How to quit drinking energy drinks?

Julian (33M)

Julian is a coder by day and (was) an energy drink addicted gamer by night. Since his turn to a healthy(ier) life 3 years ago, he now is passionate about helping others ditch destructive habits.

Energy drinks are loaded with caffeine and sugar, making it easy to form a dependency. Here is Julian's story and how you can quit energy drinks for good and boost natural energy levels.

My story

Back about 11 years ago now, when I started my coding journey, energy drinks were part of my every day routine. I would crack open a 500ml can of Monster (~16.9 oz) right before I opened my laptop.

It felt normal and not a big deal. Nobody at the office would look or say something about. Also, colleagues would be drinking them too. I remember distinctly the sound of the cans opening from the colleages' end during Zoom calls. One female coworking told me she drank six full cans, sugar included, every day.

Long way of saying, I wasn't alone in this and it was normalized.

We would tell each other "oh I had this many energy drinks yesterday, but I still slept like a baby."

And it did feel like that. Maybe it was because of our age. When you're in your early 20s, you can get away with most things.

I did'n think energy drinks were a problem... until they were

When I hit my late 20s, I started to notice a change. At the end of the week, when I had been making long days with the help of energy drinks, I would feel exhausted and unable to enjoy the weekend. By Thursday night, I would notice I couldn't fall asleep before a long wind down routine or just laying in bed staring at the ceiling. When laying in bed, I would feel my heart pounding.

That's when I started looking on the internet about the effects of energy drinks on sleep.

It turns out that caffeine, even 6 hours before bedtime, can seriously affect your the parts of your sleep (deep sleep and REM sleep) that help you recharge physically and mentally.

Maybe to you, nowadays, this is obvious. For me at the time, it was a shocking realization. So I started to cut down on my Monsters.

The first weekend after my decision, I did not drink any energy at all. On Monday, when I need to go to the office and perform again, I drank one Monster. By noon I was really tired and slow, and I didn't get much done after that. So the next day, I drank one when starting my day, and one in the afternoon.

Soon I was back at drinking Monster all day again

You are starting to get the picture... soon I was back at my old habit drinking monster all day again, and I was feeling the effects of it.

This is the point where opened Google and entered "how to quit drinking energy drinks" and where my journey of trial and error (relapse) started.

Now, it's been about three years since I last drank energy drinks. Thank heaven. The smell of Monster is disgusting to me now. I don't long for it anymore, it's just not in my system anymore. I fall asleep quickly and wake up feeling refreshed. My heart rate is around 60BPM according to my smartwatch. And weekends I enjoy again.

If my story is relatable to you, but you haven't manage to quit or cut down on energy drinks yet, I'm glad you're here. This page incorporates the lessons I learned about breaking this bad habit. I hope they will help you.

If so, consider sharing your story with this platform too to inspire fellow energy drink addicts.

How many people drink energy drinks?

Energy drink consumption is on the rise, with millions of people using them to boost their energy and focus. However, overuse can lead to dependence, sleep disturbances, and increased anxiety.

It's good to realize: You're not alone in this!

Why should you quit drinking energy drinks?

Energy drinks can lead to sleep issues, increased heart rate, and feelings of anxiety. By quitting, you can improve your sleep, reduce your stress, and restore your natural energy levels.