Hello everyone,
So does anyone have a technique you guys can recommend for morning anxiety?
I have been able to manage mine. But it has been getting worse lately.
I try the usual meditation and standing up as soon as I’m awake but it’s been the 4th day in a row with bad morning anxiety’s
I can say that my cortisol levels are through the roof in the morning.
I’m open to suggestions
Hope you’re all having a great weekend ❤️
Hi there. I think having a consistent morning routine is important and has helped me. 20 minutes of exercise (as simple as walking) can be quite helpful in alleviating anxious feelings. I usually try to follow that up with a meditation and mantra practice (I recite Sanskrit mantras which you can find on YouTube). These usually generate the positive vibes I need to establish a positive start to my day. I follow that up with reading from a personal development book to anchor the positive framework. Hope any of this helps!
You and Karishma already stated the first things that came to my mind... hmm, I sometimes give myself time to worry, not obsessively but just time to assess the thoughts that seem to be hounding me. Is this a rational thing? Is it helpful? Is it something I can change? Depending on my answer I spend just enough time in the day worrying about it to help solve the problem or do my best to let it go.
I was incredibly anxious today about going out. I am attempting exposure therapy and I HATE how it feels to force myself to go out but I was stuck feeling awful staying at home dreading how I might felt. I made an effort to go out and did better today than I have all week... of course, every day is going to offer new and different challenges but I think it's important to pace yourself.
Instead of giving yourself time to worry, perhaps spend some time allowing yourself to actually feel what you are experiencing. I have some formal education in therapy with a Master's in counseling psychology (although I am not a licensed therapist), and one of the best things I learned in grad school was from Gendlin's Emotion Focused Therapy book. In order to transform your feelings, you have to first identify them and then experience them fully in order to get to a more positive place. Try 20 minutes of meditation where you sit in silence and let yourself just feel. Also notice where in your body you are feeling the emotion and how the emotion has been impacting you. Instead of denying, shunning, avoiding the feeling - really feel what it means to accept it. Treat that emotion like a little baby - you wouldn't tell a little baby to just go away, would you? No, you would (I hope) nurture and love that baby. Only once you have fully embraced whatever you are feeling, can you transform that feeling to something else. Once you do this, the feeling also loses it's power - and you realize you are in charge of that feeling (and not the other way around). A little bit of clarity can go a long way in the identification and acceptance of your current emotional experience.
That said, I am also very anxious about going outside being an extreme introvert. I think your approach is pragmatic - take it slow and steady and pace yourself, otherwise things can get overwhelming quickly. For example, I started out taking a 10 minute walk outside and can now walk up to 2 hours without being anxious. Finding other tools that help keep you motivated and feeling secure is also vital. I enjoy listening to Solfeggio frequencies - try listening to 528 hz; they say it's supposed to be the frequency that brings about positive change. I don't know if you believe in all this, but it's worth a shot. Also, listening to music + working out/exercise can be very relaxing and meditative. I highly recommend it! It's also a great coping mechanism for someone like me/you, who are anxious to be outside. Hoping for all the best for you. 
...uhuh...
I am also doing exposure therapy. It is hard work but so beneficial. Keep up the great work!.
I hate that it tends to work just because of how scary it can be 😂
I need suggestions as well. I dread going to bed sometimes because I know the anxiety is usually worse when I wake and get on my feet.
For the majority of my life, I have been an insomniac and always had trouble getting to and staying asleep due to anxiety and depression. I think it's important to establish a consistent sleep schedule and plan. Make sure you have turned off all electronics at least an hour before bed so your phone isn't distracting you and causing you more worry. I find reading a book quite helpful in making my eyelids heavy in bed.
That, paired with some soothing Solfeggio music or REM/binaural beats sleep music can be very helpful in soothing your mind (you can find some great free resources on YouTube). When I really have a tough time getting to bed, deep breathing is also helpful. I usually do this by inhaling slowly through my nose to the count of 5 and then exhaling through my mouth to the count of 8. Usually within minutes, I'm in dream land. Hope this helps!
That's exactly how I feel. I also dread going to bed because the next thing I know is I'm waking up and starting over.
Morning drawing. Abstract
The Lords prayer.
Hello. I think it's a work in progress and some days are just going to be harder than others. I know some people struggle on the weekends when there is less structure and others struggle during the week because of obligations. Others struggle all the time.
For me personally, a consistent morning and evening routine is really helpful. I like to go on a walk and meditate in the morning. I also drink a full glass of water. I did cut out all caffiene for awhile but started having coffee again this past Thursday.
I hope you find something that works for you! Best wishes.
