CC0 Licensed Image Courtesy of Pexels
You need to quit energy drinks for many reasons. But simply put, they are extremely bad for you. It can be hard. But here are some ways you can change your intake of these poisons.
Simply Stop and Drink Plenty of Water
Going “cold turkey” is one of the most effective ways to stop any addiction. But it is extremely hard to do. This is mainly because when you simply quit something addictive, you have strong withdrawal symptoms. For energy drinks, this includes headaches, extreme fatigue, and depression. To combat this, you must increase your water intake. Healthy bottled water will help you better than tap water, which often contains minerals that decrease electrolytes for energy.
Replace them with Sugar-Free Drinks
Your brain becomes addicted to many things about energy drinks. This includes the sweet taste, the feel of the fizz, and the instant boost of energy from the ingredients. But you can replace them with alternatives that are close to what you get from them. For example, you could switch to sugar-free or zero drinks like Coke Zero. These are still bad for you. But they are nowhere near as bad as drinks like Red Bull, Prime, and Monster. Then you can gradually come off them.
Quit Energy Drinks with Healthy Energy
You might drink energy drinks for, well, energy. But there are much healthier ways to get the energy you need. And healthy alternatives for energy won’t cause a sugar crash. Some healthy ways to boost your energy include drinking enough water, eating a balanced diet high in protein, and even exercising. You can combine these with a withdrawal method for better results when trying to get off energy drinks. And these will also become part of a healthier overall lifestyle.
Gradually Reduce How Much You Consume
As mentioned, you can go cold turkey or replace energy drinks with something similar. However, these are hard to do and can be damaging. You can, however, gradually reduce how much energy drinks you intake. You can slowly reduce how much you have each day over time. It will take longer, but you won’t feel withdrawn as much. If you do feel withdrawal, it’s probably because of the caffeine. This will take around one to two weeks to completely disappear.
Change How You Think About Them
When it comes to addiction to pretty much anything, there is a strong mental way of thinking. More often than not, you feel you need the thing you are addicted to in order to get something. For energy drinks, this boosts energy levels. But this is false, just like taking cocaine doesn’t give you real confidence. You may also have formed a social connection to energy drinks like people do with alcohol. And working to change these connections is a great first step to ditching.
Summary
It can be hard to quit energy drinks. But you can do it. You can go cold turkey and drink electrolyte water. You can also gradually reduce your intake and remove the mental connection.
