How to stop drinking energy drinks

Why it sticks

Energy drinks pair a large dose of caffeine with sugar, so the lift is fast and the crash follows a few hours later, which is the cue for the next can. Many people drink them to cover poor sleep, which makes the sleep worse, which creates the need. The ritual matters too. Cracking a can before a shift, a workout or an exam starts to feel like part of the task.

How to stop drinking energy drinks

1. Check how much caffeine you are taking

   Read the cans. Many large energy drinks contain 150 to 300 milligrams of caffeine. Add your coffee and tea, and you know the total you are tapering from.

2. Taper over two weeks

   Drop by half a can every few days, or switch one can a day to a smaller one. Stopping cold can bring headaches, irritability and tiredness for several days, which is when most people go back.

3. Fix the sleep that the can is covering

   If you need a can to function, look at sleep first. A fixed wake time and no caffeine after 2pm will help more than any drink. Within a week or two, the need starts to fall.

4. Replace the ritual

   If you open a can before every gym session or shift, replace it with something with a similar ritual: a cold sparkling water, a black coffee, a specific playlist. The ritual is part of the payoff.

5. Eat before the slump

   The mid-afternoon dip is often low blood sugar. A snack with protein around 2pm helps it more than a can that will crash you at 5.

6. Do not stock them

   No cans in the fridge, no multipacks. If one has to be bought, the impulse often passes on the way to the shop.

What to track instead

A row that only records the habit not happening gets a tick on the days you were never tempted, and tells you nothing on the day it mattered. Give the row to the replacement:

• No caffeine after 2pm
• Protein snack at 2pm
• Sparkling water before the gym
• Same wake-up time

Print a tracker with these 4 habits or open them in a spreadsheet.

Your first week

1. Day 1. Add up yesterday's caffeine from every drink.
2. Day 2. Cut half a can today.
3. Day 3. Set a fixed wake-up time for the week.
4. Day 4. Choose a new pre-shift or pre-gym ritual.
5. Day 5. Eat a protein snack at 2pm.
6. Day 6. Cut another half a can.
7. Day 7. Check your sleep and caffeine totals against day one.