Skip to content

Top Navigation

Health.com Health.com
  • Health Conditions A-Z
  • News
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition
  • Fitness
  • Beauty
  • Mind & Body
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Health.com

Health.com Health.com
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Is Your Doctor Gaslighting You? Here's What to Do

      How to handle a physician who doubts or dismisses your symptoms. Read More Next
    • 9 Signs It's More Serious Than the Common Cold

      Doctors explain how to tell if you have a head cold or something more serious that requires medical attention, such as the flu, strep throat, meningitis, or mono. Read More Next
    • How Your Period Changes During Your 20s, 30s, and 40s

      From easier cramps to a heavier flow, here's a guide on what to expect decade by decade. Read More Next
  • Health Conditions A-Z

    Health Conditions A-Z

    See all Health Conditions A-Z

    12 Anxiety Symptoms That Might Point to a Disorder

    The symptoms of anxiety can be hard to detect. Here are the ones you need to pay attention to, and how to know if you may have an anxiety disorder.
    • Allergies
    • Anxiety
    • Birth Control
    • Breast Cancer
    • Coronavirus
    • Chronic Pain
    • Cold, Flu, and Sinus
    • Depression
    • Digestive Health
    • Diabetes (Type 2)
    • Eczema
    • Eye Health
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Heart Disease
    • Headaches and Migraines
    • Oral Health
    • Pregnancy
    • Psoriasis
    • Sexual Health
    • Skin Conditions
    • Sleep
    • Thyroid
  • News

    News

    See all News

    Shannen Doherty Reveals Stage 4 Breast Cancer Diagnosis—Here's What It Means

    "I'm petrified," the actress said when she shared the news that her breast cancer came back. Here's why a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis can be so frightening.
    • Celebrities
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition

    Diet & Nutrition

    The Best (and Worst) Diets of 2020, According to Experts

    FYI: The keto diet isĀ not number one.
    • Food
    • Nutrition
    • Vitamins and Supplements
    • Groceries
    • Restaurants
    • Diets
    • Keto Diet
    • Mediterranean Diet
    • Whole30
    • Recipes
  • Fitness

    Fitness

    See all Fitness

    10 Moves for a Cardio Workout at Home—No Equipment Required

    Stay in your living room and still spike your heart rate.
    • Cardio Workouts
    • Strength Training
    • Yoga
    • Ab Workouts
    • Arm Workouts
    • Leg Workouts
    • Butt Workouts
    • Fitness Gear
  • Beauty

    Beauty

    See all Beauty

    These 13 Women Prove Every Body Is a Bikini Body

    We're loving their inspirational, body-positive messages.
    • Skincare
    • Makeup
    • Hair
    • Nails
  • Mind & Body

    Mind & Body

    See all Mind & Body

    Why Do People Lie? We Asked an Expert

    Here's the truth about lying.
    • Body Positivity
    • Self-Care
    • Misdiagnosed
    • Invisible Illness
    • LGBTQ+ Health
    • Health Diversity and Inclusion
    • Resolution Reboot
  • Lifestyle

    Lifestyle

    20 Things You Should Throw Away for Better Health

    Clean out expired products and clutter to make way for a healthier you.
    • Healthy Home
    • Pets
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Style
    • Holidays
    • Sex
    • Gifts
    • Money
    • Tech
    • Medicare
    • Best Life Now
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow us

  1. Home Chevron Right
  2. GERD Chevron Right
  3. 9 Ways to Kick the Coffee Habit

9 Ways to Kick the Coffee Habit

By Amanda Gardner
August 16, 2012
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Credit: Getty Images
Giving up caffeine will help acid reflux as well as sleeplessness and anxiety. But it can also make you cranky, tired, and give you headaches. Here are some simple tips to help you kick the habit.
Start Slideshow

1 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

How to cut back on caffeine

Credit: Getty Images

There's nothing wrong with coffee, unless you have acid reflux or other reasons to avoid it.

"Caffeine tends to [open] the lower esophageal sphincter," says Robynne Chutkan, MD, assistant professor in gastroenterology at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Giving up caffeine helps acid reflux, as well as sleeplessness and anxiety. But it can also make you cranky, tired, and give you headaches. Try these tips to kick the habit.

1 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Gradually cut back

Credit: Getty Images

"If you do drink a lot of caffeine, you might want to give it up slowly," says Keri Gans, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and author of The Small Change Diet.

This should help lessen the intensity of the withdrawal symptoms and also give you time to develop new habits to replace the old. "New habits aren't developed overnight," says Gans. But how quickly you taper off and how long it takes depends on how much you're drinking to begin with, she says.

