by bor100003 on 4/25/20, 5:46 AM with 84 comments
by mfontani on 4/25/20, 8:37 AM
I created a simple Mojolicious webapp, putting data on a SQLite database. I later expanded it to accept/use an "API key" with which I could track my coffee intake, or get how much I drank already and when was my last cup, "simply" by running a simple bash+curl script. The site, instead, displays a neat github-commits-like chart[1] and some recent stats. I have a branch which changes the code to work on Postgres and is deployable on dokku, but I've not yet made the switch to that. I'm still using a mojolicious+sqlite+hypnotoad process running on a cheap VPS.
Since I started tracking my intake, it looks like I drank, on average, 3-4 coffees per day:
sqlite> select (select count(*) from intake)/(select julianday(max(time_t)) - julianday(min(time_t)) from intake);
3.7864677548175
sqlite> select (select count(*) from intake where time_t > "2020-03-08")/(select julianday(max(time_t)) - julianday("2020-03-08") from intake);
4.20309898028925
sqlite> select date(time_t) as ymd, count(*) as cnt from intake group by ymd order by cnt desc limit 5;
2018-05-16|11
2018-03-12|10
2018-05-15|10
2018-02-07|9
2019-06-04|9
by michalu on 4/25/20, 8:12 AM
First, I was surprised to find it doesn't make me productive at all. I've been tracking my distractibility levels as a measure of my focus (I have a manual counter by my desk) and record my daily times in spreadsheet with notes for those time blocks when I drank caffeine. My distractibility goes up by 100% on average ...
Yes, you get an energy and alertness boost but in my case it's funnelled into lack of focus. It's tricky because it works but you lose.
Secondly, having black coffee every morning on empty stomach led to some stomach issues that are now gone. I also had regular migraines (turns out migraines are dopamine related - i.e. caffeine)
I went cold turkey - headache for days. Then I put up a spreadsheet on the cupboard in my kitchen and made a commitment with my gf to only drink 3 coffees a week, each logged.
Now I keep it at 3 a week and I drink them strategically.
Instead of going for the coffee first thing in the morning I leave it for the moment, mid day on days when I actually need the boost, instead of ruining my natural energy right in the morning. This makes me super productive.
I have no migraines, good solid energy and better focus throughout the day and when I actually drink a cup I really feel the caffeine in my brain (it feels just like a drug) and benefit from it.
by bmn__ on 4/25/20, 2:13 PM
> I like that 5 cups of coffee per day qualified as “moderate”. That’s right around what I consume.
My immediate thought was "that's crazy, if anyone I know were to drink that much, he'd get mighty uncomfortable or even ill with shaky hands, a punishing heartbeat and heavy sweat". I told my colleagues. One replied and pointed out that the Americans dilute.
All the measurements in the comments so far are useless for drawing a conclusion. We should use milligrams of caffeine consumed and the body weight to have a sound basis for comparison.
by tarasmatsyk on 4/25/20, 8:24 AM
I used to drank coffee when I didn't have enough sleep or had to go to the office before 10 AM. My body never reacted well to the coffee and it got worse when there were morning meetings.
Since I gave up on the office completely I don't need more coffee and drink it maybe twice per year just to enjoy its taste if I am in the right mood. Sometimes I envy people who can have 2-4 cups in a day and be fine as coffee nowadays is too good to ignore it. Anyway, as for me I get too much dizzy from it and feel like a hungry squirrel from the "Over the Hedge" squad.
by nextweek2 on 4/25/20, 12:44 PM
I took a break for 4 months a few years back (to see if I could) and really struggled to keep my eyes open, even with 8 hours sleep on a normal day.
I don't have any issue sleeping and no negative effects from large volumes of coffee. I drink high strength coffee.
This is also probably offset because I drink a lot of water during my day as well. Again probably 10+ pints of water during the course of the day. I'll drink water no matter what I'm doing. I can't fathom how some people go hours without water, to me it's the most important thing for my brain function.
by keiferski on 4/25/20, 7:09 AM
by tekkk on 4/25/20, 8:01 AM
Then I started drinking 2 cups a day. Now it took longer for the headaches to appear, but eventually they did. Especially if I didn't drink for a day, the next day headache would probably emerge.
Now I drink 1 cup a day. No headaches. And frankly, 1 is enough. It's the same problem with every form of indulgence - it's not about the quantity, but the quality.
by milansm on 4/25/20, 7:26 AM
Once I quit, I thought I'll be less productive, and that I won't be able to focus, but after a week or two, my body recovered from the caffeine addiction.
I started drinking black tea - two cups per day. It's still caffeine, but in far less amount.
