Kettle on. The first thing many people do when they wake up is to flip the switch that takes you one step closer to the mule kick of caffeine that gets you going. However, for the seasoned coffee drinker, eventually, the rocket power effects of caffeine become a distant memory and the hot cup you use to start the morning becomes more of a necessity than a strategic energy boost to start the day. You begin to need caffeine to function.
This is where you need to reset your tolerance. This isn’t going to be a comfortable journey, and it certainly won’t be fun. But, you will once again be able to use caffeine to give you the edge. You may also want to consider whether or not you need to take an intolerance test to see whether you’re intolerant to coffee.
Resetting your caffeine tolerance
There are two ways to reset your caffeine tolerance;
Cold Turkey
For many, this strikes fear into their heart. Going cold turkey means completely removing caffeine from your diet on day one of your reset. This method has a more immediate effect but can also bring about extreme side effects, including brain fog, migraines, nausea and mood swings. If you think you can handle these symptoms, this is going to be your quickest route to a tolerance reset, but be prepared for a tough time.
Gradual Removal
This method is slightly less strict and involves gradually reducing the amount of caffeine you’re consuming over a period of weeks. This is designed to reduce the severity of the side effects experienced during reset. However, it will take you longer to experience the outcome you’re looking for.
How long does it take?
This is entirely dependent on the method you decide to use. If you go cold turkey, you should spend four weeks with very low to no caffeine consumption. This allows your body to deplete its caffeine levels entirely and enables the receptors to a chance to reset its tolerance. After this period, you should try drinking a weak coffee or tea to see whether you experience the effects you would expect from caffeine. If you’re doing a more gradual reset, you should look to half your caffeine consumption each week until you reach zero caffeine consumption. At this point, you should spend four weeks caffeine-free before following the same reintroduction method as a cold turkey reset.
Reintroducing caffeine and retaining tolerance
Now you have successfully restored your body’s tolerance to caffeine; you’re probably wanting to reintroduce it into your routine. When doing so, consider whether your previous consumption may have been excessive and whether that led to you no longer experience the benefits. If you feel you may have been drinking too much, you may wish to be more strategic about your consumption to sustain your exposure to the benefits. You will still need to cycle off caffeine on a routine basis (three times a year should be enough), but you should experience the benefits for longer.
Using An Intolerance Test To Identify Whether You Need A Reset
Did you know that you can take an intolerance test to help you identify whether you’ve built up an intolerance to coffee? With the extreme side effects involved, an unnecessary reset could mean exposing yourself to hardship that you don’t need to. Taking an intolerance test can help you ascertain whether its time to brave the headaches for the greater good. We have a range of intolerance tests to suit all budgets.
