LPT Request: How do I stop feeling extremely anxious right after waking up?
Introduction:
Waking up can be a challenging time for many individuals, especially if they experience anxiety in the morning. Starting your day with a rush of negative thoughts and feelings can set a negative tone for the rest of the day. It is important to address these anxieties head-on and develop strategies to alleviate them. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore various techniques and lifestyle changes that can help combat morning anxiety, allowing you to start your day with a positive mindset and emotional well-being. Whether you are going through a rough phase in life or experience anxiety unrelated to specific events, these tips will prove invaluable in overcoming morning anxiety and regaining control over your thoughts and emotions.
Understanding Morning Anxiety:
Morning anxiety is a relatively common phenomenon that many individuals experience. While the exact cause can vary from person to person, it often stems from subconscious thoughts and worries that amplify upon waking up. Factors such as stress, unresolved emotions, or a difficult life phase can contribute to this sense of anxiety. It is crucial to address these underlying concerns to break free from the cycle of morning anxiety. Let’s delve into some practical strategies that can help alleviate and eliminate this anxious state.
1. Identifying Triggering Factors:
One of the primary steps in dealing with morning anxiety is identifying the specific trigger factors. Reflect on your thoughts and emotions upon waking up and try to pinpoint any recurring themes or triggers that may be contributing to your anxiety. It could be related to a breakup, ongoing life challenges, or even unresolved emotions from the previous day. By identifying these triggers, you can begin to address them more effectively.
2. Cultivate a Peaceful Sleep Environment:
A restful night’s sleep can greatly impact your mental state upon waking. Evaluate your sleep environment and make any necessary changes to optimize your sleep quality. Ensure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature. Avoid stimulating activities before bed, such as using electronic devices or consuming caffeine, as these can disrupt your sleep patterns and increase morning anxiety.
3. Establish a Morning Routine:
Having a structured morning routine can help set a positive tone for the day while reducing anxiety. Consider incorporating activities that promote relaxation and self-care into your morning routine. This could include meditation, deep breathing exercises, gentle stretching, or journaling. Engaging in activities that bring you joy and peace can effectively combat morning anxiety.
4. Practice Mindfulness and Meditation:
Mindfulness and meditation are powerful techniques to help alleviate anxiety. By staying present in the moment and observing your thoughts without judgment, you can reduce the intensity of anxious feelings. Dedicate a few minutes each morning to practice mindfulness meditation. Focus your attention on your breath, sensations in your body, and the environment around you. Over time, this practice can train your mind to detach from negative thoughts and reduce morning anxiety.
5. Challenge Negative Thoughts:
Negative thoughts are often responsible for morning anxiety. It is essential to challenge and reframe these thoughts to regain control over your mind. Whenever a negative thought arises, question its validity and consider alternative perspectives. Use positive affirmations to counteract negative self-talk and replace them with empowering statements. Gradually, this practice can shift your mindset from anxiety to positivity upon waking up.
6. Seek Professional Support:
If morning anxiety persists despite your best efforts, it may be helpful to seek professional support. A therapist or counselor can assist you in identifying underlying causes, developing coping strategies, and providing continuous guidance throughout your journey. They can also help you explore any unresolved emotions or events contributing to your morning anxiety.
7. Physical Exercise and Healthy Lifestyle:
Regular physical exercise has been proven to reduce anxiety symptoms by releasing endorphins and promoting a positive mental state. Engage in exercises that you enjoy, such as jogging, yoga, or dance. Additionally, maintaining a balanced diet, including a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, can impact your overall well-being. Avoid excessive consumption of caffeine and alcohol, as these can worsen anxiety symptoms.
8. Social Support and Connection:
Building a support system and connecting with loved ones can significantly contribute to reducing morning anxiety. Reach out to friends or family members who can provide a listening ear and offer support during this challenging time. Engaging in social activities or hobbies with others can help distract your mind from anxiety and foster a sense of belonging.
9. Journaling and Self-reflection:
Writing down your thoughts and emotions each morning can be a cathartic experience and provide insight into your anxieties. Use a journal to express your concerns, fears, or any recurring thoughts, and reflect on them objectively. This practice can assist in gaining clarity, recognizing triggers, and formulating action plans to address underlying issues contributing to morning anxiety.
