Coffee, Tea or Caffeine?

I used to be the kind of person who had a coffee cup in her hand from first thing in the morning until I went to bed at night.  I started drinking coffee when I was in high school, and continued on for years.

Sometime in the 1980s, I stopped drinking coffee, but continued to drink cola and other sodas that contain caffeine.  I also drank tea.  That lasted about a year, then I started drinking coffee again. Sometime in the early 1990's, I changed from morning coffee to drinking diet cola in the morning. I went back to drinking coffee at some point.

In the late 1990s, I got away from drinking coffee, except in the morning.  I slowly weaned myself off caffeine drinks during the day, and for a while used tomato juice for my afternoon pick-me-up.  I now use neither, and mostly drink non-caffeine containing sodas. I also drink herb teas, more correctly called infusions, which do not contain caffeine.

I still occasionally have a cup of coffee for breakfast, especially on a cold Sunday morning. I have learned not to have two cups of coffee, because it REALLY gives me the jitters. I sometimes drink real tea, with caffeine, especially if I am at a Oriental food restaurant. I like jasmine tea, which is usually a brewed tea with jasmine flavor in it.

The last time I went out for Chinese food in the evening, I finished the pot of tea which I was provided.  I thought it would keep me awake, but it did not.

Today, I went to a meeting at a delicatessen.  This place is strange, and does not offer warm tea. Their beverage choices are limited. The have really good BREWED tea, not instant tea, and only sell "iced tea." They serve it in very large cups, I suspect maybe even 32 oz cups.  I bought one today.  They let me get tea with out ice, since they do not serve hot tea.  I gulped down the entire cup of tea in the course of our hour long meeting.   One of my colleagues commented she would like tea, but at that time of the day, did not dare to, due to the caffeine influence. I understand.

When I left the meeting, I could feel the influence of the caffeine:  my heart was racing, I felt jittery, and my head was pounding.  It did not feel good.

Today was a beautiful day, and my plan was to do some serious yard work after the meeting (I would have started it before the meeting, but I did not want to go to the meeting smelly and sweaty, and would not have had enough time to make it worth my while to work and then take a shower.) Well, I arrived home very energized.  I was able to accomplish all I wanted to do, and then some, in my yard. I am grateful for that, and I believe the caffeine jolt helped me.

The trick will be, now, if I can go to sleep. We shall see. The caffeine in tea does not seem to me to be as powerful as that in coffee.  That may just be my mindset, and we do know the influence the mind has in regards to such things.

I think I am still racing just a little. And, it really is too early for me to think about going to bed, but my eyes are getting tired, and I am starting to yawn, which are good signs that I may be able to sleep tonight.