I started drinking coffee when I was 17 years old. Actually, it was a french vanilla cappuccino from a gas station vending machine, and it was my jam. Then came college, followed by my first magazine job (which consisted of really long days when we were approaching deadline), and my caffeine intake slowly transformed from occasional indulgence to daily necessity.
I'm also a terrible sleeper. I don't think the latter is a direct result of my coffee intake, as I've struggled with insomnia since adolescence, but it can't be doing me any favors. Especially since it's not uncommon to find me slugging back a cold brew at 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I've read studies that suggest caffeine can throw off your circadian rhythm — particularly when consumed past a certain time of day. So, in the name of precious sleep, I decided to swear off all caffeine for seven consecutive days to see if it would help me achieve more restful sleep.
Before I give you the full recap, I will say this: there are two big problems with my sleep cycle. Not only do I toss and turn and have trouble falling asleep, but I'm also a hyper-light sleeper and wake up multiple times throughout the night. Double the fun! Here's what went down.
The Great Caffeine Detox: Day One
nope, just hot water today. The afternoon slump hit hard, and I may or may not have considered mainlining espresso just to survive. But I held strong, mostly because I didn’t want to admit defeat so early in the game.
Midweek Madness: The Energy Rollercoaster
By day three, the headaches had mostly subsided, but my energy levels were all over the place. One minute I’d feel weirdly alert (almost like my body was trying to compensate for the lack of caffeine), and the next, I’d be slumped over my keyboard, fighting the urge to take a nap under my desk. The weirdest part? My usual 3 PM crash disappeared—probably because I wasn’t riding the caffeine high-and-crash cycle anymore. But man, did I miss the ritual of sipping something warm and stimulating.
The Sleep Experiment: Did It Actually Help?
Here’s the thing—I didn’t magically transform into a deep sleeper overnight. But by day five, I noticed a subtle shift. Falling asleep took a little less time, and while I still woke up a couple of times, it wasn’t as jarring. The biggest win? I didn’t feel like a zombie when my alarm went off. Normally, I hit snooze at least twice, but by the end of the week, I was waking up slightly more refreshed. Not life-changing, but definitely an improvement.
The Unexpected Side Effects
Beyond sleep, there were some surprising perks. My midday anxiety—which I never fully connected to caffeine—toned down a notch. And my digestion? Way smoother. Turns out, coffee can be a gut irritant for some people, and my stomach was apparently throwing a silent party now that I wasn’t flooding it with acid every morning. The downside? My productivity took a hit at first. Without my usual caffeine boost, I had to rely on sheer willpower (and a lot of snacks) to power through work.
Reintroducing Caffeine: The Comeback
After the seven-day cleanse, I cautiously reintroduced coffee—but with new rules. No caffeine after noon, and I swapped my usual giant cold brew for a single, modest cup in the morning. The result? A happy medium. I still get my beloved ritual without sabotaging my sleep. And honestly, the coffee tastes better when it’s not a desperate attempt to stay awake.
Would I do it again? Absolutely. Even if the sleep improvements were subtle, the experiment made me way more mindful of how caffeine affects my body. And hey, if nothing else, it proved I’m not as dependent on the stuff as I thought. (Okay, maybe a little.)
