What we're really talking about here is Caffeine, I just didn't want to generate a bunch of random responses by using that as the title.
My house was caffeine-free growing up and it was most definitely a Word of Wisdom issue. My mother calls it Poison. No caffeinated beverages passed my lips until my late 20's. What brought about the change? Well, I cannot deny the influence of seeing friends and siblings imbibing guilt-free; however, I'd like to think I'm not completely susceptible to peer pressure.
I was totally dependent on Excedrin and finally decided I was being ridiculousy self-deceiving in refusing to drink Mt Dew, coke, etc.
Here's the thing, can I function without it? Yes. Do I have to have it? Uh, sometimes. Would I be better served by getting more sleep? Yes.
I seem to be exquisitely sensitive to caffeine and just a little gets me into a terrible cycle. I get less than adequate sleep due to poor time management, have like 1/2 a diet coke at work so I can quit being cranky, can't fall asleep 12 hrs later, and need more caffeine the next day. Ridiculous.
The fabulous thing about caffeine is that it cures all my ills--wonder drug, as it were--headaches, bad mood, fatigue, inhibitions. (I get kind of animated and loud the more I have in my system.)
So, if I'm not dependent on it,physically/psychologically, is it ok to keep swilling the stuff?
My father and one friend point out that BYU does not sell caffeinated soft drinks. I point out that they are available for purchase at the Lion House and Joseph Smith Memorial Bldg--much to their consternation.
Clearly if I'm having this debate with myself, I should probably just give it up and go to bed earlier? Hmm.
Can't fall asleep 12 hrs later? But caffeine doesn't stay in your body that long, does it? It must be something else - are you getting daily exercise?
ReplyDeleteI was craving orange Fanta last Saturday and couldn't find it anywhere. Finally settled for orange Crush (NOT the same) and had a few swigs of the stuff. Joe looked at the label to see what kinds of unnatural ingredients were in it and found-- caffeine! In orange soda! When did they start doing that? Why? Tell Daddy to check his orange soda at the next church function.
Had a yummy mandarin Jarritos yesterday and it did the trick.
I, too, enjoy my caffeine, but can't have it past the lunch hour or I can't fall to sleep in the PM. I have decided I am not as addicted to the caffeine as I am to going to the gas station to purchase my beverage. My day feels so empty without that trip.
ReplyDeleteYou know... caffine does absolutely nothing for me in the energy sense... one time i drank two triple strength rockstars and then took a nice 3 hour nap right afterwards. i drink caffine because it makes me less grumpy.
ReplyDeleteGive up the caffeine if it makes you not sleep! Sleep is the best recharger and mood stablizer in the world! Haha. If I don't get sleep I'm a grump!
ReplyDeleteI think it's funny that you think you're not dependant on it physically/psychologically but you can't fall asleep and it cures all your ills! Your wonder drug as it were! :) It's mine too for sure. I wonder what it is! Wish I could stop... one of these days. Maybe if I get to have a baby then I'll stop - that'll be my "someday-lent."
ReplyDeleteI still have 1/2 a can a day - the midwife said it way okay! But I only have it when I'm sitting bored at work trying to keep my eyes open. I don't really miss it on weekends, and I don't get a headache if I go a few days without it. Just sayin
ReplyDeleteWhen I read your title I thought for sure this was going to be about Botox.
ReplyDeleteHahaha! I'm never doing botox again, I'm still startled everytime I look in the mirror and see my jack-o-lantern eyebrows! Ask Kelly P., she just saw me this evening.
ReplyDeleteOh, caffeine...
sonja! you make it sound like i agree with you on this eyebrow description. i don't think you look like a jack-o-lantern! what i said was that you couldn't see a difference with your eyebrows in the pictures but you could in person, and i didn't say it was a bad thing!!!
ReplyDeletegeez... always twisting my words.
I agree with Amy how can you say you're not dependent on it after that lengthy description? And unless things have changed Maria is totally dependent too!!! That's right! I've seen you both when you're cranky and craving your cokes!! I am the one who is clearly not dependent!!! It has ZERO effect on my sleep, I could drink like three a day and fall asleep. I haven noted no other side effects. I enjoy the taste of a code red or vanilla coke. But I maybe drink it like once every couple of weeks, totally sporadic like. Even when I have bought a twelve case of coke a had one every day I'm totally fine not to buy another case. If Maria still needs half a can a day she is totally dependent. Sonja...lay off the Excedrin and coke. Just go cold turkey for a while and the cravings and headaches will subside.
ReplyDeleteSonja you go ahead and have that half can of Coke every day... as you already noted if you don't do that you will just pick up another vice (such as Excedrin overdosing). My sister went caffeine free and six months later she realized she was eating the candy off of everyone's desk in her office... overcompensating with SUGAR.
ReplyDeleteAs for it affecting your sleep... I'm with Maria, maybe you need more exercise or fresh air or just learn to relax. I absolutely can't sleep without reading first. And it has to be fiction, very odd. Nonfiction is too... stimulating?
Another possible solution if you want to "quit"... try reading nonfiction in the morning, maybe it will have the right effect and wake you up!
One more thing, it sounds like Maria is expecting, how exciting. I was so strict about caffeine (and everything) with my first... and got progressively more lax with subsequent child (not that I was shooting up or anything...). With Jaycey I permitted myself a Diet Coke every Thursday (last day of the work week in Doha). She seems fine except for that third ear in the back of her neck, ha ha.
Let me just clarify, I *do* try to abstain because of dependency issues--yes, I freely admit it! I have caffeine like once a week if I absolutely cannot function.
ReplyDeleteI excercise as much as my schedule permits. It is said schedule which necessitates caffeine, so confusing. I give exercise preference over sleep sometimes. Alas, it's the cello that gets negelected, followed by sleep.
I don't know what to do about stress, maybe that will be my next post.
Wow, Terry! I did not know you were so careful about caffeine when you were pregnant.