In a new video on the Goal Guys channel, YouTuber Cam Jones shares his experience of giving up all forms of caffeine for 30 days. “Judging from how reliant I am on coffee just to make it through the day, I’m fully expecting the worst,” he says. “That being said, if, and it is a big if, but if this actually helps to fix my sleep and balance my energy levels, then it’ll all be worth it.”
In order to hang on to some sense of ritual first thing in the morning on Day 1, Jones switches to a naturally caffeine-free rooibos tea. “It’s okay, I guess,” he says. “However, a few hours into my work day, the no-caffeine fatigue is already starting to hit… And without coffee as a pick-me-up, I just get more and more tired.”
“The drawback with the caffeine energy boost is that it takes 10 hours roughly for caffeine to cycle through the body,” he continues. “Which means that afternoon coffee you had probably isn’t going to be through your system until 1 a.m… So as tired as I feel right now, I’m going to be looking forward to an amazing and refreshing night’s sleep tonight.”
Unfortunately, Jones doesn’t notice any real improvements to his sleep over the first week, and his tiredness and coffee cravings during the day continue. “Not an hour has gone by where I have not been thinking about my energy levels in a negative way,” he says. “I have not been as focused in my work, I have not been as disciplined in my diet or going to the gym… it’s really made me realize how dependent I am on caffeine to keep my energy levels at a functional human level.”
As the challenge continues, Jones begins to incorporate alternative ways of boosting energy into his routine, such as taking power naps, staying hydrated, elevating his heart rate through exercise, eating properly, and even taking cold showers to wake himself up in the morning.
At the end of the month, Jones has not been able to identify any concrete benefits to quitting caffeine, other than saving money on the drinks and snacks he would buy during his usual daily visits to a coffee shop. However, once he begins consuming caffeine again he does so in more moderate volumes, gives himself a 2 p.m. cutoff point, and finds that this actually has a positive impact both on his energy levels during the day and on the quality of his sleep.
“I really don’t see any benefit in giving up caffeine entirely,” he says. “Like many things, it can be abused if you consume too much, but this experience really affirmed what a great tool caffeine is when used accordingly.”
Source: Read Full Article