The Only 3 Proven Ways To Stop Caffeine Jitters

As much as most of us look forward to that first cup of coffee in the morning or rely on that energy drink in the afternoon, too much caffeine can be deeply uncomfortable. If you’ve had one too many caffeinated bevvy’s and you need to get rid of those caffeine jitters fast these are the 3 ways that are actually proven to help relieve your caffeine-induced anxiety.

Drink water, take L-theanine, and learn to soothe your nervous system using mindfulness techniques.

Contrary to popular belief, most other remedies are just placebos. Read on to better understand your caffeine limits and how to prevent and cure caffeine jitters.

Jump to:

• How much is too much caffeine?
• Signs of too much caffeine
• Anxiety from caffeine
• How to stop caffeine jitters
• How to prevent caffeine jitters in the future

How much is too much caffeine?

The FDA says that 400 milligrams of caffeine (4-5 cups of coffee) is an acceptable amount for healthy adults, but personal sensitivity can vary widely.

Your sensitivity to caffeine in terms of creating jitters or anxiety will depend on your metabolism, your relationship with anxiety, and your caffeine tolerance (how much you’re used to consuming).

Although the FDA’s recommendation is a good starting place for information, you should always listen to your own body to determine what is a healthy level of caffeine consumption for you.

Signs of too much caffeine

Anyone who’s ever had a bit too much caffeine knows that there can be a steep price to pay for consuming one too many cups of coffee or energy drinks. There are both physical and mental/emotional signs of too much caffeine that range from mild to severe. Here are some of the most common uncomfortable symptoms of too much caffeine in your system.

Caffeine jitters

Elevated heart rate/heart palpitations

Headache

Anxiety

Panic attacks

(Related: The Best Morning Routine For Anxiety And Panic Attacks)

Insomnia

Digestive issues

Irritability

Frequent urination

Anxiety from caffeine

Anxiety is one of the most common unpleasant effects of caffeine. Too much coffee or too many energy drinks can easily leave us feeling jittery, overwhelmed, anxious, paranoid, or even induce a panic attack.

Technically, caffeine doesn’t create anxiety but it can make the symptoms of anxiety worse and mimic the effects of anxiety in the body and mind which can easily be interpreted as anxiety.

If you have any anxiety disorders including panic disorder, you may be even more likely to experience the anxiety-related effects of drinking caffeine.

Anxiety from caffeine is usually a result of the physical-emotional feedback loop induced by a caffeine overdose. When we experience a somatic (in the body) response to caffeine that we recognize as a symptom of anxiety, our minds sometimes create the anxious thoughts that they expect to have alongside those sensations. Once those anxious thoughts are triggered, the body doubles down on its anxious reaction – now sure that is responding appropriately to whatever is happening. And so the cycle continues, leaving you feeling anxious and jittery for hours to come.

If you notice that you feel more anxious after ingesting caffeine, it might be a good idea to lower your caffeine dosage or even stop consuming caffeine altogether. 

(Related: How To Manage Anxiety Using Food)

How to stop caffeine jitters

If it’s too late to prevent caffeine jitters in the first place by using the tips shared below, here are the best ways to get rid of your caffeine jitters as fast as possible. 

Drink lots of water

Unfortunately, as nice as it would be, it’s not actually possible to flush caffeine out of your body with water (or anything else). However, dehydration can lead to feelings of anxiety or even panic attacks just like caffeine can. Drinking lots of water when you’re experiencing coffee jitters can help to ensure you’re at least not making your anxiety worse by being in a state of dehydration. 

The FDA says that men are supposed to drink 15.5 cups of water per day and women are supposed to drink 11.5 cups. And 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. If you’re feeling especially dehydrated, you can even add some extra electrolytes to your glass of water. 

Take L-theanine

L-theanine is an amino acid that helps transmit nerve impulses in the brain. It’s also widely recognized for helping to relieve anxiety symptoms.

Some tea, coffee, and energy drink companies already put L-theanine in their products to reduce their jittery effects.

Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., a Stanford scientist widely regarded as one of the ultimate health gurus of our time, agrees that taking an L-theanine supplement is one of the few “real” ways to reduce caffeine jitters once they’ve started. If you’ve had one too many caffeinated beverages and the jitters are hitting, taking an L-theanine can help reduce your blood pressure, increase your normal brain activity, and relieve some of your anxiety. 

Calm your nervous system

In many ways, you can think of soothing caffeine jitters the same way you would soothe any anxiety.

That’s why, intentionally calming your nervous system using mindfulness techniques can be very effective in stopping caffeine jitters.

Once your nervous system is triggered to be anxious and panicked, the best way to ease those feelings is by intervening and calming your nervous system down. Here are a few mindfulness techniques that will calm your nervous system to relieve caffeine jitters: box breathing, light yoga or stretching, and conducting a body scan. 