Conclusion:
Overcoming morning anxiety can feel like a formidable task, but with dedication and persistence, it is manageable. By implementing the strategies outlined in this guide, you can begin to regain control over your thoughts and emotions upon waking up. Remember to be patient with yourself, as breaking the cycle of morning anxiety takes time. Celebrate small victories along the way, and seek professional help if needed. With continued effort and the incorporation of self-care and stress reduction techniques into your daily routine, you can transition from feeling anxious to starting each day with a sense of calm and positivity.
This is gonna seem out of left field. Do you own a cat and if so, have you been tested for toxoplasmosis? Catastrophizing is one of the first symptoms.
Other than that my best recommendation is therapy where they teach you how to interrupt the process
That’s too vague of information, but my first thought is you are snoring and choking in your sleep. Research and contact a sleep study clinic. You might have to go through your primary care doctor.
You would have been fighting for air, your chest/lungs would be sore, headache, wake up feeling exhausted, and your throat very dry. You would be oxygen starved. Your brain does not like this.
Potentially. I’m no doctor.
Had the same thing. Went on lexapro for awhile and it went away.
Breathing exercises have changed my life. That and going to the gym / working out. These two things combined are amazing.
Is it daylight when you wake up? If yes then sit on an armchair by the window with a hot drink or try reading a book. Or if you have a garden or balcony you could try having breakfast outside. Sunlight should help you feel better.
Get up, get dressed, get out of your place and go for a walk.
Look up what Marcus Aurelius had to say about the subject in his, “Meditations.” I hesitate to quote just one entry because it sounds like literally any segment of the entire book would help you. There’s a fantastic reading to be found on youtube that’s only a few hours long. Stoicism is great for returning a sense of control over the mind in a practical and accessible way.
stop thinking about the future and appreciate the moment, read a book or make a breakfast
I’m in a similar situation lately and what seems to help me is going for a walk while listening a podcast or music and doing a 10 minutes meditation. It won’t eliminate the anxiety completely, but it is much more manageable.
It’s cortisol. Reduce your sugar intake/try a paleo or mediterranean diet and see if it helps. It helps many people.
I’ve had the same thing for a long time. I noticed that if I’m physically tired when I go to bed, it doesn’t happen. So I exercise 4-5 times per week.
On the other days, if it happens, I take a deep breath and hold it for as long as I can. Then get up and make breakfast or something. Seems to calm me down quickly.
I use a meditation app and do some mindfulness meditation every morning when i wake up. Then I do some light exercise and I am good to start the day. I use Balance which is a paid app but they give you a year to try it out free.
Bong hits and coffee, breakfast of champions.
Have you been drinking more lately? My anxiety started to get bad during a similar rough patch but really it was just my body reacting to me drinking more.
But still, I’m sober now and am also going through a breakup and the mornings just flat out suck. Coming back into reality and being groggy and knowing you gotta go about your day when your heart is just not in it is anxiety inducing. Time helps
If you drink alcohol; stop
Drink more water before bed
I get this but at 3am when I know I have to get up at 4h50. I start thinking about my job and how I hate this or this and whatever. My trick is to try to invent the most complicated thing I can think of. Like a flying car, a fusion reactor, interstellar travel. It doesn’t take much time and I can feel my mind calming down and getting tired.
Breathing. Keep your eyes closed when you first wake up and don’t look at your phone or anything. Take 3 deep breaths in through the mouth filling up your lungs and breath out through the nose counting 1,2,3,4. It’s literally a miracle for all anxiety. Do it for as long as it takes for you to self regulate.
Drink 1L iced water right upon wake-up. Or use a nicotine vaping device to go with your coffee. It will make the euphoria feel stronger, which is great in the morning.
