Highlights
- Morning anxiety isn’t a formal diagnosis, but many people feel more anxious when they first wake up. It can happen on its own or as part of an anxiety disorder.
- Anxiety in the morning can be caused by sleep problems, low blood sugar, stress hormones, caffeine, alcohol, or worry about the day ahead.
- In-the-moment coping skills can help calm your body. But if you’re experiencing ongoing morning anxiety, you may need professional treatment to address the underlying anxiety disorder.
It’s a common experience to feel more anxious in the morning than you do at other times. You might feel a sense of dread, tension, or even panic before you’ve even opened your eyes. For many people, morning anxiety passes once they get started with their days. For others, it goes on all day and repeats in a cycle the next morning.
Morning anxiety isn’t a formal diagnosis, but it is a very real experience. Understanding why anxiety can feel stronger in the morning can help you find ways to calm your body. If your early morning anxiety is connected with other anxiety symptoms, then professional treatment can help you break the cycle.
What Is Morning Anxiety?
Morning anxiety isn’t an official diagnosis. It’s a term that people might use to describe when their anxiety feels worse in the morning. Anxiety in the morning is a common phenomenon, although
Some people might use the term to describe feeling nervous when they wake up. Others might live with an anxiety disorder that gets worse in the morning. There’s a difference between anxiety (the emotion) and an anxiety disorder, so it’s important to understand what’s going on for you. You don’t necessarily need to live with an anxiety disorder to feel anxiety first thing in the morning.
You can’t be diagnosed with “morning anxiety,” but many people with long-term, chronic morning anxiety are often diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, so it’s worth seeing a healthcare provider for a mental health assessment.
What Does Morning Anxiety Feel Like?
Many people describe feeling anxious before they’ve even fully woken up. It might feel like you’re stressed and anxious even before you open your eyes and start your day. Some people know exactly why they’re anxious, but for others, it can feel more like a broad sense of anxiety that’s not about anything specific.
You might experience symptoms like:
- Tightness in your chest
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea or stomach pain
- Shaking or tremors
- Sweating
- Muscle tension, especially in the neck and shoulders
- Headaches
- Feeling restless and agitated
- Feeling overwhelmed
- A sense of dread
- Racing thoughts
- Difficulty getting out of bed
- Worrying about the day ahead
- Panic symptoms soon after waking up
- Feeling tired even after sleeping
Morning anxiety can also affect your behavior. You might avoid checking your phone, delay getting out of bed, cancel plans, or struggle to start your routine. This can create a cycle where the morning feels even more stressful over time.
Why Does Morning Anxiety Happen?
There are a few different reasons, both biological and environmental, why anxiety could feel worse in the morning. These might not explain morning anxiety for everyone, but they’re common factors.
It’s also important to note that these factors don’t cause anxiety disorders to develop on their own. They’re explanations as to why some people find their anxiety symptoms are worse in the morning. The causes of anxiety disorders are complex and can include genetics, life experiences, stress, temperament, brain chemistry, and other health factors.
Biological Causes of Morning Anxiety
- Low Blood Sugar: Your blood sugar is naturally lower in the morning before breakfast. You’ve essentially fasted since your last meal before going to bed. Low blood sugar can
trigger your body’s fight-or-flight response[2] , which can make you feel more anxious.
- Stress Hormones: Cortisol is the main hormone that’s released during stress. Your cortisol levels are naturally higher in the morning. This is a biological response that helps you wake up and start your day. But some people can experience these cortisol spikes as anxiety or panic.
- REM Sleep: REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is essential for your brain to be able to process memories and emotions. When your REM cycles are disrupted, the amygdala — your brain’s fear-processing center —
stays overactive[3] . It doesn’t get the chance to process and rest, which means you wake up already anxious from the night before.
- Alcohol Withdrawal: If you had a lot to drink the night before, it can worsen anxiety the next morning. As alcohol leaves your system, it changes your brain chemistry. Even if you felt relaxed when you were drinking, you could still feel anxious as the effects wear off in the morning.
- Caffeine: Many people start their day with a cup of coffee. The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant, which can make anxiety feel worse.
Psychological Causes
- Work Stress: It’s common to feel more anxious in the morning because you’re dreading the day ahead. For many people, this is related to work anxiety and stress. But you could also be anxious about anything that’s going on in your day.
- Nightmares and Other Sleep Problems: Poor sleep can also play a role in morning anxiety. Especially if you had nightmares the night before, it’s natural to wake up in a more anxious state.
- Worries From the Previous Night: Many people with an anxiety disorder struggle with racing thoughts at night. If you fell asleep worrying about something, then that could carry over and lead to severe anxiety in the morning.
- No Distractions: Morning can also be a quiet time of day, where there are fewer distractions. Not having anything else to occupy your mind could make you worry more.
How to Stop Morning Anxiety in the Moment
If you wake up feeling anxious, take these steps to relax your nervous system. Your anxiety may not go away immediately, especially if you live with an anxiety disorder. But many people find them helpful.
- Slow Your Breathing. When you feel anxious, your breathing may become shallow or fast. Try breathing in through your nose for a few seconds, then slowly breathing out for longer than you breathed in. Longer exhales send a calming signal to your nervous system.
- Practice a Grounding Exercise. Grounding can help bring your attention back to the present moment. Try naming five things you can see, four things you can feel, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
- Get Out of Bed. It can be a challenge, but it’s often helpful to get up instead of lying in bed ruminating. Even just sitting up can help your brain understand that the day is starting and you’re not trapped in the anxious feeling.