Box Breathing

Many breathing techniques have proven to be helpful in soothing the nervous system to relieve anxiety. The box breathing technique is a straightforward breathing method that you can use anytime, anywhere, in a matter of seconds to help reduce caffeine jitters. 

To use the Box Breathing technique, follow these simple steps:

1. Breathe in for a count of 4 seconds
2. Hold your breath for a count of 4 seconds
3. Exhale for a count of 4 seconds
4. Hold your breath for a count of 4 seconds

Repeat as needed to feel re-centered and calm. With each round, try to become more aware of the movement of breath through your body and the rise and fall of your chest – this focus on your breath is the mindfulness aspect of the practice.

Light Yoga or Stretching

Many lists for overcoming caffeine jitters will put “exercise” near the top. In reality, there is no way to speed up your metabolism to flush out the caffeine – not even by sweating it out. In fact, vigorous exercise will increase your heart rate – potentially having the negative effect of making you feel even more overstimulated and jittery.

The good news is that light, gentle movement like light yoga or stretching, can strengthen your mind-body connection and encourage your nervous system to relax – helping you to overcome your anxious caffeine jitters.

As you move through stretches or yoga asanas, focus on the way your body feels and your breath’s movement. This mindful awareness of your mind-body connection will calm your nervous system.

Do a Body Scan

A body scan is a popular mindfulness technique that beginner to seasoned meditators like to use to soothe their mind and body. 

To conduct a body scan to calm your nervous system, follow these steps:

1. Find a comfortable seating or lying position
2. Notice your breath flowing in and out, without trying to change or control it
3. Gently allow your eyes to close
4. Begin to notice what it feels like as your breath fills up and expands your lungs and then flows out of your nose
5. When you feel relaxed, rest your attention between your eyes, at your “third eye chakra“
6. When you’re ready, slowly and gently move your attention down to the bridge of your nose, out to your ears, down to your throat, the back of your neck, across your shoulders, and on and on, making your way downwards
7. As you move your attention over your body, notice what you feel inside your body (interoceptive awareness)
8. Don’t try to change or “fix” anything just notice what it feels like
9. When you get to the tips of your toes, take a few more deep breaths
10. Slowly return your attention to your surroundings: what does your seat feel like on your skin, what sounds do you hear, is there a breeze? etc
11. When you’re ready, begin to wiggle your fingers and toes and come back into your space

A body scan is a simple and easy-to-use meditative practice. If you don’t do it “perfectly,” no worries! Just taking a few minutes to practice mindfulness may be enough to soothe your nervous system and get rid of your caffeine jitters. 

How to prevent caffeine jitters in the future

Caffeine jitters are an unwanted and uncomfortable side effect of having a caffeinated drink or two or three. Many of us rely on caffeine in our daily routine and we’re not quite ready to give it up completely (the easiest way to ensure no more jitters). If you’re not ready to give up your coffee consumption but you are ready to give up the caffeine anxiety, here are some ways to prevent jitters in the future.

Don’t drink caffeine on an empty stomach

Consuming caffeine on an empty stomach will speed up your body’s absorption of the caffeine, making anxiety and jitters more likely.

If you’re prone to caffeine jitters, you may want to eat a healthy breakfast before your first cup of coffee. Our bodies are very sensitive to what we put in them and the order of events matters. 

Eat cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts increase your production of the enzyme CYP1A2 which helps to metabolize caffeine.

Unfortunately, it does take up to 8 hours for our bodies to metabolize these veggies and put the enzyme to use so having a broccoli snack when you already have the jitters won’t help. But, if you add more cruciferous vegetables to your diet in general, you’ll have more CYP1A2 available when you need it and hopefully prevent caffeine anxiety long-term. 

Take L-theanine before or during caffeinating

As described above, L-theanine can help prevent and relieve caffeine jitters by increasing nerve impulses in the brain.

While lowering your caffeine dosage is the most holistic answer to caffeine jitters, L-theanine can be a good backup plan. 

Don’t over-caffeinate

If you rely on your morning coffee but you frequently experience coffee jitters or anxiety, it may be time to reduce your coffee intake.

Low amounts of caffeine won’t necessarily have the same negative effects that large doses have so you may be better off switching to coffee alternatives like decaf coffee, herbal teas, or green tea.

Remember that everyone is different, so the exact number of mg of caffeine that works for you may be less than the FDA-approved 400mg. 

Caffeinate strategically

It may make more sense to have your first cup of coffee in the mid to late morning, rather than right after waking up. 

I know that for many of us, our main motivating factor for getting out of bed in the morning is knowing there is a cup of coffee waiting, but hear me out.

Right around 10-11 am, our natural cortisol levels start to dip and it’s when we need that boost of energy from caffeine the most.

When you skip your first one or two cups first thing, and only caffeinate during a small window in the late morning, you are saving yourself many milligrams of caffeine and potentially anxiety.

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