Understanding Morning Anxiety

Its so weird that this thread popped up after being dormant for awhile since I was going to post on this very subject yet again

 

My mornings are getting worse...not better and I am finding that they are coming earlier also

 

I used to wake and then as I lay in bed I could feel the anxiety creep up

 

now the anxiety actually WAKES me

 

I breathe and pray and take the V and wait to get up at 7:30 every single day...It really does not settle down completely all day but does come down a bit after my walk each morning

 

I HATE THIS..I can not remember what its like to wake without feeling like this

 

anxiety woke me up at 3am. had to take a dose. first time i have woken up in over a year.

It's so cool to see that many others experience this too (in the sense that I'm not alone with it)! For me, anxiety has been the worst in the morning (upon waking), sometimes reaching the level of a panic attack. It's such an awful way to start the day.    Sometimes I get out of bed and do a routine, sometimes I lay there with it and practice "being with it" (I guess trying to become less afraid of it)? Some say not to "run" from the anxiety because it gives it power and ingrains the aversion (meditation/mindfulness perspective?). But of course "distraction" seems to work too. I think my goal is to build up the mindfulness techniques so that regardless of what comes up, I can be with it. Not sure if that's possible.

 

Anyway, quite a tangent on the morning anxiety topic, but anywho 

i wake up in an horrific mess panic confusion massive addrenilin surges i bolt upright pace around have a shower calm down a bit still dont feel like me at all but calmer then lye back down again and wham 5 mins later i repeat the cycle this carries on about 5 times before i make the decision to get up the addrenilin surges continue all day though

Wow, cuthbert, it looks like you dropped your meds really quickly!?

 

Sometimes it's so hard for me to get out of bed, like the anxiety has a paralyzing effect. But once I'm up, I'm up. I start with a little personal hygiene routine. Then I move. Sometimes I go outside and do a walking meditation, sometimes I do some cardio on the elliptical, sometimes I go to a park and walk. I find moving in some way or another is the best way to start the day. Then I shower. If I can't get around and move for whatever reason, then I just start with a shower.

For me personally anxiety seems to be the highest from 2-9 p.m, generally I can achieve more things in the morning, it also depends on the weather too.

This is a great thread. Figured I'd add my experience and some things I've been doing for relief.

 

Ever since I got off Zoloft 6 months ago and started a regular exercise routine I find myself waking up much earlier than I used to. I'm waking up at 6AM but don't need to get out of bed until 7:30AM. I wind up ruminating and feeling anxious and depressed. I don't want to get out of bed, but can't really fall back asleep either. There's this weird contradiction where my adrenaline is pumping to get me up but I don't feel energized, just anxious. This makes me want to pull the covers over my head for another hour.

 

I've been getting a little relief by doing 2 things: one is stretching under the covers, the other is mild meditation. The stretching seems to help get my body to release good chemicals and relax. I'll tuck my legs up to my chest to stretch my quads, then twist my shoulder to one side while turning my legs to the opposite side, then alternate. Just a few minutes of this seems to get rid of much of the bad energy I'm feeling. I'll usually wind up doing some deeper stretches later after I've taken a shower and this helps start my day in a better mood.

 

The meditation is a way to clear my head and focus on my breathing. I find mornings to be the worst for rumination on past mistakes and fears about the future. Mindful meditation helps me turn those thoughts into clouds that blow away in the wind. It's difficult to do, but once I'm able to clear my head it allows me a few more minutes of peace before starting my daily routine.

 

I really wish I didn't have to deal with morning anxiety each and every day. I wish I could have peaceful mornings where I looked forward to the day ahead. Instead there's a lazy cloud over my head and a knot in my stomach. I've found some relief through these rituals but it really is a daily struggle.

TravisP thanks for the post. This is exactly what happens to me in the morning. I wish there was a way to just go back to sleep. It is not that I need more sleep, I just want to enjoy the sensation of getting sleepy and know I could snooze for an hour, or even a few minutes more. That luxury seem so far away.

 

I will try your suggestions tho.

Great tips and information! 

 

Reading this is super helpful and reminds me that I can overcome the anxiety and I am in control. 

I know that this is an old thread but I've read it a few times as I suffer from morning anxiety as well. I have GAD and it's worst in the morning. For me I noticed that my morning anxiety became bad when I increased the use of the Ativan. I got off of Ativan and now using Diazapam to taper down but I noticed that my mornings aren't as bad. I still wake up and immediately begin to panic but it's not as bad. I really think the Ativan was contributing to the morning anxiety.

 

Does this make sense?

 

BTW, I try meditation and it helps a little but but not near enough.

I know this will sound a little wierd to some but I use 2TBS of vinegar with 12 TBS of baking soda for morning anxiety. Mix them and when the fizzing stops , add water and drink.

Very good stuff!  I have found that it is imperative to replace the negative thoughts/habits with positive thoughts/habits. It is a fact that the psychological has a lot to do with the physiological. Thanks for posting Pamster!

 

William

 

So very true

I'm finding that a daily magnesium supplement seems to be helping with my morning anxiety. I still wake up too early but I don't suffer from anxious thoughts and worries nearly as much as I was a year ago.

