Coffee, tea, colas and chocolate — the basic study essentials. It only takes a few stressful weeks full of deadlines and tests for students to turn to these caffeine-saturated foods and beverages.
But with the end of spring finals, came the end of stress for the next few months. The truth is if you’re looking to detox your body from stress accumulated over the academic year then it might be time to cut out caffeine from your diet.
The psychoactive drug isn’t usually thought of as anything extreme - but the effects of caffeine are pretty hardcore considering what it does to the central nervous system and overall mental state. By stimulating the nervous system caffeine speeds up various bodily processes like respiration and motor movement.
Caffeine is found in many beverages and even some over-the-counter medications. With so much caffeine going around, it’s easy to lose track and go over the recommended amounts of daily caffeine, especially during the school year when most students buy multiple 12-ounce cups of coffee a day that range between 70 to 260 milligrams of caffeine.
While it is true that anything in moderation is acceptable, why should you just live an “acceptable” life? By eliminating caffeine you will be setting up a means to the end of irritability, restlessness, heartburn, increased heart rate and increased blood pressure.
There are many benefits of living caffeine-free. You will quickly begin to feel a greater sense of calmness, while decreasing anxiety and any problems relating to sleep deprivation or dehydration.
If you’re convinced that a caffeine-free life style is a good choice for you then it is important to not give up. To avoid withdrawal symptoms try substituting caffeine intake for the first nine days by drinking decaffeinated versions of your daily beverages or replacing some of your beverage choices with water—which will surely increase hydration and energy to its normal levels.
