One evening after work this month I came home and immediately took two Tylenol. I had a sharp headache, the kind that made me wince every time I moved my head. Jenn asked if I had my coffee in the afternoon, and incredibly, I had not! I got distracted from having my usual coffee after lunch.
As an antidote, on top of the Tylenol, she suggested I have a soda. To my surprise, I learned that Diet Pepsi has caffeine in it. It says so right on the can: 35mg! In contrast, a cup of coffee contains 100mg of caffeine. Somehow, my afternoon coffees were enough to keep the headaches away.
Later on, I learned (or relearned) that caffeine is an addictive substance. When you stop taking caffeine, your body produces withdrawal symptoms: headache, irritability, fatigue, low energy, depressed mood, and others along these lines. I had never correlated headaches with lack of coffee.
I don't intend to give up coffee any time soon. It's too delicious! But my body has developed a sensitivity and expectation for my two cups a day: once in the morning and once after lunch. It's rare for me to forget my post-lunch coffee, but the next time I have an evening headache, I'll at least know one thing to check!
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