Stress Center Peer Support

Has anyone else found that their anxiety can be very pronounced, almost debilitating in the mornings, but later in the day it is almost gone completely? I noticed this before in Aug. '06 when I was REALLY bad and found the program, and I notice it again now as I am going through a major "growth spurt." Because I have had so much trouble with insomnia, it would make sense that my anxiety would increase as bedtime approaches, but the opposite is true for me. I do wake up every day with a long "to do" list that stresses me out, and maybe I feel better as the day goes by and I cross things off. I am going through the entire program again, currently only on week 2.

I know exactly what you mean. Nights use to be my worse time for anxiety. I would wake up every night having a panic attack, and would just wish for morning to get there. Now it is the opposite. I feel awful in the morning. I have so much morning anxiety I dont even work because I cant leave my home, then just like you said it dissapears as the day goes on. Mine is getting better and I am even going to apply for a job tomorrow. I dont know if it is because when we wake up we think about what the day will bring. Just pray and tell yourself when you wake up today is going to be a good day. I have found that positive talk helps me so much. If you need anything just let me know. Just know that you are not alone. I think it is very common to have morning anxiety.

Love,
Jen

I can relate. The mornings have always been the worst for me, once I got over the period where I would have out of the blue panic attacks. Now I just wake up most mornings with my heart beating fast, sometimes a heart skip or two and just feeling rushed, and I haven't even got out of bed yet. Now I'm not a morning person, never have been, so that might be part of the reason, cause now I have a 2 1/2 yr old I have to get up for (usually he's getting me up before I want to get up, LOL) and get him dressed and off to daycare. I am fortunate I work from home and don't have to get myself ready for a job (I just put on jeans and come back and work after taking my son to daycare).

What I have found that helps a little is I try not to evaluate how I feel as soon as I wake up. I would wake up and scan myself, is my heart racing and I would actually feel my pulse, and I breathing ok, etc. I am trying not to do that now but I do find myself slipping as it's habit I'm sure by now, trying to say postive things, like I'm going to have a good day. I feel great after a good night sleep (if I had one, which is tough when you have small kids sometimes), and things like that. It is tougher in the winter time for me, cause I so don't like winter. So at times I have to turn my thinking around and think I am happy to get up to hug my son, etc. things like that.

I can totally relate to this! At night, I feel great going to sleep only to wake up several times a night for no reason. Seems like it's every two hours on the dot...weird. Anyway, I feel like I didn't get any rest when I fully wake up in the morning and then out of nowhere, the knot in my stomach and that "rushed" feeling. It's like I have to go 100 miles an hour for some reason. I can't simply lay in bed and get up and enjoy the morning as I'm getting ready for work. I hate this...

I know what you mean about mornings..I have a heck of a time going to sleep too..I usually can't fall asleep until 1:00 or 2:00, sometimes even later..I wake up several times a night and sometimes I wake up in a start and then a panic attack will ensue, then sometimes I'm afraid to get up in the morning, because I feel like I'm in this fog (usually takes me about 45 minutes to get out of that feeling) and I'm afraid of this feeling, so if I'm in my room and wake up by myself, sometimes it can lead to panicky feelings..I hate the feeling of going to sleep and waking up..the feeling of your body getting heavier as you get tired..makes me feel like i'm not in control of my body..Sometimes I notice that if I wake up cold, that can bring on panicky feelings until I warm up.. Unfortunately right now I'm not working, but hopefully by the time I'm done this program I can get the courage to get back out there..

My anxiety tends to be worse in the morning. It depends on to what extent I'm obsessing at the moment. The one thing that I've noticed (and it may only be me) but if I have something high in sugar before bed, I will feel more anxious and freaked out the next morning. Like ice cream or candy. I think it's the up and down of my blood sugar that just compounds the anxiety.

What helps me is to psych myself up. I tell myself (sometimes out loud) "Today's going to be great." "I'm strong and capable and I'm going to kick ass." And an old favorite from Marianne Williamson "Heaven is a decision I must make."

I hope this helps.

Yep...I do the same thing....more anxiety in the morning. I think mine is due to the thought of what might this day bring. It is also harder to distract myself right when I wake up but I am finding out that if I put on my radio and start singing some tunes it gets my mind away from analyzing how I feel. I have been doing great for a few months now but since I got the flu I am a couple steps back but you know what....tomorrow will be a good day! I will wake up and see all the good things that I am grateful for and not nit pick how I feel. I wish all of you a good day as well

hey sleepy mom,
there are times i do go to bed anxious, thinking about, what did i do good for myself today, and if i feel i didnt do anything good, i get nervous and think how its going to effect my health.. weird i know, i go to bed pretty late, knowing i have to be up early, and mind u, im not an early bird.. i wake up anxious, once i open my eyes, my heart starts beating fast, and i just close my eyes again, and say "no, no, no," not today.. its going to be fine. i noticed, if i wake up on my own (like on my days off)im good, but if i HAVE to wake up for like work/school cause of the alarm., its a whole other ball game. thats where the anxiety jumps in.
im not sure how to change it, but, im still learning too.
but once u or anyone else finds out, good affirmations or a somewhat cure, let me know..

good luck again ur second time around.

I am the same way. I have gotten to the point that I am up most of the night then sleep in after my son goes to school. I just start dreading morning before I even go to bed. I wake up and if I have to go somewhere in the morning I get anxious right as I wake up. I don't know if it is a side affect of the years of long early morning commutes followed by a day at a terrible work environment? I am hoping that going through this program I will be able to learn how to handle this daily routine that I am in.

Thank you! It is so reassuring to know that Im not the only one who has this problem!
Every morning, I wake up to my SCREAMING one year old, which, as you know, is just a lovely way to start anyone's day...then, before I can even get one cup of coffee, (I'm sorry, but I just cant give up my morning cup- cut back significantly, yes- but not give up), my husband has already started in with the talking and the work stuff and which bills are due when....aaagh!
So to save my sanity, and probably my marriage, I have instilled a "no talking to Marcy" rule for the first hour. Sounds mean, but I'm telling you, it helps! Plus, we never make it the whole hour anyway...its more or less a joke way of saying, "honey, I love you but this is not a good morning for me and I'm freaking out a little and I need you to shut up....please".
Hey, mornings are tough no matter what your circumstances are. We are used to being so wound up tight all the time and I personally feel we are most vulnerable in the morning. Our minds need time to wake up too. Maybe getting slammed with the recollection of how we usually are so upset just causes our brains to go into overdrive right off the bat...I dont know...
All I know is, my silly little rule makes it easier for me to ease into the day when its a particularly hard one...like a brain time-out if you will...
We should all have a brain time-out here and there....we deserve them!