I deep breathe and take a walk. On my walk I focus on What am I feeling? Is it rational? I cry if I need to-holding it in was only making it worse. I also journal A LOT. I jot down anything and everything I feel the need to. Good luck to you
Well you have pinpointed your problem in your question...High cortisol levels.......why you have them.and how you choose to lower them.
Most people will Choose relaxation/meditation to reduce these levels...which work but take weeks and weeks of dedicated practice.
You might also consider using certain supplements which decrease cortisol...which is usually due to the rising levels of ACTH in the adrenal glands.
Things that lower ACTH...
Magnesium....(take at night) lower cortisol in the morning.
Melatonin same thing....found in walnuts.
Chamomile tea...lowers cortisol.
Rhidola
Tryptophan.....found in 5HTP. ...also certain cheeses milk...and dark chocolate(Raises serotonin which then makes melatonin which lowers cortisol)
Nettle seeds...research on youtube...this time of the year you can harvest the flowers from nettles and dry them on a plate..rub them and all the seeds fall out..half a teaspoon....thats all you need a day....will boost the adrenal gland function....it is thought exhausted adrenals play a part in poor control over ACTH...which leads to high cortisol.
Lastly an amino acid called lysine...you can get this as a supplement...which among other things will dampen anxiety naturally....
Best of luck.
Thank you for your response…..the high cortisol is something I don’t understand. What causes it? It is long standing with me. How to lower it? Your response has given me an incentive to try to deal with this. I’m already taking Melatonin but will look into the others you mentioned.
Keep the idea of you using your body like someone sitting in their car with the handbrake on....and the accelerator pedal hard to the floor...Longterm stress whatever the reason is perceived by your brain s a threat...so it releases these stronger hormones...cortisol and noradrenalin to help you defeat the problem in order that you survive...
This is fine in the short term...but the point in the curve reaches P you reach adrenal exhaustion...because of high cortisol....which is all to do with ACTH....
My recommendation of nettle seed will restore exhausted adrenals.....lots of other supplements will work too....but you need to address the cause of your stress...and take steps to reduce it...through diet...supplementation...exercise...relaxation...easy does it...most guys think it can be fixed by taking up gym workouts...or going on long runs...but you need to master the art of letting go....slowing down...just enough to let the body and mind repair....lots of stuff on how to achieve this on youtube...from supplementing to relaxation and exercise...it is a learning curve..that becomes more enjoyable as you find out what works and what doesn't.... it is nothing to fear...when you become exhausted you just end up knackered all the time....its the body telling your mind...time to take a break.
Your response is very do-able and much appreciated. I’ve kept so much mental trash accumulating over many years and I am now reaping the “rewards”.
Good morning , I have the stay thing, I wake up in the morning with a pit in my stomach.. I hate it.. I have had it for years,,,
Anticipatory apprehension.....makes your vagus nerve tense ...when you are anxious your body shuts down digestion in order to send all your energy for fight or flight.....your rest and digest...parasympathetic is poor...learn to master relaxation...reassure yourself that you are in no danger....the alarm bell is ringing....but there is no fire.
Like Jomico said, one thing you can do to help is to lower your cortisol. At bedtime I take Ashwagandha, Phospatidyl Serine, Melatonin and Magnesium Glycinate to lower cortisol and to calm the nervous system. I also drink Sleepytime Tea in the evening and quit caffeine.
The other thing that helped me with the anxiety in the morning was realizing it was anticipatory anxiety I was having so I started expecting it to happen, I also started making myself have it more and told myself to try to enjoy it. I figured if I was going to have it, I might as well try to enjoy it to some degree and get on with things It wasn't easy but over time the anxiety diminished. Sounds counter-intuitive I know. When it was at its worst I would sit and practice mindfulness and do diaphragmatic breathing and alternate nostril breathing. The Buteyko Breathing Method is also good for anxiety and calming yourself down and grounding yourself.
I found a local yoga studio that has 9:30 classes online every day. A good yoga experience is good for the body, mind, and soul.
Breathing exercises, movement, meditation, teaching the self that there is a beginning and an end to uncomfortable feelings, group activity, mindfulness, connecting with yourself….
So really good answers on here.....research Wim Hof....he explains the amygdala (primitive brain) is our primary flight/fright system...and it doesnt get to deal with stress properly if we take the easy route out...yet still immerse our lives with stress and use pampering to deal with it...too much food.....sit down after a stressful day at work.....your body is very capable of adapting and overcoming this....just needs you to take control.
I dont know if you read this thread....worth a squint....healthunlocked.com/anxiety-...
I have the same problem
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