Science says: you can get a hangover from coffee

For a while, I really tried: to stop drinking coffee. Instead, I ordered matcha, but I don't think I ever really liked it. It tastes better than you think, but this drink just doesn't compare to coffee. Just the smell of fresh coffee, it makes you so happy, right? Matcha, on the other hand, smells like a freshly mowed lawn; also a nice scent, but not something to drink.

Well, I was planning to stop, but now I'm back to drinking three cups of coffee a day, sometimes four or five. The reason to stop was actually the anxious feeling I wanted to get rid of, but I realized that this feeling is also present without coffee. Plus, I suddenly had a lot of headaches every day. So yes, I'd rather have a life with panic AND coffee.

I've actually heard that headache thing more often from people trying to quit drinking coffee. But how is it possible that we get headaches from a ‘lack’ of coffee? According to neurologist Bal Athwal, caffeine causes a narrowing of the blood vessels in your brain. When we start drinking less coffee, we get less caffeine, and the blood vessels widen again. More blood flows through your brain, which quickly leads to pounding headaches. This starts 12 to 24 hours after your last cup of coffee and can last up to nine days.

This is exactly the reason I couldn't hold out for more than a week. According to Athwal, we can really suffer from a ‘caffeine hangover’: a pain and pressure from the outside on your head. ‘It starts behind your eyes and can extend to the front of your head. Migraine-like symptoms can also occur, including nausea and sensitivity to light.’

But suppose you really want to quit, what can we do about it? First of all, Athwal suggests drinking more water. I think we all experience dehydration from coffee, but caffeine apparently also makes you urinate more, causing you to lose even more fluids. As a result, your brain shrinks, and that’s why we get headaches. Drinking more water is therefore very important.

Additionally, Athwal recommends a head massage. By massaging your forehead, your muscles relax, which alleviates the pain. Hydration and rest are important to combat the caffeine hangover. It's better not to take painkillers, because the more you take, the less effect it has. Well, and then just hope that after those nine days you no longer suffer from caffeine hangovers and can enjoy a coffee-free existence. Personally, I won't be trying it again.

source: marieclaire