Why Do I Wake up with Anxiety? Top 7 Causes to Know About

Are you waking up feeling stressed? Worrying about why do I wake up with anxiety. This post will serve as an ultimate guide on all the possible causes of morning anxiety.¹

The mental health of today’s generation paints a bleak picture of depression and anxiety². Blame it on technology, modernization, or the pandemic itself, anxiety amongst people of different ages is not a stigma anymore. If you struggle with the question- why do I wake up with anxiety, you are at the right spot. This post discusses everything you need to know about why you get anxious in the morning.

Mental health issues plague people of different ages, gender, and profession. Today’s youth is swamped with assignments, dealing with peer pressure, and chances are two heartbreaks at once. However, Anxiety and acne top the list!

Hampered self-confidence and elevated insecurities due to social media, increased competition in the workplace, past traumas, and parents dwelling on your academic performance, this generation has too many problems, less exposure, and very few people to emotionally support each other. This results in insomnia, depression, severe panic attacks, and anxiety disorders. That means anxiety, insomnia, and depression are interconnected with each other.

Excessive stressing due to daily chores can interfere with your mental health and often leave you wondering- why do I wake up with anxiety every morning. Along with that, if you experience restlessness, fidgeting, fatigue, difficulty in focusing, and muscle tension due to daily real-world problems related to family, the corporate sector, or your love life, chances are, you experience an anxiety disorder.

However, if you want to overcome this overwhelming combination of mental distress and physical palpitations, you are at the right spot. This post discusses everything you need to know about the most asked question on the internet- why do I wake up with anxiety.

Other Mental Health Disorders: Generalized anxiety disorder

According to the anxiety and depression association, uncontrolled worrying over small incidents of daily life, including work, family, health, or finance, frequently over the course of six months is categorized under generalized anxiety disorder, which could be why you are waking up with anxiety.

The apprehension of any future concern, a matter of subject that stresses you, a trigger that reflects a past trauma or fear, is what anxiety is.

People with anxiety are generally associated with some common symptoms like-

• Fear
• Chest Pain
• Shortness of Breath
• Shaking continuously
• Racing heart
• Panic attack
• Dizzy
• Irritability
• Fatigue/excessive tiredness
• No focus and concentration
• Nervousness and sweating
• Feeling wound up
• Increased blood pressure
• Feeling on edge/ uneasy

Morning Anxiety: Ultimate Guide on Why Do I wake up with anxiety

Feeling temporary anxiety when you get up is normal. However, if you are experiencing panic attacks with palpitations, chances are you need medical assistance for a clear diagnosis of the problem. Excessive worrying is one of the reasons why you experience morning anxiety. Some of the other reasons why you wake up with anxiety every morning is-

Pandemic’s Contribution to Your Stress Level

Uncertainty revolving around the pandemic, lost job opportunities, terrible working infrastructure, increased expenses, and lack of emotional support from family members are stressful situations why people nowadays are experiencing heightened stress hormone levels, anxiety, and overwhelming emotions in the morning.

Alcohol or other substance abuse

Alcohol and other substances can be a primary enemy of your good mental health. If you drink wine after dinner, sip some beer while watching your favorite show, or end your day with a glass of tequila, chances are they are the main reason why you develop anxiety. If you feel anxious after drinking alcohol too or get anxious in the morning, it’s high time you change your lifestyle.³

Reach out to a medical professional and start cutting back on alcohol for improved mental health.

Chronic health conditions

Suppose you are already diagnosed with physical health conditions, medical issues, or common physical illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, depression, cancer, and heart disease. In that case, these physical conditions are the root problem of your morning anxiety feeling.

To treat anxiety in the morning in such situations, one can combine professional treatment and cognitive behavior therapy to heal symptoms.

Complex Relationships

Connectedness with family members and support from loved ones is all you need to achieve anything and everything in life. Relationships are the stepping stone to better mental health, from happiness to stability.

Feeling of loneliness can contribute to your morning anxiety. Reach out to your partner, communicate, have dinner together, and try to improve your social ties to reduce anxiety. It doesn’t matter if you are 24 or 42, strong relationships and better social connections are two major pillars of enjoying a better quality of life⁴.

Sleep Disorders

Do you keep tossing and turning in bed? No deep sleep? Poor sleep quality? Experience Rapid breathing in the morning? Or experience nocturnal panic attacks? Sleep disorders can contribute to more anxiety early morning. Insomnia, sleeping sickness, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and episodes of sleep paralysis can lead to anxious feelings, tiredness, and increased heart rate in the morning.

PTSD and Morning Anxiety

Past Trauma and Anxiety are practically related. Post-traumatic stress disorder can be another reason for your morning sickness if you have experienced a terrifying event in the past. It might trigger anxiety and can be one of the reasons why you are waking up with anxiety.

Some symptoms include- Flashbacks of traumatic events, fatigue, trouble sleeping and concentrating, being frightened, severe emotional torment, and upsetting nightmares.

Keeping negative thoughts aside and using healthy alternatives as coping mechanisms can naturally help you recover from PTSD. A book reading session near your house? Play with dogs in a nearby shelter? Hang out with the best people in any calm environment and avoid triggers for better sleep and mental peace.

