Blog #4: Farewell booze and caffeine
This year I decided to say goodbye to booze and caffeine. Because 2020 hasn’t been crazy enough already.
If my younger, boozier, caffeine-fuelled self was to read this they either wouldn’t believe it was possible, or they’d start to wallow in self-despair about what their 40th year will look like.
But honestly, I couldn’t be happier.
I decided to give myself a year off alcohol in January. The 19th of January to be exact. Over the past few years I wasn’t really drinking much alcohol anyway so deciding to give it up completely wasn’t too much of a big deal.
My plan is to stop drinking alcohol for a year and see if it makes a difference to my migraine attacks. I managed to not touch a drop when I was pregnant with both my boys, so I’ve succeeded before at least.
So far, the jury’s still out if it’s significantly helping, but I know alcohol is a big trigger for me and even if I have one glass of wine or a gin and tonic I still pay for it the next day. It just means it’s not worth it anymore. I’m sure I can still cut some shapes on the dance floor like I used to even if I’m sober…
And yes, this means I did the COVID-19 lockdown in New Zealand without alcohol. Who would have thought, especially when there was home-schooling involved. Go me!
Giving up coffee is more recent and I’m only a few weeks in to being caffeine free. To put it in context I generally only drank one cup of coffee a day, usually at home in the morning from our Nespresso machine. Occasionally I’d have a second cup when I was out.
If you’re struggling with your migraine beast and you’re thinking about giving away your daily coffee – DO IT!
After about a week I started to notice a difference. I struggle with a constant dull ache with or without pain behind my right eye daily. And since ditching coffee it’s become even less intense. I had a headache across my forehead for a couple of days but I got away pretty lightly I think, possibly because I only have a cup a day.
Having a morning coffee was totally a habit and honestly one I didn’t want to give up. But I have. I’ve replaced it with either a cup of hot water (don’t knock it till you try it) or a ginger tea. And not to blow my own trumpet but I got up early 3 mornings this week to go to the gym and I didn’t need a coffee to do it!
Finding evidence to support or dismiss caffeine as a trigger for migraine is a little tricky. Some studies and migraine articles suggest there is a correlation between caffeine consumption and migraines, while others say there’s not a lot of evidence.
For example, the article: Caffeine and Migraine, on the American Migraine Foundation concluded:
“It is important to emphasize that caffeine consumption is rarely the sole “cause” of frequent headaches including migraine. However, it is a modifiable risk factor, unlike many other unavoidable migraine triggers. Caffeine is often a significant and overlooked contributor to the problem of frequent and chronic daily headache. Migraine sufferers should use caffeine less frequently or remove it entirely as one component of a program of therapies for success, and it requires no prescription.”
Read the full article here
And from the Harvard Health Blog: If you have migraines, put down your coffee and read this
“There is a lot about the connection between caffeine consumption and migraine headaches that remains uncertain. Until we know more, it seems wise to listen to your body: if you notice more headaches when you drink more coffee (or other caffeinated beverages), cut back. Fortunately, this latest research did not conclude that people with migraines should swear off coffee entirely.
If you like coffee as much as I do, it may seem unfair that you need to keep drinking it to prevent a headache. And if you’re prone to migraines, it might seem unfair that you have to limit your coffee intake to avoid headaches. Either way, you’d be right.”
Read the full article here
And this study’s conclusion, which couldn’t be more aptly named for this blog:
Caffeine and Primary (Migraine Headaches)-Friend or Foe?
“In general, chronic consumption of caffeine seems to increase the burden of migraine, but a protective effect as an acute treatment or in severely affected patients cannot be excluded. Future clinical trials should explore the relationship between caffeine withdrawal and migraine, and investigate the effects of long-term elimination.”
Read the full article here
Confusing right? And considering caffeine is used in some headache medications it’s not easy to know if giving up your daily cup(s) of coffee will help you.
But, if you think booze and caffeine might be doing more harm than good, I encourage you to give it a go going without. And if you only want to pick one, I’d choose caffeine as it seems to have had the best results for me.
Feel free to comment below and I’ll send you some words of encouragement! You can also send me an email: sarah@sayline.co.nz.
Now if I could just quit the cigarettes…
I’m joking. Smoking’s gross. Don’t smoke.