The heart-kidney link
7 Subtle Signs You Have 'Morning Anxiety'
Many people feel immediately tense and anxious the very second they wake up. It's a phenomenon called "morning anxiety," in which the body wakes up immediately pulsing with the stress hormone cortisol.
This stress hormone naturally spikes to help you get up and going in the morning. However, according to counselor and author Rebekah Ballagh, "If you are someone who already has higher levels of stress hormones in your system, that extra flush of cortisol can tip you into a spiral of anxiety."
1. You wake up still tired or lethargicWhile many of the symptoms of morning anxiety, including waking up tired or lethargic, likely feel normal or expected, Ballagh insists, "Your mornings don't have to be so tough."
Craft a thoughtful morning routine to ease your a.M. Anxiety and feel better rested. Consider investing in a gradual alarm clock, eating breakfast, and steering clear of caffeine for an hour after waking up — even better if you stay off your phone and get some sun instead.
Jelena ZelenShutterstock
Anxiety doesn't just manifest in your mind but as physical symptoms in your body as well. A common anxiety symptom is nausea, and morning anxiety is no different.
To manage these uncomfortable morning feelings, adopt routines that prioritize your rest, like meditation and other deep breathing exercises.
3. You have brain fogBrain fog is a loosely used term for feeling "groggy" or unfocused throughout the day. Due to a cloudy mental sensation, focusing on your work or thinking clearly feels impossible.
People Images Yuri AShutterstock.Com
Brain fog can be targeted with exercise, increased sleep, meditation, and a diet high in energy-boosting foods.
4. You feel an 'overwhelming' dread when you wake upSome people describe it as a "heavy feeling" on their chest or an oncoming panic attack, but this "overwhelming dread" is often a reflection of our body's stress hormones hitting us all at once.
"I thought I was the only one," a TikTok commenter admitted. "I wake up every morning super anxious, with my heart pounding."
While it might seem incurable — a result of our anxiety disorders, work stress, or lifestyle — the truth is that these feelings are almost always a reflection of other symptoms.
From lacking sleep to bad diets to a general failure to show up for ourselves, our morning anxiety reflects all the consequences of those gaps. Luckily, that means there are things you can do to reduce these uncomfortable feelings.
5. You self-soothe with your phone in the morningFor many, it's merely instinct to grab your phone and check your notifications the minute you open your eyes in the morning. You likely don't even think about it.
However, this mindless distraction is likely making for a.M. Anxiety even worse. Not only does being on your phone first thing in the morning affects your cognitive abilities and concentration, but it also overloads your brain with information before it's capable of processing and managing it, inevitably sparking heightened stress in the body.
Andrii NekrasovShutterstock
As challenging as it may seem, try to avoid spending time on your phone after waking up. Scrolling on TikTok or even reading the news can wait. Instead, sit with your feelings and thoughts and give yourself grace when it comes to starting your day.
6. You're not hungry in the morningResearch shows that the increased stress hormones in your body result in decreased levels of hunger and severe changes to your appetite. Alongside fatigue and brain fog, it's unsurprising that those suffering from morning anxiety also don't feel hungry enough for breakfast in the morning.
However, it's a toxic cycle. When you don't eat breakfast in the morning, you set yourself up for a lack of energy later in the day and fail to balance your body's stress after waking up.
It's important to eat in the morning to fuel your body and manage your stress in a way that can inevitably help your morning anxiety. Even if it's just a piece of toast before you drink coffee, it can help you to feel more regulated.
7. You're rushing around or starting your day quicklyThis is so common that there's a name for it — hurry sickness. Constantly rushing around, especially early in the morning, is damaging to your body and mind.
According to mental and emotional health expert Dr. John Delony, "We've created anxious lives for ourselves that, quite frankly, our bodies can't exist in."
@johndelony Hurry Sickness is an internet diagnosis…it's not a real medical diagnosis, but dude, I feel it. Always late to the next thing, Driving like a maniac and getting raged-out when someone is only driving 5-over the speed limit, Getting frustrated with my kids because…they're moving slow, like kids, Sending and waiting for emails, texts, and other electronic communication, 24/7, And on and on. And our backs hurt. Our necks have a permanent crick in them. We skip our workout. We snap at our husbands. We ignore our wives. We're late to work or super early but completely tuned out… More and faster and efficient and hacks are KILLING US ALL. Look around. WHAT WE'RE DOING IS NOT WORKING. I, for one, am committed to slowing down. Accepting reality. And limits. And boundaries. I hope you'll join me, Delony #slowdown #relax #calmdown #stressedout #anxietyrelief ♬ original sound - Dr. John DelonyDo your best to relax in the morning, even if that means waking up a tad bit earlier or sacrificing a few of your "snoozes." Give yourself time for a thoughtful morning routine and eat an energy-inducing breakfast. Journal, meditate, or get some movement in before diving straight into work or school.
