Read: Caffeine Diaries – Week 1 Without Coffee (Is Absolute Misery)
This week’s Monday, day 9 of being coffee-free was slightly challenging. It didn’t seem like sleeping improved, although I was groggy and exhausted through the day, which apparently could very well have been ‘withdrawal symptom’. There’s this Healthline article about the eight symptoms of caffeine withdrawal – headache, fatigue, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, depressed mood, irritability, tremors, and low energy – and except for ‘tremors’, I did display everything else. No jittery, or shaky hands, which means, at least, it wasn’t an ‘addiction’.
And I am happy to announce that today, this Sunday, 16th August 2026, I’ve gone 15 days without drinking coffee. My daily beverage had only been a cup of tea before 4 pm and sometimes a glass of buttermilk. So ‘yay’ to making it to week 2 of ‘Caffeine Diaries’ without failing.
On Tuesday, I did feel like quietly sneaking into the kitchen and maybe just sniffing the jar of coffee, which probably sounds pathetic, but then I didn’t. And today, my father, who almost never drinks coffee, asked me to make him a cup of black coffee this evening at 5 pm, and even though my first instinct was to admonish him for having caffeine so late in the day, I remembered who the parent was. So I held back my tongue, made the coffee, and took pride in both facts: one, I did not pick a fight with my dad; two, I actually didn’t even feel tempted to fix myself a cup.
Interestingly, just when I opened my laptop to start writing this ‘Caffeine Diaries’ post, the homepage showed an article titled ‘I Drink Black Coffee Daily – Oncologist Shares 6 Benefits…’. Sign from the universe that I shouldn’t punish myself for no reason and that it has some benefits too?
Honestly, even today morning, there was some residual doubt in my mind – that maybe it’s a Sunday and I’ll just order a fancy cup of cold coffee from somewhere ‘nice’ to reward myself for keeping up a two week streak. Yes, sounds ironic, it’s like gifting yourself with a whole cigarette after quitting smoking for two weeks, and we all know millions of people have most definitely thought it fair – ‘just one cigarette’. But c’mon, coffee isn’t really slowly killing anyone. Which is why it’s easier to just go back.
Like I mentioned in the first ‘Caffeine Diaries‘ post, trying to improve my sleep quality was a major reason I decided to quit coffee for a while (the period is undecided for now). Unfortunately: no improvement in that area. If anything, maybe this week was worse, because despite not having any coffee and just having one cup of tea before 3 pm, twice this week, I slept at almost 4 am. Even though I usually crash by 2 am.
Since I usually read before going to sleep, major blame goes to James Clavell’s Shogun (a fantastic historical fiction novel, where they constantly sip cha, btw) for keeping me up one night. The other night, I was just not in the mood to hit the bed. As far as my perceived connection between the beverage and my ability to write more productively is concerned, clearly it was only imagined. AbstractAF.in is a daily blog, and I’ve been writing every day without fail, although not having that familiar fragrance of a hot mug of coffee by my side does make it feel like something is missing from the work desk.
At this point, I don’t really know how to feel about the fact that it’s been rather easy to give up something that, at one time, seemed like such an essential ritual. Sure, I was having only 1–2 cups a day over the last few years, but you know how some Gen-Z influencers’ only personality trait seems to be drinking and posing with matcha lattes? I thought coffee was too much a part of my personality too. Whenever I travel to a new place, one of my first priorities is to find a nice café and grab either a hot or cold cappuccino.
In 2014, a new beach-themed café was founded by a couple in the city I grew up in, and I guess since then, it’s been an unsaid ritual: if a friend wants to meet me, I almost always set up a post-lunch appointment for coffee at the café. A few years ago, they opened a new branch very close to our home, so it became even more convenient to meet people there. Miss Jaiswal might not frequent their establishment anymore. Although a friend of mine who might be coming to town has been informed that we will go to a cafe, where I shall order iced tea. He He.
Anyway, I am glad this break-up with coffee is turning out to be a little easier than I imagined. Today, I was feeling a lot better and more energetic than I have over the past few days, so much so that this is my third written post of the day! I usually do only one or two. And I even recorded a Hindi (my mother tongue) review of a Bollywood film for the first time. And this despite the fact that I had already recorded a video for my YouTube podcast yesterday, which is embedded below if you want to check it out.
Is it temporary euphoria? Who knows. Will I be able to keep up this streak? Or will the next Caffeine Diaries post be titled, To Hell With This Stupid Self-Imposed Ban? I definitely do not know.
If you’re interested in whether I am able to keep away from coffee the next week too, follow ‘Caffeine Diaries’, I’ve created a tag and you can bookmark it.
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