Today is the first day of my abstaining from tea & coffee.
Like I imagine would be the case with the vast majority of the population, I have drunk both all my life and have never known a time of not enjoying a nice cup of tea or a nice mug of coffee.
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, which is used to reduce physical fatigue and to restore alertness when feeling drowsy. Both coffee and tea contain caffeine.
According to the US National Institute of Health: "[Too] much caffeine can make you restless, anxious, and irritable. It may also keep you from sleeping well and cause headaches, abnormal heart rhythms, or other problems." And that after a person stops using caffeine, they can experience withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal symptoms include headaches, irritability, inability to concentrate, drowsiness, insomnia, and pain in the stomach, upper body, and joints. Which may appear within 12 to 24 hours after discontinuation of caffeine intake, peak at roughly 48 hours, and usually last from 2 to 9 days.
One thing I have discovered from my reading on the subject, is that if all goes well and I am successful with my caffeine withdrawal, that by this time next year I'll be eligible for initiation by a Gaudiya Vaishnavas (Hare Krishna) guru. Eligibility being no caffeine, alcohol, nicotine or other drugs, for at least a year. The reason Gaudiya Vaishnavas abstain from caffeine, is apparently that it clouds the mind and over-stimulates the senses.
wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine
wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee
wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea
I will keep a log here of my progress and whatever withdrawal symptoms occur.
1 comment:
Good luck, Eamonn! However, have you heard of decaffeinated coffee and rooibos tea (much the easier route to take)?
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