Has this ever happened to you before?
You wake up and think you’ll have the perfect day ahead. You’re determined and full of morning motivation but are suddenly filled with a sense of dread. You’re confused and can’t understand why you suddenly feel this way, but more importantly, your enthusiasm has been crushed by terrible anxiety in the morning.
It may have a tremendous effect on how you feel, but the fact is, how your morning goes does not determine how the rest of your day will go. You can change how you perceive a low mood, the situation itself, or how you perceive it. You also have power over your emotions and can control your mood through various techniques(see How to deal with terrible morning anxiety).
What does feeling anxious and nauseous in the morning indicate?
You may have early morning anxiety if you don’t know the reason for feeling dreadful or are highly concerned about the future. So, what causes morning anxiety?
Significant morning anxiety symptoms to help you understand what causes terrible anxiety in the morning include:-
-racing thoughts
-nausea and fatigue
-sweating or having tense muscles, etc.
The telltale sign of terrible anxiety in the morning is feeling overwhelmed by the day ahead and imagining the worst possible situation – a.k.a racing thoughts. However, if you have some major event in the day ahead and are filled with anticipation for it, you may suffer from stress. Don’t worry; stress goes away with the stressor, but the tips and techniques mentioned below work just as well for dealing with stress as they do for early morning anxiety. Many people may have this feeling daily and develop a cycle of anxiety that ruins their mornings and their willingness to wake up, causing other problems in their lifestyle.
You may also have Generalized Anxiety Disorder(GAD) if this is the case. GAD is one of the most common mental health conditions associated with anxiety. But we advise you not to self-diagnose and opt for a psychiatric assessment. If anxiety interferes with your ability to function and ruins your mornings, you should opt for therapy with a licensed professional. Here is a list of online therapy platforms to help you do the same.
The bottom line is to know that you’re not alone in going through these morning anxiety symptoms. Remember that you can find a solution and focus on the way out.
Then the question arises, “How to break the cycle of feeling anxious and nauseous in the morning?”. Or, more precisely, how to break the cycle of early morning anxiety? Don’t worry. You can apply some techniques and suggested changes to do just that.
Read more: How to deal with stress at the workplace?
How To Deal With Terrible Anxiety In The Morning?
1. Master your sleep schedule
A study by the University of Berkeley, California, found that deep sleep reduces anxiety, while sleepless nights increase anxiety. One of the possible reasons for early morning anxiety may include an irregular or unbalanced sleep cycle. Then how to get rid of terrible anxiety in the morning? You can manage your sleep through guided sleep meditation and set up a daily routine to adjust your body to a specific sleep cycle. Regular sleep cycles make it easier to conduct your day-to-day activities.
2. Meditation or Self-Validation of your feelings
Do you know how to break the cycle of early morning anxiety? Here’s a simple way to break any cycle related to your emotions works in many cases. You can simply accept the process or, in this case, view your feelings without being judgemental. This is a common practice for both the techniques of meditation and self-validation.
Meditation has proven benefits for dealing with many mental health conditions, while self–validation is a therapeutic practice used in Dialectic Behavior Therapy(DBT). You can also take this as an opportunity to develop a morning meditation habit that has benefitted many people in living life to the fullest. Here are a few meditation techniques you can start with to explore your psyche.
3. Positive quotes or affirmations
Place some gratitude or mindfulness quotes or affirmations somewhere they are noticeable or attract attention. These sayings will not only help you calm down a little, but they may also make your home more beautiful. Following are a few quotes to get you started, and you can also refer to our positive thought-provoking mantras for early morning anxiety to brighten your day.
“Do what you can, with what you’ve got, start with what you’ve got.”
“I do not focus on things beyond my control; I accept my life as it is.”
“I’ve felt this way before. I will overcome it again if I’m still standing here after going through this.”
“Feelings come and go; I stay.”
4. Start your day with exercise
Exercise is one of the best habits you can pick up. It engages you physically and easily distracts you from any sense of stress and anxiety you may feel. You can also warm up and stretch to deal with your tense muscles. There are many anxiety-reducing exercises that can help make your daily life a lot easier.
A study by Elizabeth A, among others, shows strong evidence that exercise positively impacts the pathological process of anxiety over time. Hence, it is your best bet when dealing with terrible anxiety in the morning.
5. Focus on your breath
Breathing exercises are a great help when it comes to managing your early morning anxiety symptoms. One of the reasons is that your breath is always available to you, and you can always focus on it to ground yourself. There are also many ways to use your breathing. The most common of these include deep breathing exercises and mindful breathing meditation.
Deep breathing exercises can stimulate your senses, directing your attention away from your negative inner monologue. Inhale, exhale deeply, and feel your breath expand and leave your body. These exercises reduce cortisol(stress hormone) levels, boost immunity, and improve blood circulation and digestion in your body.
Mindfulness refers to the process of being aware of the present using your mind and senses. Likewise, mindful breathing meditation isn’t concerned with breathing in a certain way. You simply need to observe the way you breathe, inhale and exhale. This is especially helpful when you’re going through some intense emotions, such as terrible anxiety in the morning or anger, and relax your mind and body from anxiety.
6. Visualize a better present
A study by Barbara L.R showed that people who practice guided imagery have lower depression and early morning anxiety than those who don’t over time.
You can use creative visualization and guided Imagery, best coupled with deep breathing exercises, to visualize a favorable situation where you aren’t anxious about the future. Visualizing a path can also help you see your present state as a way to something greater. This also makes it easier for you to accept the present moment as you see it as something leading to a happier life.
If going through these techniques isn’t of much help, we recommend you consult a medical counselor to navigate your situation better.
7. Practice gratitude
Research by Nicola P, among others, shows that gratitude is helpful for mental health conditions like depression and terrible anxiety in the morning. It also leads you to be more compassionate and loving toward yourself. You can also improve your relationships by showing gratitude to loves ones. Some ways to show appreciation are keeping a gratitude journal, writing letters, or thanking someone in person. Here are some quotes to get you started toward an optimistic existence.
8. Self-care activities to refresh yourself
Self-care activities are known for their ability to prevent burnout; they can also help you handle stress and anxiety better. These activities provide the necessary structure to refresh and prepare yourself for challenging situations. You can also structure these activities as a part of your daily routine so you can rely on them whenever you feel stressed or need some time off. If you’re unsure where to start, refer to short-term mental health goals to aid your mental wellness. Making these activities a regular part of your routine can help you say goodbye to terrible anxiety in the morning.
Conclusion
Dealing with terrible anxiety in the morning can be challenging, but you can take the help of various techniques to reduce the toll it takes on you and accept your feelings. These techniques also help you move toward better mental health and be less crippled by emotions like stress and anxiety.
One of the ways to persevere in tough times is to stay motivated toward your aspirations, values, and purpose. Follow the given link to learn more about controlling your dopamine for motivation.
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