Morning anxiety

[JT69]

Hi,

Wondered if anyone suffers from what I can only describe as "morning anxiety"? I tend to wake up every day feeling anxious and have to shake it off. I do not know why, it is just there when I wake. I go to bed and feel absolutely fine but then something must happen whilst I am asleeep in my mind to set off the anxiety. I have suffered with this most of the last 11 years and very rarely wake up feeling "normal", but on those rare occasions I know I am capeable of waking up without anxiety so why dont I?? Can anyone shed any light on this?

I know I should be grateful that I am now able to do my normal things day to day and usually on work days the anxiety goes really quickly due to the distraction but I just wonder why it happens in the first place.

Anyone else have this???

Jo.

[gypsywomen]

your not alone morning is the worst for me to

[JT69]

your not alone morning is the worst for me to

Hi Gypsywomen,

Have you always been like it or is it just sometimes? When does it go for you? JO.

[Maj]

Hello Jo,
I think it's really common for anxiety sufferers to have morning anxiety. I don't know if it's maybe apprehension of what the day ahead has in store? I think I've probably always felt anxious in the mornings, but as the day goes on then I relax more. I feel entirely different in the evenings as I think your spirits have lifted by then. I think it's just part and parcel of being an anxiety sufferer. We deserve medals at time for what we put up with!!
Myra x

[pink17]

i can wake up in the middle of the night with it,i panick that their is something wrong with my family.

[JT69]

Hi Myra,

Thanks for replying, it helps to know there are others feeling the same. Not nice I know but like you say it is probably part and parcel of being a sufferer...I often thought that. Blooming anxiety!!! Wish it would blow away!! Lol!!!

Jo.xx

[mamatuz]

Hello Jo

you are definatley not alone on that one pal, i too suffer from morning anxiety, as soon as i wake up my mind is racing, get the bairn up and ready for nursery get me and partner's lunch ready get me ready for work aggghh!!

i have starrted cognitive behavioural therapy, it as beginning to work for me, i totally understand that it's not for everybody, but i ahave to do dsomething.

hope your doing ok pal.

hugs from Ali xxxx

[Geoff2301]

me to! Go to bed feeling fine and wake in a right state!! Don't want to get up but the longer I lie in bed, the worse I am when I do get up! My son suggested I just don't go to sleep but suspect might get a bit tired!

[SarahG]

Mornings are definitely the worst time of the day for me too! I wake up and just want to go back to sleep... sleep is safe and the day ahead is just too scary to meet head on. As the day goes on, my anxiety decreases gradually and by the evening I wonder why I was so panicky in the morning. I go to bed fine, wake up and the cycle starts again.

I read on the internet today (whilst searching for tips on dealing with my panic attacks and anxiety) that getting up as soon as you wake up in the morning reduces this somewhat. I'm definitely going to try it tomorrow!

[sam0603]

Hiya

My CBT counsellor gave me a few tips - which sometimes work and other times not so much but I carry on regardless. They are to say to yourself I am not going to think about my anxiety until so and so time and by that time comes you have usually forgotten about it and got into the day. If that time comes and you think about it, think about it for 5 minutes and then distract. I also found that I had got into a habit of thinking about it whilst drying my hair so I read a magazine now - just try and distract myself out of my habits and eventually it will go. Yes on a weekend I tend to get up and get dressed too or concentrate on making a nice breakfast or something?

Appreciate it might not help everyone but it helped me

[Alicat]

I have the same problem too. I wake up and the day ahead feels so scary. I sometimes feel too scared to get up when I'm feeling bad because I'm faced with the day. I think getting up straight away would be a good thing to do. Bit easier said than done though:huh:

[flapjack]

Me too. Like Little Ali, I thnk its the thought of having to deal wth the day and the unknown issues or challenges that may arise.

I'm embarrassed to say I often take my little boy to school, then come home and hide under the duvet to quell my anxiety till its time to collect him again.

How do you guys dispel your morning anxiety, before it takes over your whole day ?

F

[bazwelsh]

Me too I'm afraid! I've just gone back on to Citalopram 20mg and the panic attacks are back. I know this is normal when you've gone onto this med but it is still there and very scary. I sometime can't look out of the window....

I have to work too and I'm finding this morning is dreadful....but hoping that later on it will subside. Does anyone else go to work whilst dealing with this awful feeling?

Thanks for the hint from CBT. I'll try that. You do tend to 'dwell' on things when you feel like this.....

Hope the day gets better for all of us. Sending you hugs.

Gaynor

[fazman3000]

yup im having this right now :wacko:

been ok for a while but i find when im extremely stressed, my mornings are a nightmare.. im fine once i get going but i tend to wake up with all lifes stresses confronting me at once!

id agree with the point that its most likely something to do with how we sleep.. i for one know that i have very disturbed sleep. extreme sweating and very vivid dreams which i can usually remember clear as day..

