Why so much excess Cortisol in the morning

My therapist has told me that the reason for my severe anxiety/nervousness when waking in the morning is most likely because there is excess cortisol (fight or flight hormone) in the brain when waking. Well I've experienced this daily now for over two years and I just wonder WHY I have so much excess cortisol if that's the case. For years I had anxxiety on and off but I never used to have it in the morning....that was actually my best time of day. Cortisol I believe is excreted by the adrenal glands and I wonder if I have some issue with that. Is it something a GP could figure out through a blood test. This problem has really become debilitating. I also have taken a small dose of Xanax after waking up for many years now and I'm wondering if that is the reason....if I'm kind of withdrawing from that until I take it after getting up. Any suggestions would be appreciated because this makes me dread waking in the morning. I wake around 4 am and usually can't get back to sleep because my thoughts are racing, weird, and scary to me. So I jump out of bed, feel off the wall for a bit, then take my meds and start to feel better. Anxiety is still there during the day but not as severe as it is upon waking.

Andwes,

Even if you did get tested...which is really not a regular practice, so your doctor may not offer this...

...you may find that your Cortisol levels are actually within range. This is because those of us with anxiety do not necessarily have high levels of Cortisol, but we are simply sensitive to its effects.

Everyone has higher levels of it in the morning. It is our get up and go hormome. Without it, we would never get out of bed!

...but unfortunately it can be a trigger for us, and leave us feeling wired and nervous.

Just realizing that this was the reason that I felt so anxious in the morning helped me. I could put a name/reason to the way I was feeling...and be able to say:

"This is just my reaction to Cortisol, and my anxiety will pass soon."

Using your coping skills and meds to get you through should help you through the challenge.

Keep up the good work of metting your recovery goals.:)

We are cheering you on!

S.C.