Ever since my teen years, morning had always started with caffeinated coffee. That was the liquid that I depended on to get me going; that was part of my daily wake-up routine.
I never saw the harm in this habit. After all, I reasoned, coffee is an acceptable social drink. I only drink it in the morning, and it isn’t fattening like all those sugary cola drinks. I couldn’t possibly be addicted!
However, in recent years I found myself drinking more coffee to achieve the desired wake-up effect. With this added stimulus also came an increased feeling of anxiety and general uneasiness, and big swings in my energy levels. None of these side effects was helping my productivity. And on the several occasions when I did go without coffee, on extended international flights, I would arrive at my destination with a splitting headache.
