Morning Anxiety: Causes and Cures to Combat the Waking “What Ifs”

Although I’ve been dealing with anxiety for almost three decades now, I just recently noticed how much more debilitating “waking-up anxiety” is compared to when it infiltrates my brain at other times of day and night. This morning anxiety business belongs in a whole other stratosphere. Looking back, I realize that my worst-of-the-worst fears have happened upon awakening. And those fears are that much harder to harness, that much harder not to believe.  I began to wonder if it’s because my brain has been busy ruminating all night, and, thus, further unconsciously reinforcing a sense of all-so convincing reasons why my fears would come to fruition. I’ve also remembered some dreams that actually replayed — and expanded — upon whatever I had been worried about before falling asleep.  I was curious, then, if other people suffered from morning anxiety as well. When I researched it, I found a number of online articles covering this very topic. Common morning anxiety symptoms include waking up feeling on-edge, irritable, and fatigued, as well as having tight muscles, a racing heart, and chest constriction.  Causes: But what causes morning anxiety? Some possible explanations may be due to physiological responses. Studies have shown that cortisol (otherwise known as the stress hormone) is often at its highest during the first hour of waking up. Also, blood sugar levels drop overnight, leading to low blood sugar levels in the morning. And you guessed it: Low bl...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Anxiety and Panic Exercise & Fitness Mental Health and Wellness Self-Help Source Type: blogs