Leaving the Cult

I have been trying an experiment over the past couple of months, no caffeine. More specifically, only decaf coffee. I haven’t had caffeine in a little over two months, and here are my observations.

I love the ritual of coffee. Starting the morning with a hot beverage is a lovely way to start one’s day. Decaf continues this tradition. Depending on the type of day, the method of preparation changes, a Mocca Master or an Aeropress. The great thing about this experiment is that I do not need a coffee to start my day. There is no headache if I skip my morning cup. I am also finding that my energy is more consistent through the day, less frantic spikes in energy as caffeine and cortisol flood my system.

I have found a local coffee roaster who has a decaf espresso roast that is perfect for the espresso machine, and I continue to experiment with the decaf coffee that I use for non-espresso brewing methods. Wimp Decaf is a great cup and I have been considering getting a couple of different bags of Dekaf to try.

I’ve found that “commercial coffee” from Starbucks is middling to poor coffee, not something I generally look forward to. I do think the new Starbucks Clover brewer an improvement over the traditional brew and boil coffee urn, and there is always decaf available. Coffee I don’t make myself is always considered suspect, meaning that it could be caffeinated, so in the ordering process I try to emphasize that the decaffeinated option is critical.

The benefit that I have noticed in removing caffeine from my system is the improvement in my sleep. Without having caffeine sneaking into any time after noon, I am tired at bed time and do not find myself staring at the ceiling in the dark. This improvement has been the most worthwhile reason for leaving the cult of caffeine.

A life with out caffeine includes quality sleep, consistent energy, no headaches, and no addiction. Caffeine may be vital to some, but no longer to me.