Hi friends, it’s your friendly neighborhood tea fanatic! I’m a bit obsessed with chai (seriously this is the 3rd time I’ve written about it). Before my chai obsession, I was extremely dependent on coffee like most people as it happens with age. I’ve been reflecting on my journey with switching to only drinking tea from 2020 and the many noticeable changes in my physical and emotional health since then! I hadn’t realized earlier that I’m sensitive to the amount of caffeine in coffee and hope this can offer a different perspective on the alternative.
- Better Focus / Feeling More Present
Personally, the immediate jolt of coffee with minimal sugar in the morning would really make me feel weird and even occasionally have the jitters. I felt like a zombie quite honestly like my body was just moving and my mind wasn’t present. It felt as if my morning became a “get up and go” routine and I never had time to take in the peace of mornings. Tea, however, largely due to its warmth and variety of flavors, allows me to process the beginning of the day. Since I didn’t wake up feeling present I would continue to feel like a zombie throughout the day until it was time for my second cup.
- Regulated Sleep
Following this, my sleep cycle has become a lot more natural. Fun fact I often used to drink coffee or chai at 11 pm to stay up since I was naturally a night owl and needed to do work. The dependence on caffeine after the morning wore off would kick in at night and naturally, I would stay up. With switching to tea and drinking it at the right time, I’ve pretty much eliminated that second cup altogether at night and instead sleep earlier. Because of this, I can also wake up earlier without feeling constantly exhausted. My body adjusted to a natural sleep cycle and I consistently have been getting a good amount of sleep.
- Increased Appetite
Before my switch to tea primarily, coffee was my only form of breakfast. Seriously, I didn’t eat breakfast until noon sometimes which contributed to other appetite and acid reflux problems. This change wasn’t as apparent at first. Even when I first began drinking primarily tea in the morning I didn’t feel as hungry. However, gradually over time, my appetite throughout the day has increased, and I’m not trying to constantly suppress it with coffee.
- Decreased dependence on caffeine
Caffeine while still present in tea has helped to not rely on other various forms of caffeine such as soda or certain energy drinks. With coffee or even soda, I would need to drink it twice a day. Meanwhile, with tea I’ve noticed I feel just as energized with one cup throughout the day as opposed to two cups of coffee. Occasionally I will indulge in more than one cup of tea but more so to wind down and reflect, rather than receive a jolt of energy.
- Emotional Regulation
The biggest change for me in this switch (among other practices in the morning) is the ability to manage my anxiety. I used to feel many negative emotions so intensely that I wondered if I was functioning properly. Like everybody else I still have moments of anxiety and sadness, however, I don’t feel as intense about them since switching, and realized just how manageable they are! If you feel anxious constantly it’s possible a gradual switch to tea or moderation of coffee can help alleviate those feelings.
Those are five benefits of switching from coffee to tea! As a disclaimer, this is meant to be purely educational and relies on my personal experience. The effects I have felt may not be the same for everybody. Whatever works for you should lead to an increase in overall physical and emotional health!