[Little Lulu]

I've made a lot of progress in overcoming anxiety in the last 12 years but I still have some anxiety (and depression) most mornings. It starts very early, before I get out of bed. Anyone experience this? Anyone have ideas on how to work on it?

[avlady]

OMG I never saw on this site anything about morning anxiety. I have that, get a sick feeling before i wake up, can't get myself into the shower, i do end up doing it but it is such a chore. Everything in the morning is a chore even getting off the bed. I feel anxious and get "bad" thoughts, like negative thoughts about what the day will bring. I even think of death before i get up. That's why I pray every day after i take a shower and put my makeup on. I find it hard to make my own breakfast, slowly. I do have coffee for about 1/2 hour before I can even think of doing anything. Then finally at the end of all that I feel a lot better so I attribute those things to morning anxiety. I hope this helps and thanks for bringing the idea upon here!!!!

[Little Lulu]

Thanks avlady for responding. The negative thoughts you describe are part of my morning issue. Like you, getting up is difficult but once I have coffee and a shower, things are much better. Prayer helps me, too.

I wonder if trying meditation and quiet time at bedtme might make the morning better (I've not tried this consistently). Somedays the early mornings are just downright miserable ... but that doesn't necessarily mean the day will be. Strange, huh?

Any other suggestions are welcome.

[sassymck]

I have the exact same thing!!!!!! I feel a great sense of fellowship to finally find others in the same boat. I wake up every morning this way and dread it. It would be great if we could support each other through this. Message me anytime. All the best to you. Take care.

[Little Lulu]

Good to hear from you sassymck. I've been told from mental health professionals that early AM anxiety/depression is not uncommon at all. I've just never heard what the answer is ... maybe acceptance is part of the answer? I am glad to her from others who have the same thing - connecting is important.

[kansas grrl]

I've had this for some time now -- I've thought that maybe it's because I suppress things during the day and then my mind tries to sort through them in dreams, so I wake up feeling so anxious and depressed. I make myself get up and try to go about the day, but then my hands start shaking and it takes a couple hours for that to stop. By the end of the day I'm fairly OK, but really tired so I go to bed much earlier than I used to.

[Little Lulu]

Kansas - I've also wondered if suppression of thoughts/feelings during the day can lead to the mind sifting through them at night like you say. Like you, by day's end (by mid-morning actually) I am usually fine.

I still wonder if having a meditation or journaling time at night would help, esp. if I focused on the things that are rattling around in my head and letting them go. I am going to try it for a week and see how it goes. Thanks for the response.

[kansas grrl]

Let us know how that works. Anything is worth a try and I hope it helps you.

[Cocosurviving]

I hate this happened to you and hope you
can get to the root cause.

[daneindisguise]

Hello all,

This is my first post so apologies if I unwittingly go against some convention.

I have some unfortunate experience with this and here are my suggestions for alleviating morning anxiety:

1. Take magnesium before sleep, or valerian root.
2. Leave two glasses of water on your bed table before retiring for the day. One to be plain water and the other mixed with honey (manuka honey is good), so the second may require the water to be warm. The honey water is healthy and will help you get a kick in the morning without caffeine and also clear your inside.
3. You can mix the plain water with either L-Theanine or Picamilon. Both work wonders for morning anxiety. I use bulk powders for both for cost efficiency and easy absorption. They have no strong taste so need not be capped. The picamilon can also be taken sublingually (under the tongue) for easy and quick absorbtion.
4. Give it a few minutes and your head will clear!
5. You should take some supplement to check your cortisol levels: I have good experience with Reishi Mushroom and also Vitamin D. Ashwaganda and Rhodiola are said to be helpful as well, but I have not personally used them long or consistent enough to be able to recommend.
6. Cognitively, the are techniques as well: First, write a short diary at night about things you are grateful for in the past day. Second, write a few thoughts about things you look forward to in the coming day(s). Then go to sleep.
7. There is a morning prayer of gratefulness passed through generations and centuries, which goes: "I thank you God for bringing me back to life after death and to you I return on this day and on the last." Sleep is considered a form of death in the formulation, the first return is the return in your daily affairs (for help, guidance etc) and the second is a reference to resurrection. You can substitute God with fate, and return with embrace, if you are not a believer.

I am saying the above under the assumption that you are not on any prescription drug.

[Little Lulu]

Thank you daneindisguise for your response. I am taking magnesium and Vit D already. The magnesium in particular seems to be helpful with the anxiety. I have not been journaling/meditation at night (even though I committed to doing this ...) By the time evening comes, I feel good so it doesn't seem important to do this. Deep sigh. I need to make it a priority to try the journaling at night.

Thanks.