Caffeine Withdrawal: What to do when you fast.

If you are reading this, you are most likely a coffee addict, which means that when you abstain from coffee, you get a whopper of a headache from caffeine withdrawal. There are several reasons to avoid coffee and caffeine, but the most common are surgery and Yom Kippur (and other religious fasts). Hopefully, you won't have to contend with surgery too many times in your life, but if you are Jewish, "the holidays" come around every fall, ready or not. Yom Kippur is a complete fast day; no water, no food, and no coffee, from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday (more or less).

The best way to avoid caffeine withdrawal headaches is to gradually reduce your caffeine intake to zero before the fast. You will still get the headaches as you taper off, but you can take aspirin or ibuprofen and you won't have the discomfort caused by not eating or drinking. Read the label on your pain reliever because many contain caffeine.

Yom Kippur is on Saturday, September 25 this year, so start reducing ahead so that the withdrawal is gradual and relatively painless.

I usually drink about 4 cups coffee per day, so I will start the Wednesday (today!) before Yom Kippur getting ready. I will drink 2 cups Wednesday, 1 cup Thursday, and no coffee Friday. Yom Kippur begins Friday evening. I will get headaches during that time, but at least I can still eat and drink and take ibuprofen. By Saturday, I will have almost no headache. Be careful not to ingest caffeine from any other source, such as soft drinks, candy, or pain pills while you're withdrawing. Read the label to be sure.

I have been doing this routine for many years and I urge you to try it. Please let me know how it works.

L'Shana Tovah,
Robert