What if your daily coffee isn’t “fuel”—it’s a stress loop wrecking your sleep, hormones, and focus? Former restaurateur and certified self-sabotage coach Steve Frazier, author of Release the Coffee Cuffs, joins host Pete Ferrari to unpack the biology (adenosine, cortisol, dopamine), the psychology (habit, herd culture, cognitive dissonance), and the plan (a humane taper) for breaking free from caffeine—without becoming a zombie.

You’ll learn why withdrawals hit so hard, how to taper smart, what “Swiss Water” decaf actually means, the sneaky cortisol belly connection, and why better sleep is the #1 upside of going caffeine-light or caffeine-free.

Episode Highlights:

• 07:10 – Why cold turkey hurts: adenosine receptors, headaches, brain fog, and reset timelines

• 10:01 – “Do you know what healthy feels like?” Morning routine, sunlight, hydration

• 12:11 – How caffeine spikes cortisol/adrenaline/dopamine and disrupts circadian rhythm

• 14:12 – Fight/flight physiology → blood sugar spikes → insulin cycle

• 16:06 – Why the science matters: real metabolic impact, not just “a wake-up”

• 18:08 – Free coffee at work ≠ better results; what exam studies actually showed

• 22:59 – For men: testosterone hits; for women: fertility/blood flow to the egg

• 26:42 – What’s the #1 benefit of quitting?

• 28:28 – Vince Del Monte’s story: extreme intake, quitting, 6–9 months to reset

• 30:40 – The profit cycle that keeps you hooked (and how to step off)

Takeaways:

• Taper beats cold turkey. Step down weekly (e.g., 150 → 100 → 50 mg) to avoid adenosine whiplash.

• Sleep is the prize. Less caffeine → deeper Stage 3/REM → better hormonal response, recovery, and mood.

• Know your dose. Cup sizes, sodas, energy drinks, chocolate, and “decaf” add up fast.

• Mind the clock. Afternoon caffeine often lingers at bedtime due to its long half-life.

• Hormones matter. Caffeine spikes stress hormones; linked to cortisol, belly fat and lower testosterone.

• Women’s physiology differs. Luteal phase and birth control slow caffeine clearance; PMS may worsen.

• It’s not “willpower,” it’s a plan. Track, swap, replace, and recruit support to change the habit loop.

About the Guest:

Steve Frazier is a lifelong entrepreneur turned wellness advocate and the creator of Release the Coffee Cuffs—a science-backed coaching program that helps people step down from caffeine and reclaim stable energy, sleep, and focus.

A former multi-unit restaurateur who lived on bottomless coffee until a health scare forced a reset, Steve now blends certified self-sabotage coaching, behavior design, and biology-based education to make change stick. He’s the author of Release the Coffee Cuffs and leads individual, group, and family programs that replace the jitters-and-crash cycle with clear, sustainable routines.

His approach favors humane tapering, habit tracking, and Swiss-Water decaf over raw willpower—so clients can break up with caffeine without breaking their lives.

Connect with Steve Frazier:

• Website: releasethecoffeecuffs.com

• Book: Release the Coffee Cuffs

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