[MrsToBe]

I am sooooo not a morning person. I am also not a coffee person.

I have been drinking a Pepsi mid-mornings at work for a pick me up, but I really want to stop drinking soda all together.

Any ideas for an alternative? I don't like tea either.

[stellarosa27]

Anything with vitamin B.

Try eating a piece of fruit, like a banana.

[MrsToBe]

I will give that a try. A co-worker had recommended taking vitamin b-12 every morning too. Thanks for the help.

[mayness]

Hmm... are you looking for an alternative way to obtain caffeine, or an alternative TO caffeine?

stella's suggestion of B vitamins is good. I do take a B-vitamin complex every day and I think it helps. The most effective non-caffeine alternative is probably a good nights sleep. If there's anything getting in the way of you getting all the rest you need, address that first!

Now, if you want alternative caffeine delivery systems... there are breath mints, lip balm, soap, patches, inhalers, jerky, sunflower seeds, pantyhose, and many more. What's your reason for giving up soda? If it's not the artificial sweeteners, I like the individual Crystal Light packets that have caffeine (it's the strawberry flavor - I can't remember what it's called).

[Taylor86]

I don't drink a lot of coffee...maybe 1/2 a cup in the morning and if I NEED one I get a 1/2 caf. americano...

Usually for me a glass of water and a handful of almonds help me with my energy needs...When I get tired I am usually in need of water and to get my blood sugar back up.

I gave up soda 9 months ago and a lot of my cravings for salty foods went away...you can do it too.

Oh, I also agree with the b-12

[MrsToBe]

Thanks mayness and Taylor86 for the great suggestions.

I really want to kick caffeine all together. I think it will really help with my weightloss.

I will have to try these suggestions. I usually get 8 hrs of sleep a night, but I could easily sleep 14 hours a day if I really wanted to. I've been tested for mono, a full panel thyroid and sleep apnea, but they say I don't have any of these. My next step is to try one of those alarm clocks that wakes you "naturally"; for some reason I don't have any fatigue if I wake up on my own.

[mayness]

MrsToBe, I had the same issue for a while, where I could have just slept all day and never really felt rested... turned out it was my birth control! I was on Depo-provera (injections) at the time... but lethargy is a rare but not unheard of side effect of hormonal birth control for some people. Of course, it can be caused by a lot of other medications, too... it might be worth mentioning to your doctor if you'll see them any time soon.

[MrsToBe]

That was the first thing my doc asked me too!! But I'm not on BC or taking any medications right now. Since childhood I've always had a hard time waking up. I think its just me. I have noticed that I'm a very deep sleeper, so I think I'm waking in the middle of the cycle; that's why I'm going to try one of those alarm clocks that gradually makes the room brighter.

[kaplods]

Originally Posted by MrsToBe

That was the first thing my doc asked me too!! But I'm not on BC or taking any medications right now. Since childhood I've always had a hard time waking up. I think its just me. I have noticed that I'm a very deep sleeper, so I think I'm waking in the middle of the cycle; that's why I'm going to try one of those alarm clocks that gradually makes the room brighter.

I do have a lot of medically-related fatigue issues (I had severe apnea, which resolved with my first 30 to 40 lb loss, I have fibromyalgia, autoimmune disease, and borderline thyroid levels, just above the point at which most doctors will prescribe hormone therapy).

But "before" my health issues, and before alarm clocks that gradually make the room brighter, I devised my own version (not gradual, but still effective, and very affordable). I bought one of those timers you plug into the outlet to turn lights on. I put super bright bulbs in a couple lamps without lampshades, turned them on and plugged them into the timer (you have to keep them "on" and the timer turns them on and off by controlling the power to them on the schedule you program into them). I think the timer was only about $10.

Even though the light suddenly went on brightly, it didn't wake me immediately, so I set the timer for 30 to 45 minutes before I had needed to get up and set my alarm clock at my "absolutely have to be out of bed time." I almost never was woken by the alarm, but it was my "back-up" so I didn't have to worry about oversleeping.

Unlike hitting the "snooze alarm," where I'd feel worse than when the first alarm sounded, the light/alarm combination worked great. I woke up on my own, and could wake up slowly. By the time the alarm went off I was awake and ready to get out of bed (and it felt like my idea, not the alarm clock's).

[MrsToBe]

Kaplods - That's a great idea and definately finacially friendly. I will have to give it a shot. My fiance may not like it, but tough. I'll let you know if it works.