One of the most common questions I hear is,
Why do I wake up anxious when nothing has even happened yet?
The answer has less to do with your thoughts and more to do with your nervous system.
Hi,
My name is Bea.
I'm a yoga,
Meditation teacher,
And somatic practitioner,
And I love talking about anxiety and the nervous system.
If you've ever opened your eyes and immediately experienced racing thoughts,
A pit in your stomach,
Or a sense of dread before even getting out of bed,
I want to know something important.
Nothing is wrong with you and you're certainly not alone.
One of the biggest reasons for morning anxiety has to do with a hormone called cortisol.
Cortisol,
Often called the stress hormone,
Isn't actually a bad thing.
Your body naturally releases more cortisol early in the morning as part of what's known as the cortisol awakening response.
Think of it as your body's built-in alarm clock.
It helps you wake up,
Become alert,
And have the energy to start your day.
For most people,
The rise in cortisol can simply feel like waking up.
But if your nervous system has been under a lot of stress,
Or if you have generalized anxiety,
It can feel much more intense.
Instead of feeling energized,
You might feel restless,
On edge,
Or worried before the day has even begun.
Nothing is necessarily wrong,
Your nervous system is just waking up in a heightened state.
Another reason morning anxiety can feel so strong is because it's quiet enough to notice what's already there.
During the day,
We're often distracted by work,
Conversations,
Errands,
Or other responsibilities.
But in those first few moments of waking,
There's very little competing for your attention.
So if your nervous system is already activated,
Your brain naturally starts looking for an explanation.
It might begin going down the to-do list or replaying something that happened the day before.
It can feel like those thoughts are causing the anxiety,
But often it's the other way around.
First,
Your body feels activated,
And then your mind tries to make sense of those sensations by finding something to worry about.
Understanding this can be incredibly freeing,
Because if you believe your anxious thoughts are creating the feelings or sensations in your body,
You'll naturally try to argue them,
Think your way out of them,
Or simply give in to the stories that your mind is repeating.
So instead of perpetuating the anxiety spiral,
Be gentle with yourself and don't try to think your way out of it.
Instead,
Do something to help reconnect with your body in a gentle way helps you ease into your day.
Maybe that's taking a few slow deep breaths before getting out of bed,
Or maybe it's stretching your body,
Drinking a glass of water,
A cup of tea,
Or simply placing your hand over your heart and repeating a few affirmations,
Opening the curtains,
And letting in some sunshine.
Personally,
I love listening to and repeating affirmations,
Setting an intention,
And gently moving my body before I even get out of bed,
Which has done wonders for me,
Especially when I'm feeling anxious.
You And I actually have several wonderful morning practices available here on Inside Timer,
So feel free to check them out.
If you wake up with morning anxiety,
Creating a gentle morning routine can make starting your day feel much more easeful.
And just know that these small moments might seem simple,
But they send powerful signals to your nervous system that you're safe.
Over time,
They can help build your nervous system resiliency and help you learn how to manage morning anxiety in the best way that works for you.
I also want to remind you that managing morning anxiety usually doesn't happen overnight.
Some mornings might feel harder than others and that's okay.
The goal isn't to wake up feeling perfectly calm every single day.
The goal is to understand what's happening in your body so that you can respond with compassion instead of thinking that something is wrong with you.
Because every time you meet your anxiety with curiosity instead of criticism,
You're helping your nervous system learn a new pattern.
So if you wake up anxious tomorrow morning,
Try this before you reach for your phone or start running through your to-do list.
Take one slow breath.
Notice how your body feels and gently remind yourself,
This feeling is temporary and it's just my nervous system letting me know I'm waking up and I can support myself with kindness.
Sometimes that's all your body needs to begin finding its way back to balance.
Thanks so much for joining me.
I'll see you in the next video of my anxiety series.
Have a beautiful day.