Some say to distract yourself as soon as you wake up. Sometimes, avoiding what you have isn’t what’s gonna work. Look into DBT therapy. You can probably find something for free online. They have coping skills that help you in a lot of aspects in life. Anxiety comes from something at the end of the day. Working on your mindset can take a while, but it’s worth it. Stuff like breathing, exercising, and eating properly sure can help. But it’s not going to fix the anxiety, most likely. You need to dig into your thoughts, challenge them, explore worst-case scenarios, and then bring your thoughts slowly back to good outcomes. Write things down! Make a diary! Spend time writing. It is going to help you a lot, too. Make a goal of what one idea you want to get rid of first. Like, for example, the first thing you wanna deal with is the relationships. Write things out that are scaring you about them, what your expectations are, and what happened before. Then, write out what you want them to be like. And etc for the future, gym, drinking habits… (just an example of things).
We have paths inside our brains for habits and emotions and etc. You had a path with your relationship where it was calming you down, perhaps. You need to create another coping path without being in a relationship. (THE PATHS THAT WERE CREATED WILL ALWAYS BE THERE. THAT’S WHY RELAPSING HAPPENS). You will have to choose your new coping skills every time, and then they will become more automatic to the point where you do it without thinking directly about it.
I hope this helps a bit. I know anxiety is too much sometimes, and it sucks. We all need some help sometimes. Good luck!
I have the same problem sporadically. What helps me get through it is the 5-5-5 trick (5 things you can see, feel, hear) and a shower.
Not a doctor but read something that made sense to me: you have nightmares that wake you up in the morning because your body knows your usual wakeup time and starts up your cortisol machine in the morning to get you ready to wake up and get out of bed.
So knowing that, it is easier to accept the anxiety upon waking up, because it has been manufactured not by your situations but by your body.
Of course it is still a genuine physical state that others’ tips in this thread have suggested many solutions for . . . meditation, a bit of exercise, etc.
So deal with it, but no need to go into that extra cycle where you get anxious because you do not know what is making you anxious!
Oh Hello anxiety, you’re here for the ride but you’re not driving.
Acknowledge and accept that you’re having those thoughts and feelings and try to let them pass through you and go on about your business. If distraction like music helps fill those peak times with distractions (work, hobbies, books/shows/podcasts). Exercise works for a lot of people too.
Breathing exercises and meditation when it becomes a lot.
My anxiety goes through phases so I feel your rough patch is exacerbating things right now but this will all pass and get better.
Do you feel any jitteriness, palpitations?
Could be premature ventricular contractions
Sounds like you have something really bothering you in your subconscious. Reflect on this . It might be something beyond your direct situation. What are you missing in your life ? Did you forget something or someone important? Idk just reflect.
I used to have this problem too, and honestly the solution for me was to change jobs. I was in a very high stress environment, my company had a hiring freeze since January 2020, still does, and we were overworked and so stressed out. I woke up every morning and had 3 seconds of twilight before my heart started racing and a rock dropped into my stomach. I was not handling it well, my performance reviews were complete garbage and I was scared for my job.
I also didn’t want to admit to my husband I was failing because he had such faith in me that I could really do this job if I just pushed through this rough patch. But I had to admit I was not handling the stress, and rather than take stress leave I asked for a demotion. Same job, just less complex files and I don’t have to deal with lawyers anymore.
I did not realize how big an impact in my life the stress was having until it was gone. I sleep better, drink less, and all my friends and family, even the ones I didn’t tell about my situation, can tell something changed and I look and act so much happier.
So sorry for the long story, but my point is that it might be as simple as eliminating the biggest source of stress from your life, even if you don’t think it’s that big a stressor, it’s probably affecting you worse than you think. Break-ups are hard, even if you’re the one who ended it, it’s still upsetting and a huge upheaval of your life.
You are going to be just fine. If the relationship ended then it probably needed to end. Just practice calming breathing (square breathing helped me during high anxiety moments), and keep reminding yourself that things are going to be okay. You’ll find another partner, or you’ll be just fine on your own. It feels like your world is collapsing right now but people completely start their lives over all the time at every age so no matter what is happening you can still get to where you want to be in life. Take stock of the positives, ask yourself what you want in life and set realistic goals, and if you can, talk to a professional about your anxiety because just letting it all out to someone who wont judge you or your situation helps.
Try lowering caffeine intake