How do I cut down without a headache?
Step down instead of stopping. Cut about a quarter every 3 days, the latest drink of the day first, and your sleep gets better on the way.
10days to under 100 mg, by Tuesday, November 24
- From Nov 15215 mgYour last coffee of the day becomes a decaf
- Nov 18160 mgYour last coffee of the day becomes a black tea
- Nov 21120 mgYour last coffee of the day becomes a black tea
- Nov 2490 mgYour last black tea becomes a green tea
If you stopped all at once on Sunday, November 15
A headache would likely start 12 to 24 hours after your last cup (early Sunday morning to Sunday afternoon), be worst 20 to 51 hours after it (Sunday morning to Monday evening), and be gone within 2 to 9 days, by Monday, November 23 at the latest.
Counted from a last cup at your latest time on the clock the day before. About half of people in experiments get a headache, even after stopping 100 mg a day.
What your plan means
- The number of days is how long it takes at a quarter every 3 days. From 400 mg that's about two weeks to under 100.
- Each step takes the latest drink first, so your nights get better from the first step, before the total has moved much.
- The dates if you stopped all at once show when the headache would likely hit. They're the days the plan is built to skip.
What to do next
- Save the dates and swap the cup at each step rather than skipping it. Decaf keeps the ritual with almost none of the dose.
- If a step brings a headache or a foggy day, stay on it for a few more days before the next one. The pace is ours, since no trial has tested a schedule.
- Fill the gap with sleep, since that's what clears the tiredness caffeine was covering. How to have more energy without caffeine has the rest.
The plan, worked
Milligrams a day from each step, cutting about a quarter every 3 days.
| Starting at | Day 1 | Day 4 | Day 7 | Day 10 | Day 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 mg | 300 mg | 225 mg | 170 mg | 125 mg | 95 mg |
| 300 mg | 225 mg | 170 mg | 125 mg | 95 mg | done |
| 200 mg | 150 mg | 115 mg | 85 mg | done | done |
Why step down
Stopping all at once brings withdrawal for many people: it usually starts 12 to 24 hours after the last dose, peaks at 20 to 51 hours and lasts 2 to 9 days. About half of people in experiments get a headache, and it showed up even after stopping 100 mg a day. The other signs are tiredness, low energy, trouble concentrating, low mood and irritability.
No trial has tested a taper schedule, so this pace is ours. Three days a step lets each small dip pass its 20 to 51 hour peak before the next one, and cutting the latest drink first means your nights improve from the first step.
3 sources
- Juliano LM, Griffiths RR, A critical review of caffeine withdrawal, Psychopharmacology, 2004pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: brewed coffee (171890), espresso (171891), brewed black tea (173227) and brewed green tea (171917)fdc.nal.usda.gov
- US Food and Drug Administration, Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much? Content current as of August 28, 2024fda.gov
