Featured Image Credit: Chris Williamson / Getty
Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance on the planet. Around 80% of the global population takes it in some form every day, according to the National Institute of Health.
Of course, many of us cannot even fathom starting our days without having our first sip of coffee. The problem is that the body adapts.
Over time, regular caffeine consumption desensitises the brain to its effects, meaning more is needed just to reach the same baseline.
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When people do try to cut it out, they can experience some side effects, including headaches, fatigue, low mood, difficulty concentrating, and irritability, anywhere from two to nine days. For those who push through, though, the benefits look very encouraging.
Podcast host and content creator Chris Williamson is one of them.
As part of a reflection on 16 lessons drawn from 600 episodes of his show, Williamson revealed that he spent 500 days completely caffeine-free. Breaking free from his caffeine addiction, the 38-year-old feels the experience changed how he thinks about the substance entirely.
"I did 500 days without caffeine which was incredibly illuminating," he said in the YouTube Short.
"It reminded me that most people are totally dependent on their coffee intake to facilitate not just their performance but literally just their life. And that's not the way that it should be."
The YouTuber spoke about how caffeine has become woven into everyday conversation.
"When you hear people talk about caffeine, they won't say 'I'm tired,' they'll say 'I need a coffee,'" Williamson explained. "You can be tired and not need a coffee."
He then asked his viewers: "If you can't function without caffeine, can you really say that it's a performance enhancer?
"It's not assisting your performance. It's required to get you from negative back to baseline or neutral."
Williamson also raised a point that being 'reliant' on caffeine can 'paper over the cracks of why you're tired.'
Viewers who have taken the same step to stop consuming caffeine have shared similar realisations.
"Day 5 of caffeine sober. I feel absolutely amazing," one user wrote.
"Stopped caffeine for two years…taught me just how s*** my sleep was and how effective food is as a pre training choice," a second user agreed.
"Good! Finally someone who understands me. No caffeine no tea with caffeine for my whole life. I feel great," someone else claimed.
