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How to get through the afternoon slump without soda

If your hardest soda to give up is the one in the middle of the afternoon, this page is a plan for that time of day.

By Patrick McCarthy, published Nov 2, 2026, reviewed Nov 2, 2026

Not medical advice. QuitSoda is habit support for adults. If caffeine, sugar, pregnancy, medicines, or a health condition affect your plan, ask your clinician.

Name the time and the reason

For three days, note the time you reach for the afternoon soda and what was going on: tired, bored, thirsty, hungry, or just the usual break. The reason tells you what to put in its place. The worksheet has room for this.

• Thirsty or just want something cold: cold water or plain sparkling water.
• Want the caffeine: an unsweetened tea or coffee, ideally earlier in the day (see below).
• Hungry: a snack instead of a drink.
• Need a break: keep the break and change the drink, such as a walk to refill your bottle.

Have the drink ready before 3 pm

Make this decision in the morning, not at 3 pm. Freeze water in a freezer-safe bottle the night before for ice-cold water all day, a tip from the CDC. Put plain sparkling water in the fridge so it is the cold, fizzy thing that is already there. Best unsweetened sparkling water lists plain options by label.

On its Rethink Your Drink page, the CDC suggests plain or unsweetened flavored water, unsweetened tea, unsweetened coffee, and whole fruit as alternatives to energy drinks when you want a pick-me-up, and notes that dehydration is often a reason for low energy. For the QuitSoda challenge, keep the water plain or add a squeeze of fresh citrus at home.

If you want caffeine, move it earlier

MedlinePlus says caffeine reaches its peak level in your blood within one hour and you may feel its effects for four to six hours. The CDC lists avoiding caffeine in the afternoon or evening among habits that can improve sleep.

One way to use that: have your unsweetened tea or coffee at lunch instead of a soda at 3 pm, then use water or plain sparkling water for the afternoon slot. If you still want something warm late in the day, the FDA notes that decaf coffee still has some caffeine, typically 2 to 15 mg in an 8 oz cup. See caffeinated alternatives to soda for the numbers.

A snack instead of a can

The CDC puts it simply: sometimes a snack can give you as much of a boost as a drink. If the afternoon soda shows up at the same time as hunger, plan a piece of whole fruit or another snack you like for that time, and pair it with water.

The slump starts the night before

The CDC recommends 7 or more hours of sleep a night for adults 18 to 60. Its list of sleep habits includes going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, turning off devices at least 30 minutes before bed, and avoiding caffeine in the afternoon or evening.

The CDC also lists feeling sleepy or tired even after getting enough sleep as a sign of poor sleep quality, and says to talk to your healthcare provider if you regularly have problems sleeping.

The first days without your afternoon soda

If your afternoon soda had caffeine, you might feel more tired for a few days after you stop. MedlinePlus lists drowsiness and trouble concentrating among caffeine withdrawal symptoms and says they usually go away after a couple of days. The FDA says it is best to cut back on caffeine gradually. If that sounds better, how to cut back on soda has a taper, and quit soda at work covers the rest of the workday.