Almost a year ago, I got a nasty stomach flu bug that knocked me out of commission for a weekend. One of the (voluntary) lasting side effects was that as long as I’d spent a weekend drinking nothing but water and non-caffeinated sodas (ginger ale and 7-up to try to calm my stomach), we decided to just keep the trend going, and I cut caffeinated drinks out of my routine. This puts me at almost a full year without caffeine.
Since this is a three-day weekend, I went out to the Mercury last night. I had my usual drink — a Malibu Rum and Coke (a very slight bit of caffeine in these, yes, but not like drinking a full glass of Coke would give me). Once that was done, I figured I’d have something non-alcoholic for the rest of the evening, and without even thinking about it, just asked the bartender for a “soda.”
Which, of course, was a big ol’ glass of Coke.
Next time I do this, I must remember to specify 7-Up. I didn’t think about it at the time, but I’m in the midst of what I’m deeming a ‘caffeine hangover’: while I was tired enough when I got home at 2am to fall asleep, I was wired enough that I tossed and turned, woke up numerous times, and haven’t been able to drift back off to sleep since the last time I woke up at about 6:30am. I’m exhausted, but my one-year-caffeine-deprived body’s obviously having a field day with Coke.
Ugh. Unpleasant. I’m just hoping that it wears through by this afternoon so I can flake out for a nap at some point. Failing that…well, I can be damn sure that I’m going to pass right out tonight.