Here are some reasons you might feel anxious in the mornings and ideas on how to quickly calm a.m. anxiety to start your day on a brighter note. Mentally, anxiety can spur repetitive, negative thought loops about the future and make you feel like something is about to go wrong. Physically, psychologist and co-author of Millenials’ Guide To Relationships, Kristina Hallett, Ph.D., ABPP. says that anxiety manifest in temporary symptoms such as: “Once you’ve ruled out physical disorders, if the anxiety doesn’t seem to be going away, you may want to access mental health support through a trained professional,” says Hallett. It’s normal to have elevated cortisol levels early in the day and lower levels at night. However, chronic stress can cause your cortisol levels to spike even higher in the morning, leading to those uncomfortable anxiety symptoms. In this way, stress and cortisol work in a vicious cycle: Stress can cause cortisol levels to rise, and high cortisol levels can exacerbate stress further. So Hallett says that if you go to bed thinking about things that worry you, for example, it may result in anxious feelings upon waking, too. Board-certified psychologist Anna Yusim, M.D. recommends breathing in for 2 counts, holding your breath for 4 counts, then slowly breathing out for 8 counts. Repeat this calming breathwork routine three to four times. “By taking in a lot of oxygen really fast, holding onto it, then breathing out really slowly, it creates a net surplus of oxygen to the brain, which tells the brain to slow down, that it’s safe,” she explains. It also activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which can promote relaxation. Pulling in all five senses can help you further tune into your surroundings. This might sound something like, “I’m grateful for the feeling of the soft sheets on my hands, the sight of the light streaming in through my bedroom window, the smell of a fresh breeze.” If you’re not usually a morning workout person, ease into it with “cortisol-conscious” exercises that prioritize gentle movements, like yoga, pilates, walking, and slow jogging. “Oftentimes, anxiety becomes amplified because we quickly and aggressively try to push it away or deny that it exists, versus letting it move through you and realizing that it even will eventually lessen,” clinical psychologist Ayanna Abrams, Psy.D., previously told mbg. Instead of giving your anxiety your full attention, thank it for doing its job and then move onto another thought that’s more grounded in reality, like what you’ll have for breakfast that morning.
Set yourself up for more restorative zzz’s every night by turning off electronics an hour before bed, cutting back on caffeine and alcohol, and/or taking a sleep-promoting supplement.* By quieting down and observing your inner dialogue, you can start to better identify where you’re letting your stress and anxiousness take the wheel. It may also be beneficial to do a nighttime meditation to signal to the adrenals that all is well and it’s time to rest. Going back to our primitive fight-or-flight response, low blood sugar is another thing that used to signal that the body was in danger and should start to stress out. She recommends eating a light snack that’s high in protein but low in sugar and carbohydrates (think a handful of almonds or a small amount of yogurt) right before bed to see if it helps you wake up feeling more calm. If you’re still waking up anxious after making lifestyle shifts, or your anxiety starts to interfere with your everyday life, it might be time to recruit outside help. (Here’s more on how you can tell it’s time to see a doctor or therapist for your anxiety.)
Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