How much magnesium are you taking?

How much magnesium are you taking?

 

Just 250 mg. Nature Made Magnesium Oxide.

my anxiety was caused by a reaction to a antibiotic and being on 9 antibiotics. Pamster you mean  I will still have this even after being off of benzo for 7 months?

I know that this is an old thread but I've read it a few times as I suffer from morning anxiety as well. I have GAD and it's worst in the morning. For me I noticed that my morning anxiety became bad when I increased the use of the Ativan. I got off of Ativan and now using Diazapam to taper down but I noticed that my mornings aren't as bad. I still wake up and immediately begin to panic but it's not as bad. I really think the Ativan was contributing to the morning anxiety.

 

Does this make sense?

 

BTW, I try meditation and it helps a little but but not near enough.

 

Yes it does make sense. When I first switched to Valium the mornings weren't nearly as bad as when I was taking Xanax. I think it was withdrawals on top of the anxiety.

It would be great if we can figure out how to beat morning anxiety!!! We need more people to chime in with suggestions on how to deal with it.

 

I honestly don't know if my morning anxiety is withdrawal or it's just me making myself anxious as soon as I wake up thinking about work or that I will be feeling anxious. It could also be that my Cortisol level is high every morning. As the day passes my anxiety usually dissipates and worst case I'm relaxed by 8pm. This started for me about 5 years ago when I had some stressful situations in my life with work and home.

 

If I can beat the morning anxiety, I think I have a better chance of having a good day.

 

 

This is such a great topic to address- thank you! I am blessed by this post.

Mornings have been RIDICULOUS for me. Honestly it is the lowest point of the day most of the time.

I dread waking up because I have to start the process all over again.

I cant tell you how much it helps to know that there are other people who are trying to work this stuff out too.... Not that I want anyone feeling like I do in the mornings, but, you know... you do! so we can relate and that feels like a bit of relief.

I really appreciate the positivity- hearing suggestions and ideas that HELP with this process!

I will say this- if I do not meditate with deep breathing, yoga, and the Bible, first thing in the morning, I feel that much worse. For me, lifting up all of my fears and worries and pain and entrusting that God is there to receive me, accepting me just as I am. I just think its so nice to have a Loving God that knows all of my pain and suffering and can share in even these painful difficult experiences, because suffering is not unfamiliar to Him....

Sorry for going off there... But its having faith and trusting God is the coping skill that helps me get out of bed in the morning!

NatalieD, all I can add to what you wrote is AMEN!!!! sister

Hi All,

 

I didn't see any further suggestions of the "understanding morning anxiety" thread so I wanted to re-title it and try to rally more buddies to join in the conversation. I think that many of us suffer morning anxiety which may be happening for different reasons. Here are my thoughts,

 

- withdrawal from benzos and meds.

- cortisol is much higher when we wake up and slowly diminishes as the day progresses.

- We wake up and immediately think we have to face another day of anxiety and bang we immediately feel the anxiety.

 

From the previous responses we have heard the following suggestions to help relieve or cope with morning anxiety,

 

- Meditation

- Prayer

- breathing

- supplements - some vitamins are supposed to lower cortisol

- calming tea

- calming music

- Vinegar & lemon (i think)

- positive affirmations

- lying on a cold floor

 

I'm sure there was more and while these are good suggestions and some may help us cope, there is no pure solution. Maybe there really is no solution while we are dealing with withdrawal, but why do I feel so much better in the evenings? 99% of the time I usually begin to relax by 6 or 7pm and go to sleep relaxed only to wake up feeling anxious.

 

So buddies, please lend a hand and tell us what you do.

I don't suffer nearly as bad since I started taking a magnesium supplement in the evening with dinner. As a matter of fact, I really don't have much anxiety at all since starting that supplement about 2 months ago. It's one of the best things Ive done for my general anxiety.

 

Also, stretch! I do a routine of leg and torso stretches after I take my morning shower and find it gets out a lot of tension. I think there's a connection between muscle stiffness and overall anxious and depressed feelings.

Hi Travis,

 

I've been taking 250mg Magnesium. Is this what you're referring to? How much do you take?

Hi Travis,

 

I've been taking 250mg Magnesium. Is this what you're referring to? How much do you take?

 

Yes, I take the same amount. I figured I'd take the least to start with and find that it works for me so I haven't increased it.

Problem with this article, is that there is no alarm clock, it is not the waking up that triggers the flight-or-fight response, it happens during sleep and you wake up already in that state. In benzo w/d, it's physiological, not psychological. Excess cortisol made during the night would explain this. In fact, if I'm awakened by an alarm clock or some outside influence that isn't my body getting screwy, it actually avoids this whole mess as I am awake before the excess cortisol or whatever it is is produced. JMO and my experience.

I wake anywhere from 1 am to 4 am every morning to weird feeling in my whole body! its kinda a mix of a vibration/anxiety/jittery feeling, not just in head but my whole body (Kinda hard to explain) does anyone else get this? I cold turkey of gabapentin and now on ativan

HI Florida,

 

I get the same feelings and then it's impossible to go back to sleep.