Despite the fact that it is often overlooked, caffeine has been described by many as the most addictive drug in the world. It’s found in a variety of consumables including sodas, coffee, select types of tea and even in over-the-counter pain relievers.
For those that view caffeine as an addiction instead of a treat, Jawbone Labs has come up with a new app designed to help track caffeine intake in an effort to try and kick the habit. UP Coffee allows users to log their caffeinated drink intake – coffee, teas, energy drinks or other blends – and view the daily impact via an on-screen gauge that determines if you are wired or ready for bed.
That last bit is important as caffeine can have a real impact on the amount and quality of sleep you get each night. I’ve been a big soda fan for as long as I can remember but after realizing they were causing a lot of health issues, I cut caffeine cold turkey a few years ago.
After a couple rocky days of side effects (headaches, irritability, etc.), I found that I was able to fall asleep much easier at night and felt more rested during the day. I’m also saving a lot of money each month by simply drinking water instead of sodas (I never did like coffee) and there’s no doubt that cutting out all that sugar will be good for my overall health in the long run.
It’s worth pointing out that you don’t need to have Jawbone’s UP activity tracker accessory to use the app but having it doesn’t hurt, either. That’s because the wearable tracks and understands your sleep patterns and can even help you recognize the impact of caffeine intake. By using the app and the wearable for just 10 days, Jawbone claims it can figure out how much sleep is lost on average for each 100mg of caffeine you sip.
The app is available as of writing and requires iOS 7. It’s unclear at this hour if / when Jawbone will launch a version for Android.
