Caffeine

[Grovedale]

Apologies if this is an inane question. I'm just curious as to what our members think as there is a lot of experience with various substances and obviously caffeine is ubiquitous. 

I don't drink caffeine but I was thinking of starting for an energy boost in the morning. Is it really healthier to be caffeine free? Or does it not make much difference but has benefits of improving energy and cognition?

Just curious....

GD 

[IceWizard]

I was here in the South,
my Parents drank coffee and tea...

My G-Parents drank coffee... LOTS of coffee...
All day long... Mostly Seaport or Community Dark roast...

The reason I'm saying this is, those brands are FULL of caffeine..

And, I took my first "spoonful" sitting on my G-Daddy's knee...


Why just the other day, I drank soo much coffee..
I couldn't even wink ..

I never liked those "energy" drinks...

Ice

[happyvibe]

@ Ice that makes me smile.
My little sister had her first cafecito sitting next to my mom at 3 yrs old!
I drink coffee and diet coke all day but i don’t think its related to my anxiety. However i do believe nothing is better than good ole H20.

[Grovedale]

Ha love it Ice very lyrical 

[Levi517]

One benefit from coffee is on the bowels (sorry if this is TMI).
I doubt that I'm alone in this, but I do find some meds quite constipating.
To get around this, I usually go for a 45 minute morning walk followed by a nice cup of coffee (medium-strong).
Almost always does the trick!
But I really watch my caffeine intake especially from noon on. I keep a good quality decaf around for the afternoon, because like xeno, too much caffeine and I'm in trouble...edgy and anxious.

[Slick]

Hi Grovedale.

When I was working and raising my boys, my day started around 4:30 AM.  Breakfast for me was coffee.  Followed
by two more cups at work after dropping the kids off.  By lunchtime, it all depended on meetings, etc. so a lot of lunch
was coffee.  And after work, picking up the kids and getting them something to eat and started on homework, my
relaxation was a nice hot cup of coffee, heels off and either silence sitting outside in warm weather sipping it or the
evening news inside.  I was drinking about 5 or 6 cups a day.  But I could still grab a bite to eat after the kids were asleep and I would be able to fall asleep within an hour.  I tried a few different energy drinks and they were a no-go!!

Try a cup in the morning and see how you feel.  Might take more than a few days, but the Good Lord knows it was
a lifesaver for me!!

(Plus as a Federal Govt worker, all the offices had coffee stations and it was kind of the thing to do!!  LOL!!!)

But now, I start my day with a cup and then around 3 I will have a cup and just take a break (or try to) from the
stress of the world.  I have substituted my coffee with water from a Britta water pitcher and I drink usually a pitcher
a day.

I have to confess that since a Starbucks opened up a few years ago about 5 minutes from me, I am guilty of an occasional Iced macchiato!! 

Best of Luck!  Stay away from the canned energy drinks!  Chemicals and even a coffee drinker like I was, I would
get jittery off the few that I did try!!

Slick

[Grovedale]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

Slick you make it sound like a lovely treat/ break to look forward to

I was at the doctor recently and he asked me how many caffeinated drinks I drink per day. When I said none he said good which made me think is it really that bad? As a non-coffee drinker I always feel like i'm missing out.

I get migraines so I've been a bit nervous indulge but sounds like everyone here thinks it's fairly harmless lols

[Charon]

https://www.ioplist.org/showthread.php?tid=1

Good when you are all awake, follow rule one. Make a welcome thread. Look at how long you have been here.

Elsewise we shall purge your account.

[Grovedale]

Thanks FF, people probably think it's weird asking about caffeine as it's obviously ubiquitous but if you don't think, you don't know.

Anyways I did try a couple of fully caffeinated coffees a couple of weeks ago in the morning and felt great. It definitely gives you a lovely focus boost but as you said I definitely felt edgy in the afternoon which i didn't like so I've decided it's not for me.

But interesting that your Psych doc encouraged you to give it up. Did he say why?

[Slick]

Don't give up on coffee now!! 

One of the best kinds are Starbucks Iced coffees!!!!  I have a Starbucks about 5 minutes away and I can get there
thru parking lots (which is actually a bad thing!!  lol) !!! 

 Love love love the iced coffee flavors. 
And you can get a half caf - a small boost of caffeine but lots of other nice fattening flavors!!!

Slick