ByJONATHAN NEAL, HEALTH REPORTER
Published:00:47 EDT, 24 April 2026|Updated:05:10 EDT, 24 April 2026
Quitting coffee for just two weeks may make people less impulsive and less stressed, and switching to decaf could improve sleep and memory, a study suggests.
Scientists tracked 62 healthy adults to examine how coffee affects the body and brain. The group included 31 regular coffee drinkers and 31 people who did not drink coffee.
At the start of the study, all volunteers gave blood, urine and stool samples.
They also completed questionnaires on mood and behavior, as well as memory and cognitive tests.
The regular coffee drinkers were then told to stop drinking coffee entirely for two weeks. After that, they were randomly assigned either caffeinated coffee or decaf for a further 21 days. Sixteen received caffeinated coffee and 15 were given decaf.
Researchers then compared how participants changed during the withdrawal and re-introduction phases.
They found regular coffee drinkers experienced more impulsive behaviour and emotional reactivity than people who did not drink coffee.
But after coffee drinkers gave up their habit for a fortnight, both measures fell.
Source: Drudge Report
