What is Morning Anxiety? A Guide to Why You Wake Up Feeling Anxious

Do you wake up in the morning with racing thoughts about the upcoming day? Do you feel unexplainable dread before your day even starts? If you do, then you may be suffering from morning anxiety. 

Morning anxiety is a unique anxiety disorder that causes people to feel anxious as soon as they wake up. Although it shares symptoms with other types of anxiety anxiety, it’s unique in how it affects people during a specific time of day.

Let’s take a closer look at what morning anxiety is, its symptoms, and how someone can deal with their morning anxiety. 

What is Morning Anxiety?

Morning anxiety is a type of anxiety that triggers someone’s fight or flight response when they wake up in the morning. It causes someone to feel heightened stress or excessive worry about their upcoming day. 

Morning anxiety can be extremely disruptive to someone’s daily life. Waking up with anxiety can set a negative tone for the day, making it difficult to perform routine tasks. This struggle will exacerbate anxious feelings and lead to a cycle of anxiety that persists from day to day. 

Why Am I More Anxious in the Morning?

Although morning anxiety is biologically similar to other types of anxiety, it can feel particularly intense. To many people, the rush of anxiety is caused by thinking about the tasks and responsibilities that lie ahead in their day. It can be uniquely difficult to cope with this stress when the brain is still waking up.

If someone frequently experiences morning anxiety, their body can become conditioned to experience it automatically. This causes someone to experience intense anxiety nearly every morning, regardless of what their day entails. 

Symptoms of Morning Anxiety

Morning anxiety shares similar symptoms with other forms of anxiety. These anxiety symptoms typically include:

• Stomach pain
• Chest tightness
• Racing thoughts
• Heart palpitations
• Shakiness 
• Fatigue 

What makes morning anxiety unique is that these symptoms are restricted to a specific time of day. Also, morning anxiety is usually anticipatory anxiety about the stress of the upcoming day. If you are experiencing these anxiety symptoms in the morning, then you may be suffering from morning anxiety. 

Read our related article to discover how to stop shaking from anxiety.

Why Am I Anxious When I Wake Up? Causes of Morning Anxiety

Morning anxiety is often carried over from the night before; If someone is up late at night with anxiety, they will often wake up with anxiety too. Staying up late will also prevent someone from getting the rest they need. This can cause them to experience heightened stress the next morning.

Certain lifestyle factors can also increase the risk of morning anxiety. These lifestyle factors can include:

• Excessive caffeine 
• Poor diet
• Disrupted sleep
• Not enough exercise 
• Irregular routines

‍

Morning anxiety can also be the result of other mental health disorders, like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or depression. Anxiety and depression can make you physically ill, which often leads to more anxiety or depression. When you take care of your physical health—whether it be eating healthy, drinking enough water, or getting enough sleep—you’re protecting yourself against anxiety.

Normal Sleep Cycles Can Contribute to Morning Anxiety

Cortisol is a helpful hormone that supports several bodily functions. High levels of cortisol causes us to feel stress. It’s an important part of your flight or fight response. Moderate levels in the morning help us wake up and assess our surroundings.

When you go to bed, cortisol levels begin to rise, and are highest right before you wake up. This is called the cortisol awakening response (CAR). It’s a normal part of daily functions. But if cortisol levels get too high, it could mean waking up with extreme anxiety.

Dealing With Morning Anxiety: How to Calm Anxiety in the Morning

There are several strategies for soothing anxiety in the morning. To start, someone should identify the healthy lifestyle changes that they can make to reduce their morning anxiety. Some of these healthy lifestyle changes can include:

• Eating a healthy diet
• Exercising regularly
• Reducing caffeine consumption
• Getting enough sleep

These healthy lifestyle changes will reduce physical stressors and make it easier to manage anxiety. It’s best to be consistent with these lifestyle changes to promote long-lasting physical and mental wellness. 

Managing stress is essential for preventing morning anxiety. Read our related guide to learn how to manage stress effectively.

Prepare for a Relaxing Morning with a Nightly Routine for Anxiety

Another way to reduce morning anxiety is by maintaining a nightly routine that promotes relaxation. To reduce morning anxiety the night before, you should:

• Limit screen time before bed
• Limit food and drinks
• Limit lights and noises
• Dedicate time to wind down before bed
• Organize morning tasks the night before

Performing relaxation and mindfulness activities before bed can also help with morning anxiety. Journaling and meditation can help clear the mind and reduce the anxiety that could carry over to the next morning. 

Read our related article to discover how micro meditation reduces stress throughout the day.

Ensure a Relaxing Morning with Morning Routine for Anxiety

Maintaining a relaxing morning routine can help reduce anxiety and redirect someone’s attention towards healthier activities. A healthy morning routine to reduce anxiety consists of:

• Waking up early
• Eating a balanced breakfast
• Avoiding screen time 
• Dedicating time for self-care
• Performing mindfulness activities

Although the morning is usually a busy time, it’s important to dedicate enough time to establish a healthy and relaxing routine. Caffeine can increase cortisol levels, so wait a little bit upon waking to drink your morning joe. Start a morning routine like opening the windows, meditating,  and cooking breakfast before you have a cup of coffee.

Having a healthy morning routine can be a determining factor in how the rest of the day goes. 

Read our related article to discover how to focus on yourself to promote a healthier lifestyle.

Treat Anxiety Symptoms with Professional Help

If morning anxiety is a persistent issue, talk to a mental health professional. Licensed therapists and psychologists can provide valuable insights that can’t be learned elsewhere.

A mental health professional can treat anxiety symptoms and teach helpful strategies for coping with stress and anxiety. They can also help people identify where their anxiety is coming from and develop a personalized treatment plan for overcoming it.

Overcoming Morning Anxiety at Inner Balance Counseling

At Inner Balance, we recognize the impact that morning anxiety can have on someone’s daily life. Our mental health professionals have the tools and resources that are needed to successfully overcome morning anxiety and its symptoms.

If you or a loved one is suffering from morning anxiety, reach out to one of our mental health experts today.