I Am Wired from Coffee at Night but W/o It Can't Function/can't Keep Up - Jersey City,NJ

Timing is everything. Have you tried having one cup but a bit later? I need one cup myself, but more than that (or any caffeine after noon (coke, any soda, etc)) will guarantee me a sleep free night (and then no amount of coffee will get me through the next day). For me, 1 cup early followed by a brisk mile on the treadmill (and a shower after that) has me up and moving for the whole day. I used to have 2 or more cups of coffee, but if I ever went a weekend without it, I'd get horrible headaches (caffeine withdrawal) and I knew I was over doing it.

I know you say you can't function without it, but I reassure you definitely can! It's just NOT easy to get to that point.

I was told no caffeine whatsoever earlier this year in February. I was diagnosed with a disease that was sending my pulse into a tizzy. I haven't touched caffeine, still, to this day. It was very rough and I'm a single mom and had an active 6 month old on my hands. Before February I was drinking at least 2-3 cokes a day for the last 8-10 years, I had horrible withdrawal symptoms when I had to cut cold turkey. Migraines, constant crashing, no energy, bitchiness, etc. The house was a mess and some chores were dragged out quite a bit.

But, I feel so much better without it and sleep better too. I went into freak mode when they told me no more and thought to myself how the hell I would ever be able to survive without it. The first 6 weeks were pure hell but little by little you'll feel great. I've actually learned that my caffeine consumption was making my energy levels worse.

And it sounds like only the reason you need 2 cups is because of your insomnia caused by the second cup lol. If you're not getting good ample sleep your energy levels are going to be zapped for the next day. If you don't want to quit then I would seriously cut back to 1 in the morning and try other ways to boost your energy. Take a walk outside, exercise (sounds counter-intuitive but it's not), have a healthy snack in the afternoon, drink more water, etc. There's all sorts of tips for energy boosting.

Hmmm, what is your normal diet like? If you're eating more processed foods, white flour based foods, and foods made with high fructose corn syrup, then that will cause a sugar rush initially after eating and then you'll crash the rest of the day (until you eat again and get another shortterm sugar rush). You might want to start reading food labels and know what kind of food you're actually fueling your body with. Whole wheat, lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables will help you have more sustainable energy throughout the day.

Are you sure it is the coffee and not the stress?

How late are you drinking coffee? Could you take the last cup earlier? If my husband takes coffee after six he is up really late. But, if he take it at 4:30, he can go to bed fine.

oh grrrrrrl, you need to step away from the pot!
i used to be quite sure i was addicted to coffee. and how right i was. i did the master cleanse a few years ago, not thinking how going cold turkey was going to wreck my world, and it was an eye-opener. on the 2nd day i was vomiting, i could barely move, and i wanted to twist my head right off. i didn't think i'd make it.
that was a huge wakeup call. now coffee is a weekend celebration, and very occasionally a treat or an emergency fix during the week (but you can't cheat and label everything an emergency!)
there's just no easy way to withdraw. and you can still start your day out with a cup if you don't WANT to withdraw, but you are really at the point where it's no longer doing the trick, so you have to arm yourself with other and better ways to stay energized.
for starters, drink water. lots of it. way more than you want. especially since your system is saturated with caffeine. make sure you are eating well, a good balanced diet with plenty of protein and complex carbs. you've got a perpetual motion machine to keep up with, you need the gas. allow yourself a nap in the afternoon if you crash, and if your baby is dozing! if you start to flag, try a cup of tea (still caffeine, but less and gentler), a handful of raw almonds and raisins (incredible little energy kick), and if you're absolutely desperate, a 5-hour energy (NOT one of those guarana-and-caffeine soaked nightmares like rock star.) the 5-hour energies are crutches too, but sometimes we need 'em, and they're not as bad as some. get yourself acclimated to a reduced-caffeine lifestyle, and be gentle with yourself as you adjust. you will feel so very much better all round when you do.
good luck!
khairete
S.

In my early 20's, I became sensitive to the coffee I depended on to keep going. Talked to a couple of older friends who had kicked the habit (lots of people tolerate caffeine less as they get older). They told me that like any habituation, you can kick it, and your body normalizes again without the coffee jolts. I decided to go for it, because I couldn't endure the jitters, sleeplessness, and neck tension it gave me.

Two weeks. Lots of withdrawal headaches. Tiredness – took naps at every opportunity for the first week. But as the second week arrived, I started feeling better, my headaches gradually left, and I had a wonderful, more calm and centered form of energy. My moods improved. PMS and monthly breast soreness became less problematic. And I've never looked back.

You will probably feel less tired during the day if you can sleep better at night. Just a thought.

I am a single mom working part time and I have a terrible time falling asleep at night and then I am tired ALL day even with 4-5 cups of coffee in the AM. I recently went in for my annual and mentioned the fatigue/sleeplessness and how I thought it was causing depression and anxiety (situational). She had my thyroid tested and that came back normal. I would like to stay off any medication if possible so I took a look at my life/day. I drink too much coffee. Even though it's only in the AM, it's too much. So, I've cut back. I get two cups a day. That's it. I've also started drinking more water and taking B vitamins. I'm still falling asleep late but not as late and I actually feel more rested in the AM which leads me to believe that my sleep is better sleep. Maybe just try to cut back or only have coffee before, say, 10am and go from there. I made a promise to myself to keep up with things during the day (dishes, laundry, etc.) so that I wouldn't be so overwhelmed doing it when my daughter went to bed and it's the end of the day and I'm tired. So far this has been working for me. I hope you find something that works for you! Good Luck and God Bless!

Try emergen-c (the energy one) later in the day instead of coffee. It has lots of vitamins including vitamin B to boost your energy. You can get it at any vitamin store, GNC & I think I've even seen it at Walgreen's.

get some melatonin and start watering your second cup down or mix it half caffeine half decaf

In addition to the other mom's great suggestions, you might want to research adrenal fatigue.

I gave up coffee last year for about 6 months, and it took me exactly 21 days to feel normal again (it was sheer HELL up to that point). But I truly did feel better after that.

The bad news is I went back to half-caff a few months ago. Ugh. How stupid on my part.

The lesson - if you do ever get off it DON'T GO BACK ON! :)

Good luck and good health to you . . .

Maybe drinking the coffee earlier in the day and not so close to bedtime will help you go to sleep a little earlier? I used to drink coffee a lot, but ever since getting pregnant I haven't pretty much at all. Caffeine doesn't seem to have an effect on me though. You seem to be lucky to me! lol