I miss coffee, though. I miss its smell and taste and somehow I correlate coffee with work satisfaction, creativity, and being productive. It's probably because the coffee is marketed around work culture, and I bought that.
by pmontra on 4/25/20, 6:21 AM
by Areading314 on 4/25/20, 8:19 AM
by csa on 4/25/20, 7:24 AM
I only drink decaf, and I will have a cup a few times a week that I make as a pour over for myself. If I am feeling crazy, I will make two.
I am very sensitive to caffeine, and it impacts my sleep very negatively. I tried decreasing caffeinated coffee to half a cup early in the day (e.g., 8 or 9 am), and it didn't matter. I sleep much better when I don't drink caffeinated coffee (or any drink that has very much caffeine).
That said, my understanding is that decaf actually has a small amount of caffeine, but it does not seem to impact my sleep at all. I wonder if the amount of caffeine is actually that low in decaf.
by mysticmode on 4/25/20, 7:21 AM
by scott10 on 4/25/20, 12:32 PM
by danaris on 4/25/20, 1:18 PM
I've never liked the smell/taste, and on the occasions when I get some caffeine from a different source, I find that, at most, the effect I get from it is a bit of jitteriness and a headache later on.
by trm42 on 4/25/20, 5:56 PM
At work place I was drinking about 2-4 x 450 ml per work day. Now at isolation home it's 2-3 cups (maybe 200-250ml per cup) every work day.
Not sure, if the reason for lesser tea consumption at home is because my 450ml pot is at the work place or because I have better concentration at home and less distractions compared to the noisy open office...
by downshun on 4/25/20, 9:09 PM
Even with the increased alertness, it steals away that productivity from the next day, often resulting in a net loss due to lack of proper sleep.
It increases alertness, but reduces focus.
Reminds me of a friend's remark on why he quit pot: "the scary part was it really convinced me I was productive in my day when in fact I was not"
by roydivision on 4/25/20, 9:24 AM
by jrs95 on 4/25/20, 8:05 AM
As soon as I get back in the office though, I'll probably be having 3-4 cups a day. Sometimes cold brew, mostly just black coffee. Occasionally I just do tea. Part of it I think is I just have a bit of an oral fixation, so drinking something helps me vape less (I used to smoke) and eat less (mostly sedentary lifestyle unfortunately)
by sethammons on 4/26/20, 1:50 AM
by CM30 on 4/27/20, 8:46 AM
That isn't a health thing either, I simply csn't understand the appeal of these types of drinks and have never liked the taste of any I've tried.
by haliou on 4/25/20, 8:02 AM
by robjan on 4/25/20, 9:06 AM
by SBCRec on 4/25/20, 8:10 AM
My current pre-quarantine schedule was:
Morning 1x long black at a cafe near the office with a colleague
Rest of work day (plus minus 1 on each item) 2x long black from machine in the office, 1-2x long black with another colleague(s) at a cafe
Home (around 5-6pm) 1x long black
Current WFH schedule is: 2-5x long black roughly every 90 mins.
I enjoy the ritual of making it (plunger) and the warmth. I don't think I get a buzz anymore, but the odd time I do, I love it.
I don't get any noticable side effects, and have gone periods 1-4months without drinking it with no adverse effects.
by angarg12 on 4/25/20, 8:08 AM
Despite what others say I never had headaches or other adverse effects, I just get 'the jitters' if I have more than 5-6. Two weeks ago I quit coffee with my wife as part of an elimination diet and again I haven't felt any side effects, although I do miss the flavour and feel more tired at times.
by adev_ on 4/25/20, 8:28 AM
- When I'm traveling or on holidays 0. I travel regularly in countries without coffee culture and jet lag with coffee is a terrific mix.
- In normal day of work around 5 including 2 in the morning.
- In heavy day of work with many meetings around 8. I tend to prefer good technical/design discussions around a coffee instead of endless (useless) PowerPoint session. It's in my experience both more efficient, human and brief.
by jcuenin on 4/25/20, 7:09 AM
by sourdesi on 4/25/20, 8:24 AM
Side note: One of my favorite authors Michael Pollan recently published a short audiobook on the effects of caffeine, some of the history behind it, and his experience going cold turkey for a few months. Really quick and interesting 2 hour listen. It's called Caffeine.
Thought I'd share since I found out about his last book "How to Change your Mind" on HN and found it fascinating.
by pxhb on 4/27/20, 1:02 PM
I have one large mug of coffee first thing in the morning (~3-4 cups). I then have a mug of half-caff coffee in the late morning, another mug of half-caff in the early afternoon and occasionally an additional mug in the late afternoon.
