Imagine waking up feeling worried, anxious, and anxious as quickly as you open your sleepy eyes. The anxiety is so intense that you fear starting your day and really feel signs similar to a panic attack – racing heart, sweaty palms, and difficulty breathing. What’s happening? It could be morning anxiety, a common expertise many undergo when they wake up. If you expertise this anxiety, you may fear it will final forever. Thankfully, it’s treatable, and with a few tips and hacks, you can take again management and prevent it from ruining your day.
What Is ‘Morning Anxiety’?
Morning anxiety isn’t a proper diagnosis however rather an disagreeable stressor that creates emotions of dread, panic, and stress very first factor within the morning. Typically, it lasts whereas you’re nonetheless in mattress and reduces as you progress on with your day. Yet, it could additionally be so intense that some have anticipatory anxiety at night and fear they will expertise morning anxiety upon waking up.
3 Common Causes of Morning Anxiety
There are various factors that may clarify why you’re experiencing anxiety, particularly within the morning.
- Stress. Your stress hormone cortisol peaks within the mornings and causes a rise in dread, panic, and worry.
- Low blood sugar. Your blood sugar is typically at its lowest very first factor within the morning. And running on low fuel causes your mind to enter the “fight, flight, or freeze” stress response extra frequently.
- Environment. Morning anxiety can be a symptom of a deeper problem – generalized anxiety or one other anxiety disorder. Additionally, your sleep routine and environment can aggravate anxious emotions if you mentally don’t really feel comfortable as you doze off or awaken.
15 Symptoms of Morning Anxiety
While all of us expertise morning anxiety from time to time, no two people are the identical with their symptoms. For example, one person may really feel anxious and on the verge of a panic attack, whereas one other may battle excessive fatigue and irritability. But increasing your consciousness towards this common experience, will assist put together you to take step one towards positive change.
- Fatigue
- Restlessness
- Irritability
- Dread
- Insomnia
- Feeling weak or faint
- Difficulty breathing
- Rapid coronary heart rate
- Tense muscles
- Experiencing sweats or chills
- Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
- Feeling paralyzed
- Racing thoughts
- Poor concentration
- Feeling a lack of control
8 Tips to Manage Morning Anxiety
1. Sleep hygiene is a priority
Prioritizing your sleep high quality is a should when combatting morning anxiety. Firstly, your emotional regulation is extra intact and functions correctly when you obtain eight hours of sleep. And secondly, if you are sleep deprived, you’ll struggle to start your day, and may expertise elevated anxiety as a result.
Therefore, consider your habits and alter them if essential to make sure your sleep high quality is not impacting your anxiety.
2. Create a morning routine
Having a morning routine that you enjoy will pull you out of mattress and out of the dreaded anxiety spiral. Here are a few suggestions;
- Prioritize a morning meditation to set the tone for the remainder of the day
- Squeeze in a fast exercise or yoga session
- Or listen to your favourite podcast whereas making your mattress and breakfast
Whatever your routine looks like for you, start small and construct over time. Starting small will allow flexibility and any possible failures to prevent triggering your anxiety any further.
3. Listen to your body
When you get up with bodily discomfort, you may assume it’s anxiety, particularly if you’re prone to anxious thoughts. But interpreting indicators of again pain, muscle tension, or complications as anxiety may produce extra worry. Furthermore, merely because these bodily signs can come from anxiety, it doesn’t imply they always share a connection.
It could be poor posture, a poor mattress, and even insomnia. Therefore, listen to your physique and consider the potential supply of the ache by brainstorming different causes. It can function a coping mechanism to prevent your discomfort from transforming into full-blown anxiety.
4. Begin with intention
Similar to making a morning routine, starting with intention involves setting up your day for extra inner peace. For instance, upon waking up, do you have a tendency to scroll through your social media, watch the news, or check your phone?
These habits can create extra anxiety behind the scenes and don’t always serve your best interest. If you discover they add extra worry, start with a morning meditation, a gentle stretch, or repeat the issues you’re grateful for to shift your anxious thoughts.
5. Plan ahead
A a half of what’s inflicting your morning anxiety could additionally be the private and work stress you are anticipating. You may have ideas about how you’ll tackle your to-do list, projects you are procrastinating, or household obligations. One way to address this overwhelm is to create a particular to-do list earlier than bedtime.
When creating your list, organize it to list the highest priorities first. These priorities ought to be the duties you have to do. Then, write any others you need to complete. This easy tip will assist you not solely to relaxation higher however will reassure your mind that you’re in management of your stress.
6. Normalize your anxiety
Worrying about your anxiety is a vicious cycle that solely produces extra anxious thoughts, catastrophizing, and disagreeable experiences. Additionally, when you fear about worrying, you teach your mind that anxiety is one factor to fear. This places your mind right into a hyper state of focus that turns into extra delicate to stress.
Instead, remind your self that even although your anxiety is uncomfortable, it doesn’t imply it’s dangerous, or an indicator one factor terrible will occur. You can repeat a morning intention to assist you gain control, “Even although I really feel anxious, I know this implies one factor bad won’t happen. If I start my day, I will really feel better”.
7. Challenge your thoughts
Getting out of mattress with an unrelenting case of morning anxiety can really feel subsequent to impossible. As a result, you may really feel tempted to remain in mattress all day and keep away from your responsibilities. While that is often recommended from time to time, you may have a list of duties you merely can’t avoid. When this occurs, problem your thoughts. Thoughts are not always correct representations of the world round us, regardless of how highly effective they feel.
Bring consciousness to your anxious state and start questioning their source. You can additionally replace one thought with a positive alternative to really feel better. Remember, difficult your ideas isn’t always easy, and it may take time – however it will assist you obtain company over your internal dialogue.
8. Focus on what you can control
Shifting your consideration and understanding what you can management will give you extra peace of thoughts when your anxious ideas take the wheel. For example, you can management your breath. Focusing on inhaling and exhaling is a nice way to practice mindfulness and cope with your morning anxiety.
Waking up with morning anxiety is a painful but common expertise many undergo. If you struggle with anxiety, practice the tips on this text and above all, be affected person with yourself. Challenging your ideas and altering your habits are a half of a lengthy journey. Over time, you’ll expertise extra relief, peace, and happiness.