Have you ever, before the sun rose, experienced a particularly painful kind of suffering? Suffering like something is wrong, a pounding chest, a racing heart, a mind rushing through a list of things that haven’t even happened yet, and so on.
For so many people, a morning like this is just another day. They wake up feeling anxious, even before the day starts, even when there is nothing wrong with them. They feel weak and alone. Typically, this condition called ‘morning anxiety’ is something a huge number of people live with every single day, and most of them spend years believing that it’s who they are. However, it doesn’t have to be. Here’s the first and most important thing to understand: there is a biological reason why mornings feel so hard.
Morning anxiety causes
Every morning, our brain releases cortisol, a hormone. It is often referred to as the hormone of stress, but it is also the body’s natural alarm clock. It increases significantly during the first 30-45 minutes after waking up, helping the body prepare for the rest of the day.
This is absolutely natural. But for a person who is already under stress or anxiety, that natural rise in cortisol can seem like a wave of panic, which hits at the time when they are still not completely awake. The body is not at fault, though. It is only the anxious brain that feels that increase much more sharply than others.
What makes it even worse?
There are a few reasons why a few mornings may feel heavier than others, such as:
Ongoing stress:
When someone is having a hard time, like money problems, relationship issues, health concerns, or work stress, the brain doesn’t really leave the issues at night. Sleep takes over for a few hours until the moment the eyes open, when the brain comes back and picks up right where it left off. The concern already existed. Sleep only interrupted it.
Consumption of alcohol the night before:
Several people consume alcohol to feel relaxed at night. It does bring the effect for a short while. However, it silently disturbs the brain’s calm chemicals. By the time it is morning, the brain is, in fact, more anxious than it would have been without the drink. What was felt as a cure the night before becomes the cause of the morning’s unbearable feeling.
Mental health conditions:
For individuals who have an anxiety disorder or depression, the morning cortisol rise hits them much harder. The world seems to be noisier. Moving out of bed becomes a daunting task. These feelings are real, and they need to be treated accordingly.
Low blood sugar:
Not eating at night or skipping breakfast can cause blood sugar to drop overnight. Hypoglycemia can actually mimic anxiety symptoms with effects like shaking, rapid heartbeat, oppressive, or dreadful feelings.
What it actually feels like inside
Several people express morning anxiety in the following way:
- Feeling of just wanting to pull the blanket back over and hide from the day entirely
- Fast heartbeat with no clear reason
- Strange feeling of apprehension even though nothing wrong has happened yet.
- Feeling exhausted even after hours of sleep
- Having suicidal thoughts
The sad part is that most people around cannot even have a clue that this is the kind of scenario before breakfast.
How to stop morning anxiety?
Some small things can actually help. However, these aren’t magic cures, but simple, small steps that, when combined with anxiety treatment (under professional guidance), can provide long-term benefits. Some simple ways to relieve anxiety are:
- Don’t check your phone first thing in the morning. Making up early is often not a good time, as the anxiety is still high enough without any additional stimulation. Leave it on for a bit and just breathe.
- Try breathing exercises while still lying on your bed. Breathe in deeply for 4 counts, hold it for 4, and then breathe out slowly for the next 4. Do this a few times before you even think of moving yourself upright. It sends the nervous system a signal that right now there is no immediate danger.
- Move the body lightly. Going for a short walk outside and/or doing some light stretching can help release the bad tension in the body. The workout releases the natural calming chemicals in the brain. Note that morning physical activity doesn’t have to be high-intensity. Just moving helps.
- Have something small to eat early in the morning. Just a few bites of a protein-rich diet (e.g., Greek yogurt parfait, chia seed pudding, boiled eggs, high-protein cereal) can help stabilize blood sugar and reduce that trembling anxiety in the early hours of the day.
- Write stuff down the evening before. Writing down the things that were worrying, or a brief plan for the next day, gives the brain a chance to rest rather than holding onto everything all night long. It seems too simple. But it really works.
- Replace coffee with an herbal drink (e.g., green tea or other teas like chamomile, valerian, and lavender). Caffeine can push cortisol to its highest level in the morning. Green tea contains a compound called L-theanine that has a calming effect. It is a small change that many people say has made a noticeable difference.
Expert care and support
If the mornings have been feeling anxious for weeks or months and nothing seems to be getting better, please seek help from an expert like an anxiety psychiatrist. Remember that seeking help does not mean a lack of will or that mental health issues are already too serious. It is one of the most responsible and caring acts that one can do for oneself.
A mental health professional thoroughly diagnoses the condition and may recommend outpatient anxiety treatment appropriate to that person’s life. Techniques of therapy like cognitive-behavioral treatment have assisted a lot of individuals in managing such anxiety as well as quite eliminating it over time. Nowadays, with the rise of telepsychiatry, it’s easier to get expert care through an online psychiatrist appointment. Despite a busy schedule or living in a remote area, obtaining help from an expert for mental health care is possible, and that too 24/7 from a platform like GABA Telepsychiatry.
So, just ready to say goodbye to your morning anxiety. With a little understanding, a few small changes, and expert support, mornings can actually start to feel better. A light at the beginning and less of a struggle.
