When I was addicted I only felt like it affected me badly within a few hours after I missed a fix. I never drank coffee, I was a Coca Cola girl. I could drink it at night and sleep fine, but I had a very physical job, and was exhausted a lot. I usually had some caffeine by 12:00 noon. If I didn’t have it, by 2:00 the headache started, I never used it as a “morning cup” of caffeine, like I had to have my caffeine before the day started, but I did admittedly drink Coca Cola for breakfast sometimes.
If someone doesn’t drink caffeine at night, I would assume their crucial time is way before 12 noon.
I quit many years ago and cheat once in a while and I stil love it! I drink a coke and I feel great. I am not all jazzed up and buzzing around, just feel almost happier and a little more alert. Maybe sharper is a better word than alert. Even healthier in a way. If I cheat for several days in a row and then stop, I get a mild headache (keep in mind my cheats are like 4–12oz a day of coke, or a cup of tea, so not very much caffeine) and I look like crap. People will ask me, “are you ok?” Or, “is something wrong?” When I withdraw. It has always been like that. I look sick without it until it is really cleared out of my system.
I think that there might be a link for me between caffeine and increased chances of my having shingles outbreaks, so I have even more incentive to stay clean. Maybe if I was drinking it constantly again I would be less affected if I am right about the connection. I can’t be sure if it is connected or not.
I am not preachy about caffeine addiction, even though I personally am glad I quit. What I do say is pay attention to it, and don’t constantly miss a caffeine fix, either keep a steady dose going in your system or give it up. I don’t think it is good for the body to go through withdrawal all the time.
My husband finally began to buy into the importance of him not missing his caffeine fix. He also could wake up in the morning and skip it, but he would pay in the late afternoon if he didn’t get it in sometime reasonable before noon. Now he thinks about it in a more serious way (not that it is really that serious) and makes sure he gets enough for the day.