I’ve been experimenting over the last week with reducing my coffee habit, and seeing how that effects my mood, productivity, sleep etc.
I started at about 3 cups / day. I realised a long time ago that much more that 3 cups a day is probably my limit. Much more and I don’t sleep properly and sometimes get jittery.
What I’ve noticed so far:
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I slept much better. I took a few days with no coffee at all but then I got much better nights sleep.
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I don’t know what to do with my break time, or how to start the day, without my coffee making ritual.
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Coffee out, is not the same as coffee at home. Part of how I reduced my intake was by letting my coffee supply at home run out. After a week, and a few coffee’s in cafes - I found what I missed most was the quiet moment with a cup of coffee at home.
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I’ve built rituals around coffee. ie. writing and coffee
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I think more clearly in the morningwithout the coffee. At least some of the time
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Tiredness and coffee are a bad combination. Where tiredness by itself I can work through. Also if I haven’t had coffee, I can usually nap.
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I think - though I’m not sure yet - that I’m less grumpy and irritable without coffee.
All in all, I’d like to keep my coffee in take lower. I’m going to try and avoid the coffee absolutely every day habit, and have days I just have none.
Update
It’s been a couple more weeks and I’m mostly back to a daily coffee habit but only 1 a day. I don’t have any beans in the house right now, which means that its not the first thing I grab in the morning. I’m finding that makes it a more conscious choice… but also leaves me a bit unsettled sometimes when I want something hot to drink and I don’t have time to go out.
I’m still sleeping better, probably partially due to reduced caffeine intake, and partially because I’m heading to bed earlier.