Tired or Wired? Side Effects of Quitting Caffeine or Sugar and Ways to Cope

You might think of sugar or caffeine as guilty pleasures, required fuel to keep you powered through your day or maybe you go for a coffee and cookie fix once or twice a week.

No matter where you look, caffeine and sugar seem to be staples of our diets—coffee shops galore, yummy pastries in glass displays, seasonal coffees with sugary syrups and toppings. You can hardly escape them.

But what happens when you want to quit caffeine or sugar? When is it a good idea to start changing your habits?

Withdrawing From Caffeine

For many of us, whether or not we get our two-plus cups of coffee or tea in the morning can make or break the day. You might even need that midday caffeine break to get you to the finish line.

But have you ever actively tried to take a break from caffeine?

Maybe the cost of your coffee cravings is adding up or your belly is beginning to get upset, there are many reasons you may consider cutting your caffeine. The health benefits include possibly lowering your anxiety, lowering your blood pressure and even keeping your teeth whiter. However, you may experience some withdrawal symptoms, especially if you're trying to quit abruptly.

Some of these symptoms you've likely experienced before when you weren't able to get your normal daily levels of caffeine, including fatigue, mental fogginess or headache.
However, you may experience other more serious symptoms, such as:

• Irritability
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Depressive or anxious mood
• Dizziness
• Light-headedness

Typically, caffeine withdrawal symptoms last up to about nine days. Experts suggest you should taper off from caffeine gradually if you'd rather not experience serious withdrawal symptoms.

A good cadence to taper off is to reduce your caffeine intake by about 10% every two weeks. So, if you drink three cups a day, you would reduce your intake by just one-third of a cup every two weeks.

Withdrawing From Sugar

Sugar is extremely difficult to cut completely from your diet for numerous reasons. For one, humans' early ancestors were evolutionarily programmed to crave sugar because it was so scarce and helped them acquire fats and maintain their energy levels. Also, you likely enjoy the flavor of high-sugar foods, often referred to as sweets or candy.

Still, reducing sugar in your diet can help with weight loss and reduce your risk of dental cavities, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Reducing or completely cutting sugar from your diet could result in physical and mental symptoms, some of which are similar to caffeine withdrawal symptoms. These include fatigue, irritability or mental fuzziness.

However, some more severe symptoms you might experience are:

• Anxiety
• Changes in sleep habits
• Depression
• Dizziness
• Nausea

Reducing your sugar intake could even lead to intense cravings for something sweet or other carbohydrates.

To keep your body fueled and cope with some of the unpleasant side effects of significantly reducing your sugar intake, experts suggest you make sure you eat balanced meals and snacks that include protein, complex carbs and healthy fats. Also, you can increase your daily fiber to make sure you feel fuller for longer after meals as well as make sure you get plenty of sleep.

Overcoming the Cravings

If you're deciding to make a change by eliminating caffeine or sugar from your diet, it's important to set goals. Setting specific goals for your diet and getting enough exercise during your week can also help you mentally stick to your diet and overcome your symptoms.

However, with any lifestyle change, it's important to remember that it is all about sustainability and setting yourself up for success.

Enjoying a small bowl of fruit or a bit of dark chocolate can help you overcome your caffeine or sugar cravings while preventing you from overindulging so that you can stay on track.

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