Morning Anxiety 101: Symptoms and Causes
I am not a morning person. If you are reading this, chances are, you aren't one either. Sometimes, I have been woken up in the early hours to instant panic. There isn't a reason for the fear but as soon as my eyelids open I am absolutely terrified. Its a horrible feeling. When my day begins this way one of two things are bound to happen.
Either I accept the anxiety and try to ignore it, or I feel sorry for myself, pout, and sometimes cry, and it consumes and ruins my entire day.
My anxiety is always worse in the mornings. Always. Sometimes I find myself dreading to go to sleep at night for fear of what the morning will bring. I have learned not to plan important events or parties until the afternoon or evenings because I know I will be in a better mood at that time.
Symptoms of Morning Anxiety
Most people experience several of the following symptoms when feeling anxious:
- Rapid heartbeat
- Feeling weak, faint, or dizzy
- Tingling or numbness in the hands and fingers
- Nervousness, sense of terror, of impending doom or death
- Feeling sweaty or having chills
- Chest pains
- Breathing difficulties
- Feeling a loss of control
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Trembling
- Mental confusion
Causes for Morning Anxiety
Cortisol- the Stress Hormone
When we are feeling stressed, our bodies produce a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol levels are naturally at their highest in the morning and lowest at night. Our bodies will also produce cortisol when we are feeling anxious to help with the "fight or flight" response.
It becomes a vicious cycle. We wake up feeling anxious because of the stored up cortisol throughout the night, which makes us feel anxious, so our bodies continue to pump out cortisol, which creates more anxiety, which produces more cortisol, which causes us to feel more anxious, etc.
Low Blood Sugar
Deanne Repich, founder of the National Institute of Anxiety and Stress, Inc. says,
"Another reason why symptoms can be worse in the morning is because your blood sugar is low when you first wake up. You have gone all night without food. It's important to maintain a constant blood sugar level because the brain uses sugar, also known as glucose, as its fuel. If blood sugar levels are too low or drop too fast, then the brain starts running out of fuel."
Running out of fuel causes the brain to trigger the "fight or flight" response which we just learned will send cortisol through our bodies to help fight or flee the perceived threat (which in this case is low fuel).
Environmental Aggravations
Although these may not be the root of your morning anxiety, your bedroom surroundings can aggravate an already bad situation. Imagine sleeping in a dark room, in an uncomfortable bed and then suddenly a noisy, loud alarm clock scares you into reality. Soon harsh bright lights and the chill of getting out of bed welcome you to your worst day ever (Infuse Positive Energy into Your Home).
There are simple things we can do to help eliminate morning anxiety. Read on for Morning Anxiety 101: 5 Useful Tips.
APA Reference
White, A.
(2010, January 25). Morning Anxiety 101: Symptoms and Causes, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, November 22 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/anxiety-panic/morning-anxiety-anxiety-panic/2010/01/morning-anxiety-101-symptoms-and-causes
Author: Aimee White
I am going through hell at the moment ever since we moved house last Friday I have suffered anxiety, panic, fear, intrusive thoughts always worse in the morning as soon as I open my eyes, I can't be in our new home on my own and its a lovely house, wtf is wrong with me?
I think it may be because you are adjusting to being in your new home, and new surroundings. If you already had an anxiety disorder it’s likely a big change such as moving home has just amplified some of those feelings. I hope it starts to feel better soon as you begin to feel more at home in your lovely new house.
If you are not allergic, maybe adopt a pet. Cuddling with my dog or cats helps me immensely. Of course they need care. which in turn could cause some anxiety, but my dog forces me to walk it out and I feel 100X better after the walk. Bless you all, it aint easy.
Just reading your comments about how cortisol and low blood sugar are at their worst in early morning, has decreased how i feel already, ive had gad for many years, probably from hard times from my childhood times.it always seems to be triggered by early morning wakeness, and of course i start blaming lifes events for it, im starting now to do the right things with exercise, been to the docs, on meds, getting up early , walking the dog and so on, but you don't how relieved i feel , while you feel so anxious in the morning , will go along with your advice and see how i go, thank you
Just to follow up, took your advice , when waking up, have a banana and orange juice, certainly reduces the anxiety, then i get and go for a walk , has made the difference for me,thanks
Just woke up yet again with severe panic and a feeling of terror, thank heavens I googled and found this article. Now I know it’s just the cortisol and low blood sugar, not me. I feel better already. I’m also on meds, in therapy, changed my diet and recently joined a gym, which to my surprise I’m loving. (I go in the afternoons or evenings).
Hi wake up every morning panic head feels awful get body jolts .feel confused as loseing my mind ..now scared me alone ..hate hubby going work been like while now scares me case I do lose my mind etc at
My husband works midnights and I have had morning anxiety for about 1 year now, it's horrible. On pristiq and klonpins. 05 3times a day, plus 15 mg remron at night.
