This Is What Happens to Your Body When You Stop Drinking Coffee

Life is fast-paced, demanding and forever ‘on’. But always being on the go sometimes requires help, and that’s where coffee comes in.

Coffee is an addictive drink, a liquid comfort to almost everyone on the planet; but what you may not be aware of is just what it does to your body. It’s common knowledge that in small amounts coffee can be good for you: it’s full of antioxidants, is believed to help us live longer, and it can even regulate your bowels.

But when we imbibe large amounts of coffee on a regular basis, those health benefits can become clouded by poor sleep, heightened anxiety, and sugar cravings among an array of other symptoms.

Keen to quit, or at least pause your intake? Here's what happens to your body when you stop drinking coffee.

1. You might feel anxious

Because you'll be deprived of adrenaline and dopamine, the hormones that act as natural stimulants to keep you awake and control your mood will enter shock. You'll naturally feel more tired and anxious as your body adjusts to the lack of stimulants. However, be assured this period of withdrawal will not last long and soon your body will regulate and learn to survive without your morning cup of coffee. You will enjoy more stable moods and lose those unnecessary adrenaline spikes.

2. You'll sleep more soundly

A study published by the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found caffeine intake – even six hours before bedtime – can disrupt a person’s sleep cycle that night. This means the coffee you had at 5pm may very well be the reason you are awake at 11pm. Stopping coffee intake (even temporarily) can improve your sleep quality as it allows your body to reset itself back to a ‘normal’ setting and lets your regular sleep hormones, such as melatonin, work naturally to guide you to sleep.

3. Your head may hurt less

You'll possibly have fewer headaches as some are caused by a high caffeine intake. Of course, there will be withdrawal symptoms, like a deep craving for sugar and excessive tiredness. But these will pass, and so too will the headaches that regular coffee intake can cause. Eventually, your head will thank you.

4. Your teeth can look brighter

Your dental hygiene can also improve. Most regular coffee drinkers have a subtle brown colour around their teeth, which is thanks to regular coffee consumption. Stopping your coffee intake will not fix the brown hue, but it will help it from getting worse. Also, did you know a high caffeine intake can lead to teeth grinding? Just another benefit of saying not to coffee.

5. Your health could improve

Despite its purported health benefits, we know coffee can do damage to the stomach lining and send your blood pressure sky high. Coffee is a stimulant, and yes, it makes you more awake but with that immediate ‘turn on’ effect comes pressure on your heart and blood vessels. (Coffee is a vasoconstrictor, meaning it is a substance that narrows the blood vessels.) As caffeine raises your blood pressure, it forces your body to work harder to maintain the status quo. Therefore, eliminating it from your diet means giving your body a bit of a break.

6. Your hydration levels improve

Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it causes the kidneys to work harder to cleanse the blood. The organs then react to a caffeine hit by pulling extra water out of the bloodstream (along with caffeine molecules) and sending it to the bladder for disposal. Naturally, the body fills up a lot more quickly when you’re drinking fluids, which means more trips to the bathroom and in turn, possible dehydration. Ending the coffee intake, by either going cold turkey or slowly weaning yourself off it, means your body will be able to hold onto the water it needs to function more easily rather than constantly flushing it out.

If you are concerned about your health, wellbeing or sleep, your first port of call should be your GP, who will advise a correct treatment plan.