it?

[@iamthefiremanjj]

Fuck that anxiety sleep ruining juice

[@abableeah3070]

All must worship the bean.

[@Paradice351]

I'm on my third cup today 😬😵‍💫🥵🤪🙂

[@Project.Andrew]

😂😂😂 That was me in college

[@TheCuratorIsHere]

I’m on day 7 of no coffee / no tea / no chocolate / no coke, the cravings are diminishing, I’m regaining my freedoms 🎉
Then end of your video really sounds like an addict who can’t kick his addiction.

[@Project.Andrew]

Nice work!

[@maxsmart99]

For a month, I eliminated my two espresso in the morning. It had no effect on my sleep.

[@Project.Andrew]

At first I noticed a big difference in my sleep, but now not as much.

[@travv88]

0:24 species

[@maxsmart99]

The moral of the story is never mow your lawn

[@Project.Andrew]

True

[@DoctorDerp6969]

not another one of these

[@FellowHuman18]

Don't discourage him. Carry on, Andrew.