How to Stop the Effects of Caffeine

Espresso roasted coffee beans

A hot cup of coffee can get you started in the morning, and a bit of caffeine can give you the extra boost you need for a hard day or long night. But what should you do when you've had too much caffeine that leaves feeling jittery, nervous, or even slightly nauseous? Maybe you want to give up caffeine altogether. How can you minimize the unpleasant effects of caffeine withdrawal, such as headaches and fatigue?

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Food
• Analgesics

Instructions

Stop the Jitters

1. Keep track of how much caffeine you consume in a day. If you go over your usual amount, you might feel shaky. Remember there is caffeine in regular coffee, decaffeinated coffee, cola, chocolate, black tea and even some herbal teas. Additionally, some medications contain small amounts of caffeine, so check the labels.

2. Take a few moments to calm yourself down if you feel anxious or unfocused. Sitting in a quiet place and taking deep breaths can soothe the jittery feeling.

3. Start drinking water as soon as you feel shaky. This will help to flush the caffeine out of your system and prevent dehydration, another side effect of caffeine.

4. Eat something if you're feeling queasy. A full stomach will help absorb the caffeine, and because caffeine is an appetite suppressant, you may not feel hungry when you actually need to eat.

Stop the Withdrawal

1. Wean yourself off caffeine gradually if you want to stop using it altogether. This will give your body a chance to get used to functioning without caffeine and can minimize the unpleasant effects like irritability and headaches. Withdrawal can last one to six days, depending on how much caffeine you were used to having.

2. Substitute your usual caffeine drinks with decaffeinated drinks. Decaffeinated coffee doesn't pack the same wallop, but the taste might comfort you when you're missing your morning cupful.

3. Take an analgesic if a caffeine withdrawal headache is really unbearable. Since caffeine withdrawal headaches can last up to six days after quitting caffeine, take the smallest dose possible. Avoid taking Excedrin, as it contains a small dose of caffeine.

References

• Caffeine effects
• Treat caffeine headaches
• Treat caffeine jitters

Resources

• Caffeine and headaches