Yaaaaawn. Hello wellness geeks…. Yaaaaa (I’m sorry)aaaaa(I can’t stop yawning)aaaaa(it’ll just be a minute)wn! That was a good one. There’s nothing better than one of those deep lion-esque yawns that stretch out your neck and make your eyes water. But there’s also nothing more unsettling then that chain of mid afternoon yawns.

You don’t really think about those specific yawns when you’re a caffeine consumer. They’re just like a little timer that tells you go get some more coffee. But when you’re eliminating caffeine from your diet, those yawns mean that you’re tired and that there’s nothing you can do about it. You’re like a man out at sea with no lifeboat. Well, maybe that’s a little dramatic, but you’re definitely screwed… or are you?

There are a few things that you can do to keep you energized without giving in and hitting the coffee pot, or sobbing all of the way to a local cafe.

1. Beverages, beverages, beverages: This is probably the most helpful thing I’ve found over the past couple of days (it seems like a year). I’ve found that my trifecta of replacements for morning coffee are Calm (a magnesium drink mixed with hot water) and warm ginger and lemon water (great for digestion, also zingy), follwed up with a peppermint tea blend (refreshing). Rotate non-caffeinated beverages throughout the day, but make sure never to have an empty cup that begs to be filled with the good stuff.

2. Breathe: Breathing in itself is energetic, but try a breathing exercise like this one. It will get you engaged in your breath and allow you to harness the  innate energy in your breath.

3. Take a Nap: You know what those yawns are telling you? That you’re actually tired. Lucky you, you’re a college student. Take a nap between classes while you still can. One day you’ll have to be a grown up, and your tax accountant boss probably won’t dig it if you crawl under your desk for some shuteye.

Will these things all work to take the edge off? Yes. But you have to remember that caffeine is still classified as a drug and it’s going to take some time to get over it.

Consuming caffeine can give you a false sense of where your body is at. If you’re tired, you can just make up for it by having an extra couple of cups of coffee (most of the time we don’t even realize that we’re consuming more). So take this time to see where you’re at and be honest with yourself. If you’re really tired, get some extra sleep this weekend. Keep in mind to stay physically active as well.

Are you cutting out caffeine? What did you do to kick the habit?