I have gradually been cutting back on caffeine, mostly by slowly transitioning to more half-caffeine coffee.
by perlgeek on 4/25/20, 8:24 AM
If you're not used to coffee, you need it less.
by cafard on 4/25/20, 9:50 PM
Over the last six weeks I haven't been to the office, so the two strong cups at breakfast have been all I have.
by captn3m0 on 4/25/20, 9:39 AM
Guessing my average per day would be 1.5 cups or so.
by BrandoElFollito on 4/25/20, 2:17 PM
I usually drink 4 or 5 Nespresso cups. Sometimes 6 or 7.
I can go without anytime, but I would then sometimes miss the taste and the whole "sitting in the hamac/couch with a coffee"
by mstaoru on 4/25/20, 12:47 PM
by fanf2 on 4/25/20, 12:13 PM
by quixquaxqux on 4/25/20, 6:57 AM
by snypox on 4/25/20, 8:34 AM
by MrDresden on 4/25/20, 9:18 AM
by bootloop on 4/25/20, 8:32 AM
by pizza234 on 4/25/20, 8:09 AM
There is no correlation, beyond any doubt, with the quality of my sleep (I've tracked my coffee drinking and sleep patterns for a long time), as long as I don't drink any after a certain time in the afternoon!
by markpapadakis on 4/25/20, 7:38 PM
by simonblack on 4/25/20, 6:34 AM
These days, it's one or two in the morning for breakfast. I find I work better if I am more relaxed than if I'm wide awake. All-niters are a thing that is gone decades ago.
by tmaly on 4/27/20, 2:18 PM
That is it, I don't go over 2 cups. I try to make the second cup before 2pm my time.
by photawe on 4/25/20, 5:01 PM
I drink 3-4 cups/day (each cup, with one teaspoon of Amigo coffee and quite a bit of milk :P)
by DDR0 on 4/25/20, 8:36 AM
by bdibs on 4/25/20, 7:22 AM
by ulisesrmzroche on 4/25/20, 8:11 PM
I actually think the jittery feeling is the best part
by kevinherron on 4/25/20, 4:42 PM
When I was still working in an office I’d often have a double espresso after lunch as well.
by teabee89 on 4/25/20, 8:07 AM
by kleer001 on 4/26/20, 12:15 AM
My body doesn't like coffee. Trust me, I tried, for a good decade. It used to be good between me and coffee, but not so much anymore.
by ClikeX on 4/25/20, 7:21 PM
Sometimes I'll do one in the afternoon and/or a decaf after dinner.
by polyterative on 4/25/20, 8:06 AM
by chad_ocho on 4/25/20, 9:20 AM
by alienspaces on 4/25/20, 7:27 AM
by senectus1 on 4/25/20, 8:53 AM
but, 4-8 cups of black no sugar coffee a day... 2 in the morn, one after lunch one at about 3pm. that is a typical minimum.
Any more is typically because I didnt get enough sleep (gaming watching movies working etc). I try hard to not do that now, but it sneaks in.
by darkr on 4/25/20, 7:21 AM
by eldelshell on 4/25/20, 7:33 AM
by ferros on 4/25/20, 7:26 AM
by toxicFork on 4/25/20, 8:31 AM
I am happy to be able to sleep.
by RickJWagner on 4/26/20, 2:57 AM
All of it. Programming is the only job I have.
by smcl on 4/25/20, 9:15 AM
by AndyMcConachie on 4/25/20, 7:59 AM
by coder4life on 4/25/20, 7:14 AM
by sawmurai on 4/25/20, 8:21 AM
by camjohnson26 on 4/25/20, 6:05 AM
by PopeDotNinja on 4/25/20, 7:41 AM
by mister_hn on 4/25/20, 8:08 AM
by Antoninus on 4/25/20, 8:49 AM
1 after waking.
1 before standup at 10am.
1 at 3pm.
More ruins my sleep.
by Yetanfou on 4/25/20, 9:28 AM
Anyway, 1 a day, max. Tea on the other hand is not counted in cups but in litres, the cup I use holds about half a litre. I go through 3-4 of those on a good day, 1-2 in the evening. During the day it mostly contains a darker fermented tea variety - I buy it by the kilo - usually labelled 'Ceylon', often with some form of horse on the packaging and a horse-related name even though they're different brands. In the evening I often have some green tea, either plain green or jasmine or with star anise. For all-night hacking sessions I like to use a mix of jasmine and Lapsang Souchong (smoked tea).
by non-entity on 4/25/20, 7:12 AM