Hi I wake up every morn with panic dizzy body jolts ..feel losing my mind ..hate being alone all day ....not how cope this any a dive please
put on some beautiful gentle music when you wake up. Don't drink coffee, even if you prefer it to wake yo up. Coffee is lovely but always gives me the jitters first thing. Try boring Camomile tea maybe with peppermint and licorice which is a nice flavour. Then try to eat something. even a banana and some honey will help just give you a little boost. You aren't losing your mind, you are just lonely and a bit worried. Could you handle a dog? Dogs are such lovely companions. Maybe an older dog from the rescue, not a pup who would give you the runaround LOL....all you need when feeling shaky. Maybe you could join a yoga class or something not too strenuous but it would give you somewhere to go and look forward to when you get up. And you might meet some nice people there too. Or any other thing that interests you. Take care. You're not really alone. There's always us wobbly lot to talk to! haha Maybe join an online forum?
i have experienced this type of anxiety this morning, at around 1am and its my first time, i woke up with feeling cold and i feel numb in all area of my body and i feel so nervous, and dizzy, weak. and i suddenly tried to get up and check my self in the bathroom mirror and i saw my self too much pale, and i think of my self that i dont know what type of body im in. I feel that i just died and i was resurrected and im adjusting myself inside my body, then i feel soo too much hungry. i immediately rush grabbing some food, and it makes me feel good in a bit cause i think myself maybe i was hungry that's why i feel dizzy and weak.
and while i was wondering what happen i searched this online blog. now i know im not alone in this situation. but this time im trying to forget what happen this morning and i keep trusting God for my rest of my days. that his will be done to me. whatever it is...
Hmm, your write up reminds me of what my senior brother passed through in the hands of anxiety, the worst is that none of the drugs recommended to him by the doctor worked out. Anxiety is really a terrible disease
I have the same. I writhe and have restless legs, I get a heavy feeling in my chest.,it’s just awful. It’s been about 2 months now. WILL THIS PASS????
I have had anxiety off and on for years. I have tried antidepressants to therapy nothing really works. I live alone which I like but being unemployed with not much to do besides food shopping is all I have. Even though I go regularly to the same local town on the hourly bus I find I get anxious for no reason. Sometimes it triggers my IBS which doesn't make me feel better. I lately have felt more anxious with morning nausea (could be of course acid reflux flaring up) I am irritated easily since I don't like this time of the year for fear of fireworks lol. I don't mind watching them on november 5th but why must shops sell them from 15th Oct?? It's something I have never grown out of hating. I wear headphones wireless to block out most sounds. I am trying to get my life sorted by going to interviews but from the moment I wake up, I begin to worry...will I get the bus okay, not feel sick with nerves or have to rush to the toilet even if I try not to eat anything 3 hours before bed time! Anyone else get the morning nausea? It's like a fear of dread. Awaiting new therapy with Talking Matters soon. Hope someone can help.
The main problem I face in the mornings is having a "funny tummy". Had it for years now. If i know I have something big planned the next say I will sometimes starve myself to try to prevent needing the toilet. It's horrible.
You too?! If I'm going to a convention or something, I have to severely limit my food intake, because I'm really anxious and I get that "funny tummy" thing. If I know that I have to go somewhere in the morning, it also happens then. I took a nap today, and I was really anxious when I woke up. Usually it's just a stomach ache, but nope. I felt really sick this time. I'm relieved to see I'm not the only one who gets anxiety stomach aches. But the worst part? You eat, you get sick. You dont eat? Oh man that makes it worse when you do manage to get food into you. There is no winning lmao
I've been reading a lot of the experiences people have had on here and it really comforts me to know I'm not on my own I've had anxiety issues since I was 13 and I'm 31 now I have good days and I have bad days but I often find mornings to be the worst at my lowest point I lost 2 stone in a month because I couldn't keep food down or fluids and was just a big emotional mess but I have been blessed with a very supportive family and a little boy who is my world and he keeps my mind busy. I have found that seeing a councilor helps and that a good night's sleep makes a massive difference, from my experience not all people can be understanding of anxiety or depression because they have been lucky enough not to have had life changing experiences with it, but for those of us that have your not alone and it's a hard path to walk and sometimes you just need someone to hold your hand for a little while
I just lost my husband to a stroke right here in our bed. I have PatSD. Mornings are so scary lonely. I don’t sleep. Don’t eat well either. So horrible.
So have I judi my husband got killed working on his car and I get bad morning anxiety
I’ve suffered from panic for 30 years, but recently I’ve been getting them bad every morning it affects my eyes and head like they are panicky/dizzy eyes, it’s very frightening it does pass, but while it’s on I’m terrified. I wondered if anyone has this in their eyes.
I’m going through this morning anxiety and the doctor has tried every combination of meds...........it is the worse thing anyone can endure.......we are still working on meds but being elderly the side effects are the problem too.........so vicious I pray for help for all of us suffering this...Carol
I have experienced morning nervous stomach feelings as well. At first, I thought it was anxiety from all the things life tends to throw, but after visiting a chiropractor, I came to find out it was actually something misaligned in my body, which made the way my body can process things off. That allows cortisol and other things to get blocked up rather than being processed through my body.. thus creating a constant flight or fight feeling. I would encourage you all to give it a try! It’s surprising how the body can heal itself without medications that hide what’s really going on, if it’s aligned to properly function!
Thank you for sharing this. I’ve never thought about this natural way to help alleviate anxiety.