About 1 billion people consume coffee daily across the globe. This magical brew that originated from Ethiopia is a crucial part of most people’s morning routine. Caffeine is among the many available stimulants of the central nervous system, and due to its ability to increase concentration and boost your mood, many people feel like they need a cup to stay alert.
Sadly, the caffeine in coffee can be addictive and may cause dependency in regular coffee consumers.
If you need to quit coffee or just take a break from it, here are some ideas to kickstart your morning without caffeine.
How to kickstart your morning without coffee
1. Workout
There’s no better way to start your morning than with a good workout. Besides boosting your mood and improving your health, working out triggers your body to release endorphins that relieve stress and improve your general well-being.
Morning workouts can also improve your sleeping habits and help lower your risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension.
2. Connect with nature
Do you feel like morning workouts are too much? A study by the University of Georgia revealed taking a 20-minute walk will reduce fatigue by 65 percent.
In addition, a morning nature walk will increase your concentration and productivity throughout the day. It improves your mood and boosts your flexibility and energy, helping you keep fit and reducing the risk of obesity and heart disease.
3. Eat a healthy breakfast
Eating breakfast has been linked to great health. When you wake up, the blood sugar in your body needs to be replenished to allow your brain and muscles to function optimally.
Add carbohydrates to your morning meal to give your body the energy boost it needs. Also, include proteins and fats to keep you feeling full for awhile since they take longer to digest. Don’t forget whole grains, fruits, and fresh vegetables in your morning meals.
4. Hydrate
Water is life. There are different guidelines on how much one should drink in a day, but everyone has different needs. One person may need to drink more and another less. Still, popular studies recommend that the average person should consume about two liters of water a day.
Studies have found a remarkable relationship between drinking enough water and alertness, vigor, and stamina. Research published by the University of Connecticut in the Journal of Nutrition states that dehydration can cause fatigue, low mood, difficulty concentrating, and headaches. These are similar to caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Try water if you need to quit or find an alternative for your coffee cravings.
5. Drink tea or other coffee alternatives
Instantly cutting coffee from your morning routine might seem like an outrageous demand. But swapping it with less caffeinated drinks such as tea is one way to reduce your caffeine intake.
However, if you’re ready to cut out coffee completely, you can try herbal or green tea. Green tea contains bioactive compounds that help fight cancer and reduce inflammation. Green tea also contains antioxidants that promote brain function and alleviate cardiovascular disease.
There are also herbal teas such as chamomile that can improve sleep, reduce stress, and help your body relax.
Other coffee alternatives include chicory coffee, matcha tea, golden milk, lemon water, and apple cider vinegar.
6. Meditate
Use your morning time wisely. Spend the time you might be idle or the time you use to brew coffee to meditate.
Meditation is a great way to alleviate stress and anxiety. It helps you take charge of your calmness and inner peace, improving your general well-being and health. Meditation also boosts creativity and improves the quality of your sleep.
Reducing caffeine in your life
Quitting coffee is not an easy task. Like alcohol, coffee withdrawal symptoms may include drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, headache, fatigue, and irritability. Luckily, these symptoms will diminish with time — although they may be bad within the first few days after quitting.
Consider drinking other less caffeinated drinks, such as tea, if the urge to drink coffee is overwhelming and you feel you can no longer resist it.
