Caffeine Intake and Sleep Records

Itsuki is currently conducting a human experiment on her own body, titled “Trying to cut back on coffee.”⇩

During this process, various physical changes were observed, so for those who are similarly struggling with

✅Insomnia
✅Frequent urination
✅Headaches
✅Unexplained physical malaise
✅Unexplained mood swings

I hope that if anyone is dealing with these issues, this might provide some clues toward a solution.

Although I feel quite embarrassed,

I have decided to share my sleep and bathroom habits from before and after cutting back on coffee.

I have compiled the sleep records I was keeping for myself over the past few days for this note.

To begin with.

Why did I suddenly decide to review my coffee intake?

Well.

Partly because I was suffering from daily insomnia.

And also because I was aware that “maybe I’m drinking too much coffee.”⇩

Immediately after actually reducing my coffee intake, I also thoroughly experienced what could be called the baptism of quitting coffee:

“Caffeine withdrawal headache.”

It seems I experienced that as well.

As someone conducting a human experiment, it was a quite interesting experience that made me feel the mystery of the human body⇩

Before cutting back on coffee.

Itsuki was drinking about six cups of coffee and other caffeinated beverages a day, without paying much attention to the time.

I would normally drink it even up to an hour before bed.


As such, Itsuki was also chronically sleep-deprived.

I would struggle to sleep for two days, and by the third day, I would reach my limit and sleep like I had fainted.

Even when I could sleep, it was light and I would wake up frequently.

I would go to the bathroom every time I woke up, about once every two hours, or in bad cases, once an hour.


I could no longer tell if I was waking up because I needed to use the bathroom, or if I needed to use the bathroom because I was waking up.

Night after night, I would wake up saying, “Ugh, the bathroom...”

I am living a rather stimulating nocturnal life, making many trips back and forth between my wobbly futon and the bathroom.

Even so,
since it's annoying to make noise, I should at least go to the bathroom in silence.

Itsuki is the type who says everything out loud.

Even when standing up, I want to say 'heave-ho'.

I must admit, it is quite annoying.

Well, Itsuki being annoying is nothing new, so let's set that aside...

Regarding these phenomena,

I, of course, suspected frequent urination and aging as well.

However,

I am someone who actively drinks hot water and plain water in addition to coffee, and I eat well.

Coffee also has a diuretic effect.

'Drinking a glass of water before bed prevents dehydration' I believe in this and put it into practice.

That might also be a factor.

Besides, previously,

'If your sleep is shallow, your internal organs, which are supposed to suppress activity and rest with you, cannot rest and continue to produce urine.'

I had heard this story, and I had a vague feeling that this was the case for me too.

I don't worry about the number of times I go to the bathroom during the day, which further fuels that thought.

Therefore,
personally, I have a sneaking suspicion that coffee and touching my smartphone right up until I go to sleep are the problems.

But,

I haven't been able to change the comfortable habits I've formed, and I've just been dragging them along.

[Caffeine Intake and Sleep Log] 3 Days

2023/06/15

✅ One cup of coffee, chai milk at night.

✅ Drank plenty of hot water and water throughout the day.

Felt sleepy at 22:00, got into bed, and fell asleep immediately.

I haven't had zero middle-of-the-night awakenings and zero bathroom trips in years.

I'm quite surprised.

The change is so drastic that I even suspect it might be self-suggestion.

2023/06/16

✅ Zero cups of coffee, chai milk at night.

✅ Drank plenty of hot water and water throughout the day.

Severe headache starting in the afternoon.
Had nausea.

Took painkillers.

Possibility of 'caffeine withdrawal headache'.

I had plans the next day, so I got into bed at 21:00 and fell asleep immediately.

I really don't feel like this ease of falling asleep is just some kind of self-suggestion...

It is shocking to me that I had no urge to use the restroom when I woke up in the middle of the night.


Does this mean my internal organs were sleeping soundly during the night and did not produce any new urine...?

2023/06/17

✅ Morning, one cup of coffee.

✅ Afternoon, Dekavita C (realized it contained caffeine after drinking it) and chai milk.

✅ Drank plenty of hot water and water throughout the day.

I was already sleepy by 10:00 PM.

Got into bed at 11:00 PM and fell asleep immediately.

For the past few days, I have been so sleepy at night that I haven't even had the energy for my habitual smartphone time in bed.

With my sleep situation improving for so many days in a row,
I am starting to think that the self-suggestion theory I suspected is unlikely.

I have concluded that my nighttime insomnia and frequency of restroom visits were influenced by my daily caffeine intake, and I will continue this human experiment from today onward.

Although I have only been able to provide three days' worth of data since I just started the verification.

Even so, I have felt a very significant changeimmediately after 'reducing the amount of coffee'.I drink.

If there is anyone else who is suffering from insomnia, frequent urination, headaches, unexplained physical malaise, or emotional instability like I am,

caffeine intakeorcaffeine withdrawal symptomsmight be worth considering.

Like me in this instance,

the cause of chronic health issues might sometimes be hidden in familiar habits that we are not even conscious of.

I don't want anyone to misunderstand after reading this article,

Coffee, as well as other caffeinated drinks and foods, have many various benefits. (This is strictly based on Itsuki's research.)

And above all, they are delicious and provide comfort.

Therefore, Itsuki has no intention of cutting them out completely for the time being.

In order to enjoy daily life, I intend to explore the appropriate amount of caffeine for myself from here on out.

I hope you all continue to enjoy wonderful coffee time!

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