- Focus on the Next Step, Not the Entire Day. You may feel overwhelmed if you start thinking about what you need to face that day. Try just focusing on your very next task. For example, you might get out of bed because you need to use the bathroom. Then, your next focus is to brush your teeth or eat breakfast.
- Use Relaxing Movement. Gentle movement after waking up can help release some of the tension that comes with anxiety. You might stretch or simply move your shoulders in circles. The goal is to help your body discharge stress and reconnect with the present moment.
- Put Your Phone Away. Checking your phone right after waking up can add more stress. Emails, news, texts, and social media can all increase morning anxiety. Try adding a window of screen-free time after waking up.
- Consider Limiting or Avoiding Caffeine. If you wake up anxious, caffeine can intensify these symptoms. You might feel more shaky or tense after drinking coffee. Consider delaying caffeine until after you’ve eaten or had some water. If you’re feeling very anxious, you might consider avoiding it altogether that morning.
Long-Term Strategies to Break the Cycle of Morning Anxiety
Often, morning anxiety has a lot to do with how you slept and how you felt the night before. There are ways you can break this cycle and wake up feeling more rested and relaxed.
- Build a Bedtime Routine. A bedtime routine gives your body a clear signal that it’s time to wind down. This could include dimming the lights, taking a warm bath, reading, or doing a calming breathing or meditation exercise. This can help you get more restful sleep, which could reduce anxiety in the morning.
- Stick to a Consistent Sleep Schedule. Going to bed and waking up around the same time each day can help regulate your body’s internal clock. This can make it easier to fall asleep and wake up feeling more settled.
- Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine. Alcohol can make you feel sleepy at first, but it can disrupt REM sleep later in the night, which directly increases morning anxiety. Caffeine can also affect sleep, especially if you have it later in the day. If morning anxiety is a problem, it may help to experiment with less caffeine and alcohol to see if that helps.
- Eat Nourishing Meals. A drop in blood sugar can make you feel more anxious in the morning. Try to eat balanced meals during the day to help keep your energy and blood sugar steadier. You might also see if having a small evening snack helps.
- Get Plenty of Exercise. Regular movement can both help reduce overall anxiety and improve your sleep quality. Exercise can also help your body process stress more effectively. You might find that not only do you sleep more soundly, but you also wake up feeling less anxious.
Treatment Options
Not everyone who experiences anxiety in the morning lives with an underlying mental health condition. For some people, this spike of anxiety goes away as the day moves forward. You might feel anxious right when you wake up, especially on more stressful days, but feel fine by lunchtime.
For many others, morning anxiety is chronic and long-term. In this case, it could be a sign of an underlying anxiety disorder. If your morning anxiety hasn’t gotten better with time and is getting in the way of your daily functioning, then it may be time to seek professional help. For example, at MEDvidi, you can get anxiety treatment online right from home.
Anxiety disorders don’t go away on their own, and can become worse when left untreated. But with the right treatment, you can learn how to manage your symptoms and wake up feeling more relaxed.
Anxiety is typically treated through psychotherapy. Medication can also sometimes be helpful, but it’s most effective when it’s combined with therapy.
Some of the most effective treatments for morning anxiety include:
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT helps you understand how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors affect each other. In therapy, you can learn how to identify anxious thought patterns and use strategies to cope in healthier ways. If your morning anxiety is connected to sleep problems, cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) may also help.
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT): MBCT combines mindfulness practices with cognitive therapy skills. It can help you notice anxious thoughts without getting riled up by them. This can be especially helpful in the morning, when anxious thoughts may feel automatic.
- Anti-Anxiety Medication: Medication for anxiety is usually meant to reduce anxiety overall, not only to stop anxiety in the morning. The most common medications that are used for anxiety are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). A healthcare provider can help you understand your options and decide what’s safest for you. It’s important not to start, stop, or change anxiety medication without medical supervision.
Conclusion
Morning anxiety can feel overwhelming, like it’s ruined your day before it’s even begun. But just like any other form of anxiety, it is treatable. There are steps you can take to physically calm your body and reduce the anxiety cycle over time.
If you wake up with anxiety every morning and it’s affecting your ability to work, sleep, care for yourself, or enjoy your life, professional support can help. At MEDvidi, you can connect with licensed healthcare providers who can assess your symptoms and recommend a treatment plan that fits your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is morning anxiety a thing?
Yes, many people find that their anxiety is worse in the morning. It’s not a diagnosis, just a common experience. However, if you find it difficult to deal with anxiety in the morning on your own, it’s important to seek professional help.
Why is anxiety worse in the morning?
Anxiety may feel worse in the morning because of cortisol spikes, poor sleep, low blood sugar, caffeine, alcohol withdrawal, or worry about the day ahead. For some people, it may also be connected to an anxiety disorder.
What helps with extreme morning anxiety?
Slow breathing, grounding exercises, and getting out of bed can help in the moment. If morning anxiety is extreme or ongoing, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider.
How to stop morning panic attacks?
Try to remind yourself that panic attacks are intense but temporary. Slow your breathing, put your feet on the floor, and ground yourself in the present moment. Seek professional help if morning panic attacks keep happening.
Will morning anxiety go away?
Morning anxiety often goes away throughout the day. If it’s caused by an anxiety disorder, treatment can help reduce symptoms over time.
How long does morning anxiety last?
Morning anxiety can last anywhere from just a few minutes to the entire day. If it doesn’t go away or is getting in the way of your functioning, it’s time to speak with a licensed healthcare provider.
