Morning Anxiety

I also wake up with anxiety and i don't think that it necessarally means that it's going to be a bad day it just means that I have to work harder and smile more but I hope that you feel better! What helps me is some morning meditation and it really helps me calm down.

I understand there is a common theory that morning light signals the nervous system to start the morning cycle with a jump in cortisol. At normal levels, cortisol gives you energy. At elevated levels, cortisol gives you a feeling of unease, anxiety, panic, or depression.

When your  system is on "high alert" all the time,  your  normal morning peak of cortisol gets exaggerated.   What you would normally feel as "wake up" becomes a surge of panic, anxiety, or dread in the early morning.

Your cortisol levels are their highest early in the morning, between 6 and 8 a.m., slowly tapering off through the day.

The best way to avoid this is to change your thinking pattern right away when the "what if?" thoughts pop into your mind and your off and running with anxiety chasing you.

I have many tests next week and my Drs. appointment are scheduled on the same day - one at 2:00PM and one at 2:40 PM.  As we have all experienced, we don't always get in for our appointments on time. 

 

I woke this morning and my mind jumped ahead to my appointments next Friday - off and running my anticipatory anxiety started to worry that if the one Dr. was running way behind I may not finish on time to get to my 2:40 PM appointment.......and all of a sudden I thought - Stop this, worrying about the what ifs serves me no purpose other than anxiety. 

Hope this helps you,

Kitt

Special,

On days when my anxiety wants to take over I could just spit our of anger and frustration.

It is good to come here and share with each other but sad that any of us have to deal with the zealous anxiety we seem to have acquired.

I am working the CBT program - ecouch right now.  I think it may be helpful for you.

Free on-line CBT programs:

http://ecouch.anu.edu.au/welcome

Kitt: I'm going to try your suggestion. I'm open to any and all ideas to get me through this. I'll log on tonight and let you know how it goes. Thanks for the idea!

Merrida: I exercise every day. Seven days a week. Cardio and weights. Skipping a day makes me crazy. My therapist thinks I exercise too much and should cut it down to 3 days a week. That is not a concession I'm willing to make. And I notice that after I get finished working out I the evening most of the head pressure is gone and my anxiety has leveled off. I'm sure that if I was able to work out in the morning it might help for the anxiety and head issues throughout the day. I unfortunately am unable to do that.

If I could just get rid of the thoughts that my head issues are fatal I think I would be so much better off. My doctor doesn't think there is any reason to run a MRI as I'm not exhibiting any symptoms that would lead him to believe my problems are medical in nature and not anxiety related. I suppose I have to agree and just realize I'm in the same boat as so many others on this site. In many cases I'm much better off.

When I first wake, for like a millisecond, I feel "normal." Then it all kicks in...the tingling, forehead pressure, shaky/trembling feeling inside my body. I try my best to just embrace it as anxiety and go about my day. If I am up early enough, I read a little. At the very least I take some deep breaths and have a big glass of water and something to eat. It usually doesn't totally go away, but it lessens throughout the day quite a bit usually. Morning does seem to be particularly hard for many of us. You're not at all alone.

Much peace to you!