Lifestyle and Daily Events

Avoid negative thoughts before falling asleep. Recent traumatic life events in your life can trigger morning anxiety. Watching or reading about Abuse, sexual violence, a disturbing movie, news of physical assault, or an accident can also increase your risk of feeling anxious in the morning.

Also, according to peer-reviewed studies, the financial condition can lead to stress. Unpaid bills, long due Emi, loan interests, and mortgages can strain anyone. If you worry about your finances excessively, developing anxiety can affect your sleep schedule and quality. Result? Difficulty in managing morning anxiety! Therefore, it is advised to manage your finances and normalize living below the means to avoid stress.

Manage Morning Anxiety- No Stress, Only Serenity

A sunny, bright, good morning and all you feel is tired and extremely anxious? If that’s the case, researching more about morning anxiety is crucial. At the beginning of the day, negative thoughts can hamper your productivity, diminish your stamina, and will to work! One needs to incorporate a few tried and tested methods to overcome early morning anxiety to avoid such situations.

If you seek an answer to the question- Why do I wake up with anxiety? The top 7 tips and tricks one should know to reduce anxiety are-

Exercises to Regulate Your Stress Hormone

A bike ride to your favorite stop in the city, a quick morning walk with your favorite person, or a dog walk early in the morning can help you deal with morning anxiety. Practicing workouts and exercising regularly early in the morning releases good hormones like serotonin, promotes blood circulation, and aids in the brain’s executive functioning, thus promoting resilience against overwhelming emotions.

A Balanced and A Healthy Diet

A balanced diet with appropriate nutritional value can help you deal with anxiety. One can incorporate complex carbs, protein, seeds, and fiber with increased water intake for better mental health.

No More Substance Abuse

Alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes are depressants that affect your central nervous system directly and is the main reason behind sleep problems and excessive anxiety symptoms worse. Cigarette cessation will help in decreasing the risk of anxiety⁵. Along with ruining your physical health, alcohol is also known to hamper your mental state. Quitting alcohol or at least cutting back on it would make a major difference. Drop the idea of caffeine and booze before bed.

Meditation and Yoga

Reducing the levels of stress hormones in your body and practicing mindfulness with meditation and yoga can be effective for people with anxiety. If you get up in the morning and wonder-“why do I wake up with anxiety” get a glass of water, sip the water slowly while playing some peaceful music, place a yoga mat, practice meditation, and yoga.

Through a pilot study, it has been observed that regular yoga practice really affects the stress hormone level.

The flow of positive energy in your body will combat overwhelming emotions, calm down the tense muscles, and ease anxiety. Pen down the positive thoughts in a journal, go for affirmations, avoid blue screens at nighttime, and focus on positive thoughts.

Self-care: 101 Guide to Show Gratitude to Yourself

Incorporate self-care strategies in your daily routine. Drink more water, practice self-care, eat breakfast rich in protein, sip your favorite smoothie, relaxing long shower with tons of hydrating agents will help you manage your anxious feelings. Thanks to the internet, one can find many self-care strategies listed online.

Deep Breathing Exercises: Best for Anxiety disorders

Deep breathing exercises boost blood circulation and increase the supply of oxygen, thus promoting a sense of calmness. By being more connected and aware of your body, deep breathing exercises can help you relax and deal with anxiety symptoms.

With breathing exercises, get enough sleep, try mental health medications and resources, and include healthy minor lifestyle changes to avoid feeling anxious.

Counseling, Group Support, and Therapy

Thanks to technology, you can connect with anyone around the globe facing the same problem with negative and anxious thoughts. Tons of support groups online share advice and strategies to combat morning anxiety. Also, going to a mental health professional, a counseling session, consulting medical professionals, a talk therapy session, or a professional treatment session can help you answer the “why do I wake up with anxiety” question better.

Now that you are well acquainted with the answer to the question- “why do I wake up with anxiety,” it’s time to plan your day and dive into a stress-free life.

1. Krivisky, Katy, Haim Einat, and Noga Kronfeld-Schor. “Effects of morning compared with evening bright light administration to ameliorate short-photoperiod induced depression-and anxiety-like behaviors in a diurnal rodent model.” Journal of Neural Transmission 119 (2012): 1241-1248. ↩︎
2. Guntuku, Sharath Chandra, et al. “What twitter profile and posted images reveal about depression and anxiety.” Proceedings of the international AAAI conference on web and social media. Vol. 13. 2019. ↩︎
3. Stoewen, Debbie L. “Dimensions of wellness: Change your habits, change your life.” The Canadian veterinary journal 58.8 (2017): 861. ↩︎
4. Parsons, Thomas D., et al. “Better quality of life with neuropsychological improvement on HAART.” Health and quality of life outcomes 4 (2006): 1-7. ↩︎
5. Jorm, Anthony F. “Does old age reduce the risk of anxiety and depression? A review of epidemiological studies across the adult life span.” Psychological medicine 30.1 (2000): 11-22. ↩︎

Last Updated on March 9, 2024 by ayeshayusuf