Find ways to prioritize yourself, what makes you feel good, and what fulfills you, even if it's uncomfortable at first to create those habits. Taking care of your mind and reducing anxiety starts with taking care of your body, which starts the second you wake up.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories.
How To Beat Anxiety In 1, 5, Or 10 Minutes
If you experience anxiety in the middle of your busy day, try these three methods for reducing your symptoms in just a few minutes.
While longer coping mechanisms like baths and meditation classes can go a long way toward putting your anxiety at ease, sometimes you have to work with the time you have — often only a few minutes.
Psychologists understand how busy you are and, for this reason, have developed methods to help you relieve your anxiety in as little as 1 minute. So, say goodbye to days ruined by your anxiety symptoms and try one — or all — of these techniques.
Beat anxiety in 1 minuteHave you been running from meeting to meeting at work, and now you feel anxiety creeping up on you? These coping mechanisms are for times like that in which it feels like you don't have a second to breathe.
Head to the bathroom, if it's the only way you can get privacy, and allow yourself a minute to recoup. You'll be surprised at what a difference 60 seconds can make.
Practice deep breathing
Take breaths that fill you up. Although when we're stressed, we may find that we want to take smaller and quicker breaths, research suggests that slowing down our breathing and taking deep breaths may be most helpful for reducing stress and anxiety.
A 2023 study found, for instance, that taking deep, slow breaths, as defined as 8 breaths or fewer per minute can help improve psychological stress.
An effective way to take these deep breaths is through belly breathing.
"Belly breathing or diaphragm breathing [is what] settles our system and slows our minds, not the shallow breathing filling our lungs. We actually breathe shallow and quick when we get anxious. Slow that down and, if you don't know what belly breathing is, watch a video and practice before you need it," Kevin Gilliland, a clinical psychologist and executive director of Innovation 360 tells Healthline.
How to do a cycle of belly breathingPicture your favorite spot in the world
Going to your happy place really does work. Gilliland suggests you "picture it in as great of detail as you can, and imagine the last time you were there." Directing your mind to focus on a pleasant memory can reduce the anxiety it's creating.
You can also picture a fictional place if that's more your thing!
Beat anxiety in 5 minutesSo, you're anxious while your meal is cooking or a few minutes before you need to leave. With 5 minutes, there are more ways to reduce your anxiety.
Try a relaxation app
You know those mindfulness apps you keep getting ads for? They actually can help you. From Headspace to Calm, there are plenty to try out. While there are longer exercises to explore, many apps feature meditations lasting from just 1 to 5 minutes.
While you may wonder how much can be accomplished in such a short time, Gilliland assures us that a few minutes can be all it takes. If you're unsure about using a relaxation app, test a few out with a free trial.
Listen to a song
Everyone has that great song that makes them feel on top of the world. Try creating a playlist filled with ones that ignite joy inside of you.
This way, the next time anxiety rears its ugly head, you'll be armed. Music really is as powerful as you think. According to Gilliland, it can help slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure.
Get your body moving
A 2017 study found that 77% of participants were inactive for about 12 hours per day. While being sedentary most of the day is physically unhealthy for many reasons, it can also impact mental health.
If you become anxious, think about how much you've moved around that day. Take 5 minutes to get your heart rate up. "Any form of rigorous exercise works to lower anxiety by burning off excess mental energy used for worrying", psychologist Gregory Kushnick tells Healthline.
Even a 5-minute release can restart your body.
Try the 4-minute Tabata workoutIf you can step away and take 10 minutes to work through your feelings, it's definitely worth trying one of these coping mechanisms.
Call someone who understands you
Take a walk and call your best friend, your mom, your partner, or whoever you feel most comfortable talking with.
"Call someone who you feel really knows you and you can count on for honest input. Tell them what you are worried about and why, and see what they say," Gilliland says.
"Or, when you call them, talk about something completely unrelated to your fears. Get caught up in another conversation, and you will worry less because you are caught up in something else. Distraction works wonders."
Write down how you're feeling
"Jot a few notes to yourself … about the things that you have done, not the things you worry about or where you have struggled," Gilliland suggests.
