For 30 straight days, I cut out all caffeine and stopped scrolling Instagram, and I would do it again 100 times over.

Why I Said Yes

This wasn’t my original idea. My friend Erin Moore started a dopamine detox and asked me to join her, and my business coach was pushing me to try it too. The timing made sense, because 2026 has put my body through the wringer. Giving up two things that weren’t lowering my stress or anxiety felt like an easy yes.

How I Did It

Caffeine – This was my vice. I loved the taste, the buzz, and the way it curbed my appetite and kept my hands busy during the 2 to 4 pm crash. Most mornings I had two or three cups of coffee: one before the gym, one after, and one with breakfast. Then came my afternoon Alani between 1 and 2 pm, with bedtime around 8 or 9. Some days that added up to 500 mg of caffeine or more. YIKES.

Day one brought a pounding headache. Day two brought the stomach bug, so I was too sick to miss coffee. I wouldn’t recommend that route, but it got me over the caffeine headache hump.

Instagram – This one was harder, since I’m on the app for work six days a week. I only opened it to post or to reply to comments and DMs. The second the app opened, I tapped straight to the post button or my inbox. I created every post, reel, and caption outside the app so I spent as little time in it as possible.

The 8 Breakthroughs

1. I had no idea what was going on in the world. I missed the HYROX poop scandal and the Sydney Sweeney ad. If I wanted to know what a friend was up to, I had to text or call her.
2. I’m completely fine without caffeine. My 5 am workouts don’t feel any harder. Better sleep helps, and I found a decaf K-cup from Sam’s Club that tastes just like my old coffee (linked below).
3. I got better at responding. I texted back faster and answered calls instead of calling back when it suited me. (Still catching up on DMs.)
4. The hum of annoyance went away. That low-level angst is gone. Instagram doesn’t bring me anxiety anymore, and I’m out of the comparison trap because I’m not seeing what anyone else is doing.
5. I enjoyed my kids more. I was more present with them and said yes to more play dates.
6. My focus was unbelievable. I realized I used my phone to dodge tasks I didn’t want to do, or as a reward every few minutes of focused work. Without it, I worked in long, uninterrupted blocks and finished before school pickup most days.
7. I found a new fix for the afternoon slump. I moved my walking pad into my office and walked while I worked. My average steps went from 14k to 16k a day.
8. I slept better than I have in over a year. This was the biggest change. I hit my highest sleep score since I got my Garmin in May 2025. Less caffeine overall, none late in the day, and more steps all played a part.

Where I Go From Here

I’m 34 days in as I write this. I did slip once, on day 33. Our power was out, I grabbed breakfast and coffee for my husband and me, and I completely forgot I was off caffeine. I’m so used to my decaf that it didn’t even register. Today I’m back to decaf, because I love it and I don’t need the caffeine.

I’m still not scrolling. A few times I’ve caught myself watching that first post in my feed, but I notice it and go straight to what I opened the app to do. The biggest shift is opening Instagram with an intention instead of out of habit, then looking up 30 minutes later.

My secret weapon is the Brick. It’s a small square device, basically a fridge magnet. You pick the apps to block, tap your phone to the Brick to lock them, and tap again to unlock. I use two modes, deep work and family time, and each one blocks a different set of apps. It’s a one-time purchase with no membership fee, and with my discount and shipping it came to $61. A total no-brainer.

As for my afternoon Alani, I miss the taste and the ritual. I might bring it back earlier in the day, around 11 to 12. Then again, I’m not crashing in the afternoons like I used to, thanks to better sleep and the walking pad. I’ll keep you posted.

Who Should Try It

I highly recommend a dopamine detox if you:

• Struggle with anxiety
• Feel a constant, low-level buzz of annoyance you can’t explain
• Have trouble getting quality sleep
• Spend too much time on your phone
• Struggle to focus and finish tasks

The official 30-day protocol:

1. No caffeine, none at all
2. No TV, to cut out passive consumption
3. No social media scrolling
4. One full day off social each week
5. Daily time outside for sunlight and a reset

You don’t have to follow every rule to see results.

Resources

• Free dopamine detox habit trackers
• The decaf K-cups I love (Sam’s Club)
• Brick device, 10% off with my link

One More Thing: Lift + Run for the TDP CREW

This November and December, training membership subscribers get a lift + run program inside the app at no extra cost. The run days are built to complement the FOUNDATIONS and SPLIT programs, with options for how many days you lift and run each week. Every run has a purpose: building your zone 2 aerobic base and getting faster over time.

After years on SPLIT, I’m switching to FOUNDATIONS (three full-body strength days) and giving my fourth day to running. That’s the beauty of fitness. You can shift your focus, keep everything you’ve built, and get better in a new area.

It starts November 5. If you’re not in the TDP CREW yet, join the training membership here.