Stress Management Caffeine Reduction

In terms of "bang for the buck," it is hard to beat this simple intervention. Most people do not realize that caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate and cola) is a drug, a strong stimulant that actually generates a stress reaction in the body. Most doctors tell their patients that the best way to observe the effect of caffeine is to get it out of the system long enough to see if there is a difference in how they feel. Three weeks is adequate for this purpose and most people accept this suggestion, especially when docotrs frame it as an experiment. ("If you dont notice a difference, you can go back to it; but if you feel better without it, you will probably want to stay off it.") It has been suggested that 75% to 80% of patients notice a benefit.