How to Kick Your Coffee Addiction

Coffee: Is it good or bad? The world can never decide. Personally, I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t drink coffee. Totally kidding, but I think coffee is a delicious treat. It just becomes a whole lot less fun when you become addicted to it. If you are looking to get rid of your addiction to coffee, you are in luck cause your homegirl is going to help you out today. You are a strong independent woman and you don’t need no coffee!

Sleep

This is kind of obvious solution, but it needed to be said. If you’re staying up until 2 am every night and can’t figure out why you can’t live without coffee, then let me just help you out. SLEEP! Ted’s mom from How I Met Your Mother was so right: “Nothing good ever happens after 2 am“.

Stay Hydrated

I know, I know…drinking water seems like the solution to everything. But, that’s because it kind of is! Water has so many benefits, including keeping you awake naturally. When you get dehydrated, you become fatigued. You should make sure that you are drinking fluids and keeping yourself hydrated throughout the day.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Drinking More Water

Eat Breakfast

So many people skip out on eating breakfast due to time or just lack of appetite in the morning. But I am here to tell you…eat breakfast! Don’t you know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Breakfast gives you that boost of energy that you need to start the day. It doesn’t have to be a big, elaborate meal–a breakfast bar will do just fine. Just as long as you are getting some sort of nutrients before you head out in the morning.

Get Some Sun

Do you remember when you were in school and the teacher would turn off the lights for a movie or to better view the Powerpoint, and your eyes would instantly start to droop? It’s because you’re in the dark; our minds are trained to think “sleep” when it gets dark. That’s why it can be so hard to fall asleep when you’re on your phone all night. So, if you feel yourself starting to get sleepy, go outside and get some vitamin D or at least turn some lights on!

Have an Afternoon Snack

You know when you eat lunch and feel great afterwards, but then in a few hours you feel exhausted and so lethargic? This is the time when people usually drink another cup of coffee to give them that extra boost. Well instead of drinking coffee, have an afternoon snack. Preferably a healthy one because it will provide you with that extra needed energy.

Get Moving!

Move that body, girlfriend! Although exercise seems like it’s taking away energy, it’s really adding more energy and releasing endorphins. Endorphins make you happy, and happy people just don’t kill their husbands (I just couldn’t help but quote Legally Blonde!). But really, endorphins make you happy and more awake. Plus, exercise reduces stress and makes you more mentally awake as well.

Eat Healthier

Not only should you exercise, but you should also maintain a healthy diet. Maintaining a healthy diet is beneficial for countless reasons, but one reason is because healthy food gives you energy. Junk food will give you a short burst of energy, but the energy will not last long. You’ll get a super high energy rush but in about an hour or so your body will begin to crash, whereas healthy food will give you long-lasting energy that will hold you out until your next meal. So just make your life a lot easier and eat the apple.

Take a Break

When you are tirelessly working your little tush off, it can be hard to stop yourself. But taking breaks will really help you in the long run. It will prevent you from crashing later on from exhaustion because you’ve been on the grind for too long without any breaks. A good idea is to take deep breaths during your break. Taking deep breaths has been proven to improve your mental and physical stamina by giving you more energy.

Like I said coffee isn’t necessarily the worst thing for you–it can even be good for you depending on how much you drink, but it can be super annoying to be so dependent on something. If you are ready, I challenge you to see if you can kick your addiction. Just try staying awake naturally, and see how you feel. I think you’ll be surprised. It’s going to be tough at first, but you got this!

Ali is a college and lifestyle blogger from Northern Illinois. She is currently going to school to get her Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Marketing. She loves hanging out with her friends, binge-watching Grey’s Anatomy, and jamming out to Beyonce. You can find Ali on her blog, livingyoungandhappy.com, her Twitter or on Instagram.