anxiety worse in the mornings, why?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:30 am

SleeplessMom- This is just a thought but have you possibly had an event in your life that would cause post traumatic stress? I had the shaking anxiety and panic thing after my mother died and was told it was post traumatic stress syndrome. I had a therapy called rapid eye movement therapy to reduce the frightening images of burying my mother that would send me into a shaking panic.

SaraHall · Post by **SaraHall** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:34 am

Mary: Oh my, what a difficult thing you had to go through. You are smart...but there isn't anything that would be PTSD. When I first had this in Aug. 2006, my psychiatrist (who I like a lot) said that my anxiety was a lot higher than he usually sees with people with generalized anxiety disorder (my diagnosis). He said he had seen anxiety that high but it was usually with PTSD. Go figure. I guess I just don't do anything half-way! I also forgot that I have a familial resting tremor (my dad has it too), so my hands shake when I used to drink caffeine or when I was upset or had low blood sugar. So I guess it is expected that I shake more than average with anxiety.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:40 am

jugray: Hi again...your words could have come out of my own mouth. This is exactly what happens to me...and lack of sleep makes it all worse. It IS hard to follow the skills in the program when you are in such distress...but don't give up. I, for no apparent reason, am having an OK morning, so I am going to work hard in my workbook and try to get stronger so maybe the next wave won't be as severe, or last as long. I have these sticky notes all over my mirror, and I am going to add: "Just because you have a bad night, doesn't mean you're going to have a bad morning." It's OK to cry. I know it is a lousy feeling, but be nice to yourself. Of course you're anxious, you are exhausted. Can you find one thing positive about today? My positive thing is that my 4-year-old wanted to put a sticky note with our phone number on the cat in case she got lost, and that made me laugh.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:50 am

Putting a sticky note on the cat. --How cute!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:07 am

I wonder-does everybody have the quick heart rate in the morning if the adrenaline increase in the morning is a normal thing? And we just notice it more and freak out about it? I really am curious about that.

What helps me is to know that apparently I am not the only one! And it doesn't mean there's something wrong with me. It is just something that happens and it always passes. If I dwell on it, it takes longer to pass. If I just say, "well there it is again," it goes away faster.

I also make sure to lay in bed a while (when that's possible) and take a few moments relaxing myself or, like others have said, telling myself it's going to be a good day.

I have to tell myself that just because I do that it doesn't mean my whole day is blown. That's what's hard is that I think during the day, "why do I do that???" and I set myself up to freak out about it again the next day. I have gotten in that pattern not very long ago and thankfully am doing much better now.

Someone asked earlier if others felt like they were in a fog in the mornings, and I have to say yes. I don't know if it's blood sugar or what. Or maybe my sinuses because I know when they're stuffed up you can feel dizzy. When I have somewhere to go or something to do, I don't feel that foggy feeling though as much, so I think it must have something to do with anxiety too. It's kind of a puzzle for me as well.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:31 am

Angela Chriss... Wow you are beautiful... I use several strategies that work ok... I use the relaxation CD right when I wake up, I don't give the anxiety chance to even breath.. I begin breathing slowly right off the bat, just do it and don't think of whether you will relax or not.. Believing in your own efforts and feeling somewhat relaxed will help a great deal.. 2ndly, I typically eat a nice breakfast and put on the radio to a classical music so my mind is not free to wonder... I know what the day holds, its just a matter of doing it rather than anticipating it by thinking about it... Green tea is a must in the morning.. It gives me a sense of relief that even though the anxiety may have somewhat of a negative effect on my health , I'm going to do everything I can to counter it with optimal nutrition and self-control... Hope this helps.. If not, let me know ill reply with more..

cfe · Post by **cfe** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:34 am

Oh yea, also, yes this is the normal circadian rhythm of the body.. Hormonally, in the evenings, our sertonin levels are higher, meaning we are more relaxed and metabolism slows down more... In the morning, serotonin is at it's lowest... Green tea has l-theanine, an amino acid that I believe helps with GABA levels.. This reduces anxiety... There are decaff green teas as well...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 3:15 am

Ivan 28: I really take to heart your guidance that "its just a matter of doing it rather than anticipating it by thinking about it...". A lot of my stress is thinking about all the things I have to do, scheduling with work, school, kids, sick kids is enough to make my head pop off. But I am organized, and it is sometimes just a matter of doing it--taking one thing at a time, rather than let all the things I have to do in the next 10 days swirl and swirl until I am very stressed.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 3:25 am

Interesting note on the green tea. I always feel better after I've had my green tea in the morning and this may be why.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 4:00 am

Hi,
It's true that anxiety is worse between about 3-5 am. I believe it's a peak in cortisol or other adrenaline like hormones. Getting up and moving is one possble answer. I'd like to try the green tea also, but doesn't even decaf green tea have caffeine in it?