How to Relieve a Caffeine-Induced Headache

If you've ever tried cutting down on caffeine or missed your regular morning cup of coffee or tea because you were in a rush, you understand how tough it can be to power through the day without your trusted energy booster. You might feel more irritable, or find it difficult to stay awake and concentrate on your tasks.

In some cases, skipping the caffeine fix you're used to can result in a painful headache. Anyone who's experienced the misery of a caffeine headache knows just how it can make an already hard day even worse. No one should have to face that, so we researched the causes of the pain and consulted with a doctor to learn the best ways to relieve a caffeine headache.

How Does Caffeine Affect You?

While many people—estimated to be around 80 to 90 percent of adults in North America—consume caffeine regularly for various reasons, it's most commonly recognized for its ability to help people stay awake and alert. "[Caffeine] stimulates activity in your central nervous system," says Laura Purdy, MD, a family medicine physician based in Miami. "It can also boost your mood, enhance clarity, and make you feel more productive."

In simpler terms, caffeine can actually have positive effects, particularly when consumed in low to moderate amounts (ranging from 30 to 400 milligrams daily, or roughly three cups of coffee).

What Triggers a Caffeine Headache?

For some, caffeine intake can lead to headaches and feelings of jitters. However, a caffeine headache specifically refers to the intense, throbbing pain often associated with caffeine withdrawal. Caffeine withdrawal refers to the symptoms a regular caffeine consumer—whether it's just one cup of coffee or tea a day—experiences after cutting out caffeine. Headaches are among the most frequent symptoms of caffeine withdrawal, alongside fatigue, tiredness, reduced alertness, decreased energy, and trouble concentrating.

"Your body is literally experiencing withdrawal symptoms, just like coming off any other substance," says Beth Czerwony, RD, LD, a registered dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic, in an article from the hospital. "Since it affects the central nervous system, you'll feel shaky, irritable, and prone to headaches."

The intensity, timing, and length of these symptoms vary from person to person, depending on factors like individual sensitivity to caffeine, tolerance, lifestyle, and the time elapsed since their last caffeine intake, explains Purdy. "Caffeine withdrawal symptoms can show up immediately after missing your daily dose, or take a few days to kick in once the caffeine is completely out of your system," she says.

Typically, caffeine headaches and other withdrawal symptoms start 12 to 24 hours after the last caffeine intake, peak between 20 and 51 hours, and may last up to nine days, according to information from the National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine. However, Purdy mentions that caffeine headaches usually don’t last more than a few hours.

Caffeine withdrawal headaches and other symptoms are especially common when someone attempts to quit abruptly, or "cold turkey," instead of reducing their intake gradually. "Stopping all at once is not advised, especially for those who regularly consume high amounts of caffeine," Purdy explains. "This increases the likelihood of experiencing a caffeine headache."

How to Relieve a Caffeine Headache

1. Have a Small Amount of Caffeine

The quickest and most efficient way to relieve a caffeine headache is by giving your body the caffeine it craves. (In fact, regardless of whether the headache is due to caffeine withdrawal, many experts suggest consuming caffeine to help alleviate the pain, as it can help widen blood vessels in the brain.) If you’re trying to limit your caffeine intake, choose something with a lower amount of caffeine, such as black tea, green tea, or even a small piece of dark chocolate.

If caffeine isn’t an option, or you're determined to reduce your dependency—or quit altogether—here are some other methods to help ease a caffeine headache:

2. Take an Over-the-Counter Pain Reliever

The same over-the-counter pain relievers you would take for any other headache—like acetaminophen and ibuprofen—can also help alleviate caffeine headaches, according to Purdy. However, if you're aiming to quit caffeine completely, you should check the label carefully, as many of these medications contain caffeine. While caffeinated pain relievers will likely relieve the headache, they’ll also continue your dependence on the stimulant, so it's important to be aware of that.

3. Stay Well-Hydrated

Given the widespread (though incorrect) belief that drinking water is a miracle cure for virtually every health issue, it's not surprising that it's often recommended as a surefire way to stop a caffeine headache. While there's limited scientific evidence suggesting that water or IV hydration might ease caffeine withdrawal symptoms, it's more likely to help with preventing or alleviating a headache caused by dehydration and providing your body with the water it needs to function, rather than 'flushing' out any remaining caffeine.

4. Drink Decaffeinated Coffee

A small study conducted by researchers at the University of Sydney found that participants' caffeine withdrawal symptoms—including caffeine-related headaches—improved after drinking decaffeinated coffee. The study involved 61 heavy coffee drinkers (who consume three or more cups daily) who went 24 hours without coffee, rated their withdrawal symptoms, then were divided into three groups. One group received water, and the other two groups were given decaf—one of which was told it was regular coffee—and then asked to rate their caffeine withdrawal symptoms 45 minutes later.

The group that was misinformed about the coffee reported a significant reduction in their caffeine withdrawal symptoms, despite no pharmacological reason for this, explained Llew Mills, PhD, a senior research associate at the University of Sydney's School of Addiction Medicine and lead author of the study. 'Because they expected their withdrawal to decrease, it did,' Mills said, attributing the effect to the placebo response.

The findings of the study, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology in January 2023, are intriguing: the group who knew they were drinking decaf also reported a reduction in withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, while the group who only had water saw no improvement.

In conclusion, Mills and his fellow researchers suggested that because people often associate the taste and aroma of coffee with relief from withdrawal symptoms, drinking decaf can provide similar benefits without the caffeine. However, it's important to note that this study is relatively small and further research is needed. That said, if other remedies aren't effective, trying a cup of decaf coffee may be worth considering.