[oneofus]

JT,

I hope you don't mind me using the abbreviation :-) I think you'll find the reason for anxiety in the morning is that the human body has a natural adrenaline surge around 4am intended I suspect to heighten your awareness of danger when you wake up. CBT techniques can help with it, if you recognise it coming on and can direct your mind elsewhere.

The last time it hit I ended up worrying about my car insurance not covering the cost of replacing my car, for goodness sake! Now if I had a Ferrari or better still an MG Midget that would be a worthwhile worry but for a second hand V reg SAAB 9-5, with leather seats, cruise control, carpets ... was it worth it. No

one of us

[ShazAtko]

My anxiety is worse in the mornings. I find I urge and panic and feel anxious before work, and feel awful when I get there, but as the morning progresses I feel better and am fine by lunchtime. I go home for lunch and always feel bad again when I get back for an hour or so and then it gets better.

I think it is coming out of the "comfort zone" of home into the "non comfort zone" of work and that is why it manifests itself after lunch too - but I am no expert!

[loulabella]

Mornings are definitely the worst time of the day for me too! I wake up and just want to go back to sleep... sleep is safe and the day ahead is just too scary to meet head on. As the day goes on, my anxiety decreases gradually and by the evening I wonder why I was so panicky in the morning. I go to bed fine, wake up and the cycle starts again.

I read on the internet today (whilst searching for tips on dealing with my panic attacks and anxiety) that getting up as soon as you wake up in the morning reduces this somewhat. I'm definitely going to try it tomorrow!

Yes, I totally agree with this. I feel my anxiety in my arms in the morning. Often laying there, taking a tablet and waiting for it to go away. Dr Clare Weeks says that often just getting out of bed, washing your face, making a drink... etc, can shake it... and then of course if it's there later - u deal with it then. I do believe getting up is the best option but sooooo hard to do...

[JT69]

Thanks for all your replies...I am really struggling with it at the moment. I am finding that I wake up feeling awful, I get up, cant eat breakfast but force a banana, then usually by the time i have gone to work it has gone but the past couple of days have been pretty hard going...it has lasted until lunch time and then eased but not completely gone. So strange, I do try so hard to distract but it is very difficult when it seems to take over your thought process. I dont know if my GP surgery offer cbt when I am next seeing him will ask as have never had this and wonder if it might help. Having said that I might be just having a few bad days and it will settle again...I do hope so cos its's pretty hard going at the moment.

Jo.

[martbarr]

Thanks for all your replies...I am really struggling with it at the moment. I am finding that I wake up feeling awful, I get up, cant eat breakfast but force a banana, then usually by the time i have gone to work it has gone but the past couple of days have been pretty hard going...it has lasted until lunch time and then eased but not completely gone. So strange, I do try so hard to distract but it is very difficult when it seems to take over your thought process. I dont know if my GP surgery offer cbt when I am next seeing him will ask as have never had this and wonder if it might help. Having said that I might be just having a few bad days and it will settle again...I do hope so cos its's pretty hard going at the moment.

Jo.

Hi Jo

Martian here !!!!

I have found taking three 10mg solgar chelated Manganese tablets before bed just every other day really seems to help me with mine. I'd nearly go as far as to say it's almost removed it.
Can't say I can recommend it for everyone but wonder if it's worth a shot?

Hope ya feel better soon!
x Martin (see right name for once)
PS take it you've had the obvious blood test for blood sugar ??

[JT69]

Hello Martin,

Thanks for that.....do I just buy them from a health food store??? Cant believe I feel this way...had been doing so well last couple of weeks, still this is how it goes I know but its just hard to accept at the moment.

Jo.xx

[martbarr]

Hello Martin,

Thanks for that.....do I just buy them from a health food store??? Cant believe I feel this way...had been doing so well last couple of weeks, still this is how it goes I know but its just hard to accept at the moment.

Jo.xx

I think you can buy 10mg manganese from H&B
but I didn't find them any good, so ordered some solgar online.
And I take 3 every other day or so, and for the last week it's really made a difference.
Like I said - can't promise - I think I might be low in it.
But worth a google.

How's work?

[loulabella]

Can you take this with SSRI's? X

[jillybean]

Im another morning anxiety person, for me I can wake at any time in the night feeling edgy and agitated for no particular reason, Im not even awake enough to think about anything! I would agree with the theory about a natural adrenalin surge in the early morning to alert us, that makes sense, it certainly feels like a hormonal thing. I keep cold water next to my bed, drinking it immediately really seems to help, its the most uncomfortable feeling of dread and fear, just wish we could all get some PEACE!!:emot-sleepyhead:

Ps this seems to be worse whenever I try medication? Atenolol at mo.

[ShazAtko]

I found that having an early night last night really has helped. Also having just a couple drinks and nothing more from about 7.30 onwards helped as well. I felt nowhere near as anxious this morning and am having a really good day so far!