Giving Up Caffeine

We recently stayed in a beautiful hotel called the Seaside Boarding House, down in Dorset - overlooking Chesil Beach. We were there for a weekend wedding and it was absolutely stunning. Large, endless skies, rough, grey seas, giant, clay cliffs and the hotel itself sitting in all its beach-house glory, comfortably on the cliff's edge.

We recently stayed in a beautiful hotel called the Seaside Boarding House, down in Dorset - overlooking Chesil Beach. We were there for a weekend wedding and it was absolutely stunning. Large, endless skies, rough, grey seas, giant, clay cliffs and the hotel itself sitting in all its beach-house glory, comfortably on the cliff's edge.

The wedding was small and elegant, everyone there was extremely close to either the bride or groom and that in itself, lent a magical air to the occasion. There was dinner, dancing and then an all night bar - with rounds and rounds of Espresso Martinis.

We eventually made our way to bed in the early hours, exhausted and happy. Could I sleep? Could I hell. The alcohol and caffeine pumped through my system as though I was wired up to an electric cable. Scrambling for water, I glugged down what was by my bed and then found myself desperately slurping from the bathroom tap. My husband remained asleep, snoring heavily in that way that men do when they've had a few drinks. I got back into bed and counted down the hours to when I could get down to breakfast.

The next day, a hangover from only Satan himself ensued. I ate my way through it, but it persisted. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday... I still felt the effects... and something made me realise this was not a normal alcoholic hangover... this was a mega-watt caffeine over-drive hangover (thank you Espresso Martinis) - I felt so rotten, I simply had no choice but to try giving coffee a break.

For the last week and a bit, I have substituted my coffees and teas - which are usually very regular treats throughout my day - for herbals, water (water and spirulina with lemon even!) and I'm feeling good. I keep Googling 'health benefits of giving up coffee' as if I'm going to stumble across something to make me feel really pleased with myself. It seems to me that some people can take it better than others and I can feel my body is thanking me right now. My skin is looking brighter - more hydrated, I feel more calm and I like not having those extra calories from all the milk I was adding to each cup I had. I think I'm pretty much weaned and I'm going to continue.

It was my 39th birthday last week and my husband took me to see Ricky Gervais at the Apollo Theatre - he is a genius (both Ricky and my husband for taking me). I had already enjoyed a refreshing little jug of sake prior to the show and suddenly I was faced with the theatre bar... "no, I don't feel like anymore alcohol right now thanks"... "maybe, instead just a Coca-Cola"... (I loathe to admit it, but it was delicious). I don't know what got into me, I NEVER go for Coke... tic toc tic toc tic toc... AHHHH yes, Coke has caffeine in it... perhaps not quite weaned just yet.

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