Has Blogging Taken a Toll on Your Health?

A few weeks back I had a severe bout of hyperacidity. Prior to that I had developed this habit of consuming about five to six cups of coffee per day. And that wasn’t your usual creamy, sugary coffee, as I often prefer my coffee black. And with two heaping tablespoons of ground beans in every cup I brew, one would think that’s a recipe for disaster eventually.

Add to that my habit of staying up to the wee hours of the morning, emailing, writing, tweaking designs and doing blog fixes. Stress gets to you. And it sometimes takes a toll on your life when you least expect it.

And so after that episode, I have cut back on my coffee consumption. I stopped my caffeine habit for about a week (much to the chagrin of the lady who sells me beans, I think). I eventually started drinking one to two cups a day after that, but these days it’s mostly as a morning jump-starter, and to help with after-dinner digestion.

I’ve also tried to get more sleep. I’m usually most productive in the first two to three hours past midnight, because of the peace and quiet. And so the loss in sleep I try to catch up for by napping in the afternoons (along with the kids). It’s still a big adjustment, and I’m still having a host of other health issues (like kidney stones recurring). But I think giving oneself a break is essential to productivity, especially for those of us who write.

Has blogging–as a hobby or as a business or career–taken a toll on your health? In what way? And what are the things you do to keep healthy and sane?