It was simply another Tuesday. As I sat at my desk, enjoying my third cup of coffee before midday, my heart suddenly raced, a familiar feeling linked to caffeine and anxiety. I spilled coffee on my keyboard because my hands were shaking so much. Tension gripped my chest, scattering my thoughts.
“Will my heart cease to beat?”
My beloved coffee, not my heart, let me down. That day, I learned the harsh reality about coffee and anxiety and how my daily habit was making my panic episodes worse.
My Love Affair With Coffee: Caffeine And Anxiety
I used to joke that coffee was what kept me going. I couldn’t do it without it.
Get up
Stay focused at work
Hang out with others without feeling like a zombie
But what I didn’t know?
My “harmless” habit of drinking four cups of coffee a day was
✔ Raising my cortisol (the stress hormone)
✔ Messing up my sleep (even if I fell asleep OK)
✔ Making my anxiety ten times worse
The Science That Shocked Me
Studies demonstrate that caffeine and anxiety
This substance acts like adrenaline, which can trigger panic attacks.
Makes the nervous system more active (also known as persistent low-level anxiety)
It might take more than 12 hours for it to completely exit your body.
The 30-Day Experiment That Changed Everything for Me
After that terrifying thing happened, I resolved to give up coffee for a month. This is what happened:
Week 1: Caffeine And Anxiety
Hell on Earth. My headaches were so awful I sobbed.
I took a nap beneath my desk during lunch.
Felt like a zombie that was tired and cranky
Week 2:
The First Sign of Hope: Caffeine and anxiety
Woke up without an alarm (what?!)
Less energy drops in the middle of the day
I noticed that my hands weren’t shaking anymore.
Week 3–4: Caffeine And Anxiety
The Miracle Shift: Anxiety went down by 60% (no more random heart palpitations)
Sleep became deeper and more restorative.
Mental clarity replaced the fog in your brain.
5 Signs That Caffeine Is Making Your Anxiety Worse
You feel the “coffee jitters,” yet you keep drinking.
When you collapse in the afternoon, you want more coffee.
You feel both stimulated and exhausted at the same time.
Your mind races at night, even when you’re exhausted.
You think that anxiousness caused by coffee is “productivity.”
Does this sound familiar?
How I Stopped Drinking Coffee Without Going Crazy
Quitting coffee abruptly proved to be challenging. This is what really worked:
1. The Slow Taper Method:
3 cups in week 1, 2 cups in week 2
Week 2: 2 cups to 1 cup
Week 3: From half-caff to decaf
2. Alternatives that are good for anxiety
Matcha (L-theanine balances out caffeine)
Chicory “coffee” has a roasty taste and no caffeine.
Turmeric and ginger combine to make golden milk.
3. The Rule of 2PM – caffeine and anxiety
No coffee after 2 PM means better sleep and less anxiety the following day.
A Wake-Up Call for Coffee Lovers in Mumbai
My friend Priya, who is also a workaholic, laughed when I stopped coffee. But then she had to go to the ER because of panic attacks caused by caffeine. What did her doctor say?
“Don’t treat coffee like water.”
She only drinks one cup before midday now. What is her worry? Cut in two.
3 Things You Don’t Know About Caffeine and Anxiety
Decaf does include caffeine in it (15 to 30 mg per cup).
Just because someone says, “I sleep fine,” doesn’t imply coffee isn’t making their sleep worse.
Sugar and caffeine together in energy drinks make anxiety worse.
The Surprising Benefits of Cutting Back
In addition to feeling less anxious, I also noticed:
✔ Fewer energy dumps in the middle of the day ✔ More consistent emotions
✔ More water (coffee makes you dehydrated!)
✔ Saved ₹2000 a month on coffee runs
We invite you to try this 7-day caffeine reset.
Don’t stop everything at once (believe me). Instead:
Keep track of what you eat and drink (coffee, tea, soda, chocolate)
Each day, consider delaying your first cup by an hour.
Every day, trade one caffeinated drink for herbal tea.
Pay attention to how your anxiety, sleep, and energy change.
Finally, you don’t have to quit for your benefit.
I still like a latte now and again, but I’m more aware of it. What if my anxiety goes up? First, I need to examine how much caffeine I’m drinking.
Your morning routine shouldn’t hurt your mental wellness.
Has coffee made your anxiety worse? Please share your experience below so that we can make this discourse commonplace.
Please tell us your tale in the comments. Sometimes simply saying it out loud makes it less powerful. share your story with us, let other get help.