Keep in mind that you can get

caffeine from other sources too, such as chocolate.

2 of 10

3 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Find another go-to drink

Credit: Getty Images

One of the first things Gans advises is to replace coffee with other drinks, even decaf coffee.

Decaffeinated coffee still has caffeine (2 to 25 mg per cup, depending on the brand, vs. 100 mg or more in regular coffee), but it's a good replacement beverage and a way to taper off at the same time.

You can also try another hot drink that's caffeine free, such as herbal tea or even hot water. Don't add lemon though, as its acidity can aggravate the reflux.

3 of 10

Advertisement

4 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Take a Tylenol

Credit: Getty Images

A throbbing headache, sometimes lasting for days, is the signature withdrawal symptom of caffeine. Temporary use of pain relievers could ease your suffering.

Stay away from aspirin and ibuprofen, though, as they can aggravate acid reflux in the esophagus and irritate your stomach, even leading to ulcers.

"If you're prone to acid reflux, taking a lot of aspirin or ibuprofen can make it worse," says Dr. Chutkan. Tylenol (acetaminophen) would be a better bet, assuming you don't have liver problems.

4 of 10

5 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Drink more water

Credit: Getty Images

Consuming more water, whether it's hot or cold, is another great way to detox. It gives your hands and mouth something to do when you've relinquished the coffee mug.

Gans has also heard many die-hard caffeinators say that staying hydrated helped them stay more alert while they were withdrawing. Both low alertness and difficulty concentrating are prime symptoms of caffeine withdrawal, according to one recent study.

"Our bodies are made up mostly of water," Gans says. "Our bodies like water."

5 of 10

6 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Amp up your workouts

Credit: Getty Images

Exercise is just as much of a stimulant—maybe more so—as caffeine. So physical activity is a sure-fire way to combat fatigue as well as irritability when withdrawing from coffee.

"Exercise is a natural high. You get energy simply from exercising," says Gans. "Exercise gets the endorphins going." Endorphins are neurotransmitters that blunt our perception of pain.

But avoid bench presses and other types of weight lifting that can push stomach contents, including acid, up into your esophagus.

6 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Eat healthier food

Credit: Getty Images

Eating healthy food is a great fatigue-buster as well. The basic rules? Stay away from refined sugar and greasy fast foods.

"Fuel your body with food, but not heavy foods that are high in fat," says Gans. Not only will heavy foods make you sleepy, but they could aggravate your heartburn, defeating the whole purpose of giving up coffee in the first place.

Instead, go for high-fiber carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. "Food is an energy source. You need to be sure you're getting adequate amounts," says Gans.

7 of 10

8 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Make meals consistent

Credit: Getty Images

This means making sure you don't let your tank stay empty for longer than four hours at a time, says Gans. This will ward off both fatigue and general crabbiness.

"The hungrier you get, the crankier you get," says Gans. Small meals spaced throughout the day will also keep acid reflux at bay.

Don't skip breakfast. "Start your day with fiber and protein to get yourself out the door," says Gans.

This could be a bowel of oats or high-fiber English muffin with egg whites.

8 of 10

9 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Get more sleep

Credit: Getty Images

According to the National Sleep Foundation, most Americans aren't getting the sleep they need and many are coping with it by drinking copious amounts of caffeine.

Given coffee's stimulant properties, it makes sense that you'd be tired when coming off the cup. The world's best anti-fatigue weapon? Sleep.

"You need to look for energy in other ways and first and foremost is a good night's sleep," says Gans. Some ways to make sure that happens: avoid naps, exercise regularly, and go to bed at the same or similar time every night.

9 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Chill out

Credit: Getty Images

Yoga, meditation, massage, and other relaxation techniques can serve several purposes. They'll help with the crankiness and concentration problems associated with caffeine withdrawal and they could serve as a replacement activity.

"If one of the benefits of coffee is you find it relaxing to sit and drink a cup of coffee, look at something else that can relax you," advises Bethany Thayer, RD, director of wellness programs at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit.

An hour of yoga or even five minutes of quiet sitting could be that "something else."

10 of 10

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Amanda Gardner

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 10 How to cut back on caffeine
2 of 10 Gradually cut back
3 of 10 Find another go-to drink
4 of 10 Take a Tylenol
5 of 10 Drink more water
6 of 10 Amp up your workouts
7 of 10 Eat healthier food
8 of 10 Make meals consistent
9 of 10 Get more sleep
10 of 10 Chill out

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Login

Health.com

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact us
  • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en EspaƱol this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Health.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments. All products and services featured are selected by our editors. Health.com may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.health.com

View image

9 Ways to Kick the Coffee Habit
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.