I’ve cut caffeine from my diet. For most of the past year, my coffee/soda habit has been one each a day, though I’ve been gradually cutting down on the soda out of concern for my teeth. Nowadays I average about three cans of soda a week, and until early this month, an 8 oz. cup of coffee every morning, weekends included. After reading some of the comments in the 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine thread on Metafilter, I wondered just how addicted I was, and how it would affect me to quit coffee altogether.

Iconomy’s comment is right on. I went cold turkey two weeks ago, on Friday. Through the following weekend I was slightly surly and off-kilter, with some mind-fog and a mild, throbbing headache. The following Monday, the headache was gone, and my mood evened out. Since then, my sleeping habits have improved, I’ve been able to focus better at work all day, and I haven’t been needing a cup in the morning to “get me going.” What little coffee I’ve had since then has been decaf, and I’ll enjoy a real cup of coffee or mocha for taste, perhaps once a week or so, if that.

My new preferred morning beverage is 2% milk.