Sleep & wake-up
Caffeine reset calculator
Enter your daily caffeine in milligrams and how fast you want to cut back to get a step-by-step taper schedule down to zero.
A brewed coffee is roughly 95 mg, a shot of espresso about 63 mg and black tea around 47 mg of caffeine.
How the taper schedule is built
Quitting caffeine suddenly often triggers withdrawal headaches, so this tool steps you down in equal drops. It divides your current daily milligrams by the amount you cut each step to find the number of reductions, then multiplies by the days you hold at each level to find how long the whole taper takes. The formula is days to zero = ceil(current ÷ step) × days per step. Starting at 300 mg, cutting 50 mg each step and holding three days means six reductions over eighteen days: 300, 250, 200, 150, 100, 50, then zero.
The table below shows how a few starting points taper when you cut 50 mg every three days, so you can gauge the length before you begin.
| Starting mg | Reductions | Days to zero |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 2 | 6 |
| 200 | 4 | 12 |
| 300 | 6 | 18 |
| 400 | 8 | 24 |
| 600 | 12 | 36 |
Tapering comfortably
Slower is usually smoother. If headaches, irritability or fatigue appear at a step, hold at that level for a few extra days before the next cut rather than pushing through. Smaller steps of 25 mg suit heavy coffee drinkers, while a step of 50 mg is fine for moderate intake. Remember that caffeine hides in tea, cola, energy drinks, chocolate and some pain relievers, so count every source, not just coffee. The European Food Safety Authority considers up to 400 mg a day safe for most healthy adults, but your taper is about reducing a habit, not hitting a limit. This is general guidance and not medical advice; check with a doctor if you are pregnant, take medication, or have a heart or anxiety condition.
Frequently asked questions
How long does caffeine withdrawal last?
Symptoms such as headache and fatigue typically start 12 to 24 hours after cutting back and ease within two to nine days. A gradual taper keeps each drop small enough that most people barely notice it.
Is it better to taper or quit cold turkey?
Tapering is usually gentler. Stepping down in small amounts gives your body time to adjust and tends to avoid the headaches and grogginess that a sudden stop can cause, though both routes reach zero.
How much caffeine is in common drinks?
A brewed coffee holds roughly 95 mg, a single espresso about 63 mg, black tea around 47 mg and a cola about 35 mg. Energy drinks vary widely, so check the label when counting your daily total.