Today was my first long day at work during this fourteen day experiment and it was not any easier as the previous few days. My headache was more noticeable, persistent and was not going away with Tylenol and Advil. Along with notable fatigue and some transient nausea, I think that I am at the peak of my caffeine withdrawal.
According to a report from the John Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, caffeine withdrawal includes symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, work difficulties, irritability, depression, anxiety, flu-like symptoms and impairment in psychomotor, vigilance and cognitive performances. As stated in earlier posts, I developed a majority of these symptoms but I never felt irritable, depressed or anxious. In respect to the last symptom, I may have been a little slower to react but I don’t think I had any cognitive impairments. I can tolerate the headaches but it’s the lack of energy at times that really makes it hard to get through some parts of the day. I think that is one the main advantages of consuming caffeine is that is gives you a little pick-me-up that allows you to focus a little bit easier and more importantly gives you energy to get through a long day. (Even if that energy is short lived and is usually mixed in beverages that are not good for you.)