Remembering those things helps to counter what worry says, which is always negative and catastrophic. We have to balance the conversation, so start talking back to anxiety as if it were a person. You have to represent the things you are good at, the things you have done. We need to remember that at times when we are anxious."
Remembering the good is a great way to combat anxiety, as is writing down what you're experiencing.
Dr. Kushnick's suggestions on what to track during anxiety episodesTurn off your phone for at least 10 minutes
You may be thinking, it's just 10 minutes, right? Try keeping track of how many times you check your phone in a 10-minute period, and then you'll see why turning it off can do you so much good.
Try even longer if you can. As Kushnick says, "The simplest possible technique for anxiety is to turn your phone off for 20 minutes and sit with your own thoughts, without any other form of stimulation.
The old adage "practice makes perfect" may be a cliché, but it's true. The first time you try some of these techniques, it may seem awkward or pointless. Implementing them regularly is the key to easing your anxiety.
Don't wait until you're anxious to try them out. "Let me state the obvious — you have to master techniques before you need them," Kushnik said.
When we are anxious, we don't learn. We actually use what we have learned and practiced.
You need a plan and you need to have practiced it," Gilliland said. "One of the best quotes about what this looks like in life is from Mike Tyson, 'Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.' Anxiety will punch you in the face. Punch back with some techniques."
Getting to the root of what's causing your anxiety is so important when working to manage it. If these coping mechanisms aren't doing the trick, try speaking with a professional about other options you can explore.
Sarah Fielding is a New York City-based writer. Her writing has appeared in Bustle, Insider, Men's Health, HuffPost, Nylon, and OZY where she covers social justice, mental health, health, travel, relationships, entertainment, fashion, and food.
How To Stop Spiraling Into Anxiety
Source: Photo by Joice Kelly on Unsplash
Tell me whether this sounds familiar: You're about to step into unfamiliar territory in which the future is uncertain. Maybe it's leaving a comfortable job with a stable income for a new one that's much more exciting and aligned with your passions but relies on commission for income. Or perhaps you're moving to a new city where you have friends but no roots like you do in the place you're leaving.
No matter the scenario, the uncertainty is the same. And along with the uncertainty come the negative what-ifs. You're trying to fall asleep, and all you can think about are your future bills or the people you're leaving behind. Your body feels tense, and there's such a heavy weight on your chest that you can barely breathe. And then the spiraling begins and, before you know it, you've imagined the worst possible future for yourself that feels right around the corner.
What Is Spiraling and Why Does It Happen?The psychological term for spiraling is rumination, and it consists of repetitively thinking about negative emotions, past events, or distressing situations. A ruminating person may dwell on past mistakes, feelings, or perceived failures, which then make them feel even worse. Rumination without self-regulation leads to increased anxiety and/or depression (Cooney et al 2010).
Some people are more likely to ruminate than others. You may have noticed that your partner can let go of their mistakes so easily that you envy them. You wish it were that easy and wonder how they can just fall asleep without endless conversations about what happened. People who are likely to ruminate might have a history of childhood trauma such as abuse or neglect (Kim et al 2017). Ruminating may also occur if you've experienced depression in the past (Bessette et al 2020).
Most people ruminate from time to time, and, when you do, it doesn't necessarily mean you have a traumatic past or were depressed at some point. But if you find that you ruminate easily—meaning it doesn't take much to throw you into a spiral— you may want to consider why that is. Talking with a mental health professional can help you get to the root cause of your spiraling.
Recognizing the Spiral as Soon as It BeginsMany people don't realize they're ruminating until someone points it out, and, even then, they still might not see it. But the better you get at recognizing signs of spiraling, the better you'll get at cutting it off early.
Rumination isn't helpful. In fact, it only makes things worse. It increases anxiety and depression, along with other negative emotions, such as shame and embarrassment, and makes people less likely to act. Ruminators end up sitting in their negative emotions and feeling awful while doing absolutely nothing to change their circumstances.
Now that you're more aware of when it starts, you need to know what to do to shut it down. Because, remember, rumination leads to anxiety and depression. Rumination does not lead to problem=solving or making healthy decisions.
If you find that you're ruminating often or that the thoughts you have while ruminating are difficult to control, you might benefit from talking to a professional. A therapist or coach can help you develop self-regulation tools and teach you how to recognize when you're entering the spiral zone. You don't have to go through this alone.
To find a therapist, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.
Comments
Post a Comment