A new study sheds light on a popularly-held belief
If waking up triggers feelings of fear, panic, dread, or shame, you're not alone. Morning anxiety is extremely common and can happen to those who have an anxiety disorder, as well as those who don't. The good news is you can manage your symptoms so it doesn't cast a cloud of impending doom over your day.
Curious to learn how to manage your morning worries? Click through the gallery for more information.
Morning anxiety refers to waking up with feelings of stress and worry. Although not yet a medical term, it can negatively impact your mental health.
Morning anxiety occurs due to the body’s natural cortisol peak, which prepares us for the day but can intensify feelings of stress.
In most healthy people, waking up in the morning triggers a surge in cortisol secretion known as the cortisol awakening response (CAR). Anxious people wake up with more cortisol than usual.
The cortisol awakening response (CAR) peaks about 30 minutes after waking, with levels remaining roughly 34% higher an hour post-awakening.
Worry and rumination are two common forms of repetitive negative thinking and racing thoughts. Worry involves predicting negative outcomes about future events, while rumination focuses on negative thoughts about past or present difficulties.
But if we can’t change the past, or know for sure what will happen in the future, how do we get off the emotional rollercoaster? For some, worrying provides a false sense of control, making it difficult to break the cycle of anxious thoughts.
Research indicates that our brains have evolved to respond more intensely to negative information than to positive. This heightened sensitivity once served to keep us safe from danger, enabling our ancestors to survive. However, in modern times, where physical threats are rare, this tendency often proves more of a hindrance than a help.
Morning anxiety can manifest through various emotional symptoms. These include intense worry, distress, a sinking feeling or "butterflies," overwhelm, a sense of doom, catastrophizing, restlessness, feeling "on edge" or "wound up," irritability, a racing mind, difficulty concentrating or finding your mind goes blank, and nervousness.
On the physical side, morning anxiety can show up as fatigue, sweating, insomnia (inability to fall asleep or stay asleep), digestive issues, headaches, a tight chest, tense muscles, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, and shaking.
The alarm goes off, you've not yet opened your eyes, and here come the racing thoughts, riding in on the tails of a hefty dose of cortisol. So, how do we take back the controller of our own operating system?
Managing morning anxiety starts the night before. If you go to bed with worries on your mind, or wake up during the night feeling anxious, those concerns are likely to trickle into the morning, leaving you stressed about the day ahead.
Studies have shown that simply talking about our problems with someone we trust can be profoundly healing. If you can't do this in person, who can you call?
If you don't feel like you can talk to someone, try journaling and transferring the worries from your head onto a page. You could also write down your next day's to-do list before you turn in, so thoughts aren’t free-floating in your mind.
Screen time before bed can disrupt your sleep cycle. The blue light emitted from screens suppresses melatonin production, the hormone that helps regulate sleep, making it harder to “switch off” and fall asleep easily. Don't give your anxiety the chance for more "screen time" than it already has!
There are several types of breathing techniques to activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which controls your body's rest and relaxation response.
Box breathing and deep breathing are two of the most popular exercises to help you feel calmer and more centered. Try this at night before bed and when you wake in the morning.
Many individuals believe alcohol can ease symptoms of stress. This has repeatedly been proven to be untrue by many studies. Alcohol has negative effects on sleep, which can further exacerbate morning anxiety.
For many, a hot cup of tea is a comforting and soothing ritual. Additionally, some teas provide natural calming ingredients. These include chamomile (may reduce anxiety and help you relax), ginger (can treat stress and lower blood pressure), warm milk (has calming properties and contains tryptophan, a key ingredient in making serotonin), and turmeric (decreases stress. Scientists are also exploring how curcumin may relieve symptoms of depression and mood disorders.
Try challenging negative thoughts and your inner critic by asking yourself these four questions, as first proposed by speaker and author Byron Katie: 1. is your belief true? (answer only yes or no. If your answer is no, go to question #3 on next slide). 2. Can you absolutely know that it is true?
Starting your day with a consistent routine can significantly reduce morning anxiety. By knowing exactly what you'll do when you wake up, you gain a sense of control that can soothe anxious feelings.
Be mindful of your morning actions and even if it’s only for a few minutes, step outside. Morning sunlight provides essential vitamin D, which reduces stress and supports mental health.
Ironically, starving yourself feeds your anxiety. Intermittent fasting can raise cortisol levels, increasing stress and impacting your mood. Skipping breakfast also causes a dip in blood sugar, which can heighten feelings of anxiety. So if you're struggling with anxiety, it's not worth going hungry!
Starting the day with a nutritious breakfast sets a positive tone, stabilizing blood sugar levels and helping to prevent mood swings. If you're prone to morning anxiety, limiting caffeine can also reduce feelings of nervousness.
Foods rich in magnesium, like oatmeal with bananas, can be calming, while eggs provide tryptophan, an amino acid linked to serotonin production, for improved brain function and reduced anxiety. Complex carbohydrates like oatmeal, quinoa, and whole-grain cereals boost serotonin levels, promoting a calming effect.
Movement is a highly effective way to manage anxiety. Morning exercises like yoga, Tai Chi, a brisk walk, or a light jog can help stabilize your body’s stress response and boost well-being. Exercise releases endorphins that act as natural mood enhancers and stress relievers too!
Review your typical day and consider the areas that cause you the most stress. Is work too demanding, or you don’t enjoy it? Are you stuck in an unhappy relationship? Perhaps your friendship circle is toxic? Do you have a busy household with people who are dependent on you, and you are not prioritizing your own self-care?
Do you have unhealthy habits or addictions such as overspending, extreme dieting, smoking, or drinking, that deep down you know are worsening your anxiety? Pull your head out of the sand and see where you can take action to reduce what is causing you stress and worry.
If you aren't able to get your morning anxiety under control, you might need to see professional help. If anxiety is impacting your daily life and well-being, speak to a doctor, therapist, or mental health professional.
Sources: (Stay Here) (Healthline) (Everyday Health) (Cleveland Clinic)
See also: Do you have regular anxiety or an anxiety disorder?
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If waking up triggers feelings of fear, panic, dread, or shame, you're not alone. Morning anxiety is extremely common and can happen to those who have an anxiety disorder, as well as those who don't. The good news is you can manage your symptoms so it doesn't cast a cloud of impending doom over your day.
Curious to learn how to manage your morning worries? Click through the gallery for more information.