6 Ways to Manage Morning Anxiety & Stress

Cortisol is one of the main hormones that drives morning anxiety. Did you know that cortisol also helps us wake up in the morning?

We experience a rise in cortisol level from 30 to 40 minutes after waking up. It's called the cortisol awakening response (CAR). This is quite normal, as it aids in getting the body ready for the day. For instance, the brain turns on so that it can determine what day it is and what's expected of us.

Despite the fact that we all experience CAR, it's worse in stressful conditions, such as during workdays and on days we must perform, like in interviews or competition days.

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How to Manage Morning Anxiety and Stress

Feelings of anxiety in the morning can be debilitating, and you might find it impossible to navigate through the day. Six ways to manage morning anxiety and stress are as follows:

1) Morning Rituals

What is the first thing you do after waking up? (Image via Pexels/Michelle Leman)

Try changing your morning routine to include stress-relieving activities, such as anxiety-relieving meditation or exercise, before you dive into work or other demanding duties if you frequently feel overwhelmed.

You can begin your day with a morning meditation or any mindfulness technique. Setting your intentions for the day, even if it's just for 5-10 minutes, is crucial. It's important to begin the day with some level of clarity and focus.

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2) Limiting Stressors

Start by identifying your internal and external stressors, and focus on what you can control. The body often goes into an alarm state when it faces too many stressors.

After identification, you will be able to adapt and reduce the stressors contributing to your morning anxiety. You can do that by not checking social media or the news as soon as you wake up.

Other things you can do are decide your outfit a day before and get adequate hours of sleep. Journaling can also help speed up the process.

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3) Ground Yourself

Rather than jumping to work, ground yourself for a couple of minutes. (Image via Pexels/Cotton Bro)

If your mind races with morning anxiety, try bringing yourself back to the present moment, as your mind cannot be in two places at once.

For example: Try stretching your limbs one at a time, running your fingers down the teeth of your home keys, or holding an ice cube. Spend a few minutes assessing your surroundings by paying close attention to everything you can hear, smell, see, and feel.

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4) Reduce Caffeine Intake

While it's tempting for us to take a hot sip of coffee, it may also increase our anxiety. (Image via Pexels/ Fathima)

It's best to restrict or avoid drinking lots of coffee or eating sugary foods as much as you can, qs they can worsen your anxiety worse. Making this adjustment can cause your anxiety levels to decrease.

A better diet is a fabulous approach to improve general health and manage anxiety. For instance, try eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking more water.

We occasionally use drugs and alcohol to manage our morning anxiety. However, that csn have a detrimental effect on how well we do at job, school, extracurricular activities, and other crucial aspects of our life.

Reduce your substance use as much as you can so that you can start the day with a clear head and good intentions.

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5) Reflect

It can be challenging to think of anything other than feeling anxious or agitated when anxiety is at its peak.

However, it might be beneficial to consider something you are looking forward to, such as spending time with your child or partner, going for a walk with a friend, or engaging in a pastime.

By adopting this mindset, you let stress have less control over your life and have the opportunity to command attention.

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6) Set Worry Time

If you are new to methods for anxiety and discovering that controlling morning anxiety is much more difficult than you anticipated, try setting a worry time.

Set a ten-minute time limit for experiencing these emotions. When the timer rings, continue with your self-care techniques. Research shows that this method enables you to accept your anxiety and provides you with a specific starting point for self-care, even though you can't expect to just 'switch off' your anxiety.

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Takeaway

Although the signs of morning anxiety can seem overwhelming and long-lasting, treatment options exist. You can get relief from anxious thoughts that enter your mind when you combine professional treatment with the aforementioned self-care techniques.

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Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.

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