How reducing coffee intake helped with life

[Pyropyro]

Based on your responses on my work ethic thread, I started not drinking coffee for a few days now. I substituted milk or generic warm water to help me cope with the urge to drink more coffee.

It works for me, so far. I'm sleeping more soundly at night and working better in the morning. Life seems to be a bit more relaxed and I'm less grumpy when stressful or unexpected things happen. I also think by slowing down my Ne (I think coffee boost Ne too much), I get more time to process info via my Ti and yield better results.

I guess coffee is more of a short-term boost at the cost of long-term slowness. I would still drink it though but just for recreational rather than professional purposes.

 

[Polaris]

I'm definitely less anxious and sleep better when I skip the coffee. I think you are right that it boosts Ne too much, especially if I drink it all at once. Instead of being focused I become this scatterbrained mess, shooting static in all directions. However, if I have a small cup of good quality, organic filter coffee (no milk or other additives) just sitting there and sip it slowly throughout the day, I don't get the anxiousness I normally get (it requires that I either microwave it now and then (yeah, I know....sacrilege) or just sip it cold, which is fine), and I seem to stay alert and focused, provided I also eat a proper lunch (no hot takeaway with lots of hidden oils and other hidden nasties, which normally kills me - just rye bread with some grated carrot and cottage cheese, which seems to give me enough proteins and carbohydrates to keep me going for the rest of the afternoon - I crash around 4:30 instead of struggling to stay awake immediately after lunch).

When I pay attention to what I eat and drink, I certainly work, sleep and study better. The only thing missing is regular exercise, but I walk to and from the train station every day, which is about 1/2 worth of exercise - it does seem to make a difference, although I would ideally like to be doing something more like yoga or martial arts. I find it very difficult to get motivated for exercise, although I enjoy it when I get into a routine. I know that yoga would really help me, but I just find the whole yoga scene so unappealing for some reason.

^This post is indeed a scatterbrained reflection of caffeine overdose

 

[Ex-User (14663)]

Caffeine can be a powerful tool. The problem is just that people misuse it and dilute its utility by taking it too often and at arbitrary times like for breakfast and at lunch (guilty of this myself – drinking coffee atm).

I remember working on this huge math problem at work once. Couldn't figure it out for weeks. But I hadn't drunk caffeine for several weeks at that point. One day I had a good dose of caffeine in the morning, and suddenly I got this lazer-eye focus for a whole day. I didn't eat anything that whole day, I didn't even perceive things that happened around me – just sat there in the most intense focus ever, and by the evening I had solved the problem.

If I drink coffee for just a couple of days in a row, that effect is mostly gone.

 

[washti]

coffee is working for me as some crazy over stimulant. I actually have twitchis in arms and feel that my heart beates too fast. And I'm talking half coffee half milk cup here. I heard that for many people this is not even a coffee. (In one job coworkers snorted with laughter when I add whipped cream and sugar to this 50/50 concoction). So big no to coffee for me. BTW I dont like tea as well. Why people are so picky with they beverage? As plain water cannot be good enough.

 

[Pyropyro]

@Polaris - exercise definitely helps as a coffee substitute. A few minutes stretching or walking can get your brain juices up at work.

@Serac - yeah, coffee is best taken sparingly for it to be actually useful. Wished that I've applied this before.

@washti - sugar with coffee just makes things worse IMO. The modern sugar-laden diet is really bad for our weight and overall health. Interesting concoction though

 

[redbaron]

where can i buy brain juice?

id like to get my brain juices up at work without having to exercise

does it come in an injectable concentrate? i have good veins

 

[Polaris]

wat is brain jus

 

[redbaron]

i do agree that reducing caffeine intake helps with life

 

[Pyropyro]

does it come in an injectable concentrate? i have good veins

I usually dry batches them into a powder and snort them haha

 

[redbaron]

true

let's meet up and snort some brain juice together

 

[Happy]

I'd recently (a few months ago) gone off stims altogether, sans a single coffee on the weekend and an occasional cup of tea (lapsang souchong). I previously relied heavily on prescription amphetamines. It's been a difficult change, but after adapting (changing my diet, and changing my productivity patterns), it's ultimately left me more effective. I've come to realise in the time since, that stims are a kind of 'band-aid' solution, and getting your shit together is ultimately the real solution.

 

[soupymess]

Was having ~320 mg caffeine daily from energy drinks for years gave up the habit six months ago and definitely recommend. Agree that it takes more than it gives in the long run. Plus if you're free of it and lose your tolerance it's nice to have it there for a kick rather than need it to function. The dependency bugged me more than anything.

 

[Grayman]

where can i buy brain juice?

id like to get my brain juices up at work without having to exercise

does it come in an injectable concentrate? i have good veins

Try infowars.com!

I all so due push ups in my head to excersize my brain! You should really start thibking about excersizing too! It works!

 

[Elizabeth24]

I'd recently (a few months ago) gone off stims altogether, sans a single coffee on the weekend and an occasional cup of tea (lapsang souchong). I previously relied heavily on prescription amphetamines. It's been a difficult change, but after adapting (changing my diet, and changing my productivity patterns), it's ultimately left me more effective. I've come to realise in the time since, that stims are a kind of 'band-aid' solution, and getting your shit together is ultimately the real solution.

I agree with this. I enjoy using Amphetamine every now and then. I use it mostly to learn and then get "back there" without the drug. It's so difficult because at times i feel like I am at the mercy of my moods. I am more stable when I consume less caffeine. It's so addictive to me.

 

[Pizzabeak]

Good thing caffeine is "decriminalized". So many people use it. I don't drink coffee or smoke cigarettes. That's like saying how quitting weed helped you with life, almost. I rarely drink tea anymore. I've had the real Japanese green tea before which was like a paste.
Imagine if caffeine was like pot and they had to regulate a medical industry for it. People would be getting locked up for drinking that coffee. Because it "helps". A lot of smart people I know always say quitting caffeine is good for them. It makes them more mad and aggravated. Without it they are more calm.

 

[Shadowlands97]

"...especially if I drink it all at once. Instead of being focused I become this scatterbrained mess, shooting static in all directions." - Polaris

I'm INFJ and I'm like that without drinking coffee.

 

[washti]

its not you its your succubus

 

[Ex-User (14663)]

Huh. Shadowlands wrote a post without mentioning the word 'succubus'. What is going on here?

 

[Pyropyro]

Huh. Shadowlands wrote a post without mentioning the word 'succubus'. What is going on here?

maybe too much coffee lets you see infernal creatures?