Do you ever just wake up and have a thousand thoughts coming into your head? Anxieties, worries, fears, all of that stuff right as soon as you open your eyes? Anxiety sucks! Morning anxiety, especially during the weekdays was a serious problem for me. I still have anxiety, so many people do, but I’ve already tried medication and decided it’s not for me. Here are some of my actionable steps on how to get rid of morning anxiety.
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How to Get Rid of Morning Anxiety
1. Complete 3 Morning Pages
This was a huge breakthrough for me. If you have a ton of thoughts in the morning I highly encourage you to try writing morning pages.
I finished reading “Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies” and thought it was a great mix of a memoir and self-help book. The first ‘ritual’ that the author Tara Shuster writes about is morning pages. Essentially the moment you wake up, before you grab your phone, before you do anything, write 3 full pages of all your thoughts. Even if you don’t have 3 whole pages, keep writing. For me it takes about 20 minutes.
These morning pages are essentially a ‘brain dump’ and are helpful even if you have anxiety throughout the day. If you find yourself stressing out about something or find your mind racing, take your notebook and write three pages. I’ve been doing this for a couple of weeks and instantly my anxiety is lowered. I feel less of a weight on my chest and once I get all my thoughts out my mind stops racing. It’s really calming and seeing my anxieties on paper can also help me see some of the frivolity of what I worry about.
2. Wait to Look at Your Phone and Other Screens
The morning sets the stage for the rest of the day. Looking at your phone the first thing in the morning can actually cause you to have a lot of anxiety. Instead of looking at your phone the second you wake up or scrolling through social media, just wait. Instead, drink water, eat your breakfast, take a walk, get ready. Move through the routine of your morning first before reaching for your phone.
3. Be Active
Taking a walk, doing yoga, going to the gym, or following a YouTube workout video can be helpful if you make the time. It’s hard to worry while you’re challenging yourself with a workout. Taking a walk can also help to clear your mind or relax you, especially if you pop in your headphones and listen to a podcast, music, or audiobook.
Also, being active is a preventative measure for anxiety. Not getting any exercise in and not eating well is a breeding ground for negative thoughts, anxiety, and just an overall gross feeling. When I go through phases of eating poor or not exercising, I’ve noticed my anxiety is so much worse than when I am taking care of myself.
4. Wake Up Earlier
If your anxiety stems from not having enough time to get ready or running late, wake up earlier. This will also give you more time to try some of the other tips on this list! If the second you wake up you get ready and go to work, you haven’t done anything for yourself that morning. It leaves less time for actually taking care of yourself, which can enhance morning anxiety.
5. Have a Moment Just for Yourself
This is crucial for me in the morning! Before I help others, I need to have time for myself. If this part of my morning routine is interrupted I’m more irritable and more anxious. Having a moment for you in the morning can really affect how you approach the rest of the day. Is there something you enjoy doing that you need time for every day? My moment for myself usually includes coffee and morning pages or writing.
If you can, just take a little bit of time in the morning (whether it’s 10 minutes or an hour) and make it just for you. Do whatever you enjoy or whatever relaxes you. Taking this time for you can really set the intention for your day and relieve some of the worries or anxiety you are feeling.
6. Adjust Your Sleeping Habits
Poor sleep can exacerbate negative thoughts and anxiety. Take a long and hard look at your sleep patterns! Below are some things to consider if you’re sleeping well or not:
- Are you getting at least 8 hours of sleep?
- Do you watch TV/look at screens, do a high intensity exercise, drink caffeine, or any other stimulating activity in the couple hours before going to sleep?
- Do you have a nighttime routine to wind down and relax?
- Is your bedroom dark and not too hot?
- Do you wake up and fall asleep around the same time every day?
These factors can affect the quality of sleep you get and in turn can cause or affect anxiety. I didn’t know how bad my sleep was until getting a Fitbit. I wake up way more often than I thought during the night so I don’t get 8 hours, and screens before bed really affect my sleep. If I’ve had a less than stellar night of sleep, I can wake up on edge, irritated, and anxious. Sleep affects so much!
7. Avoid Caffeine if You Can
I don’t do this (like I said above, my everyday routine involves coffee!). I love coffee and do not want to give it up. But I wanted to include it on this list because I know it’s a stimulant and for some people it enhances their anxiety and makes them feel jittery. If you love coffee, I’m not going to preach to you to stop drinking of it.
8. Figure Out Your Stressors
Maybe you already know, but if not the morning pages might help you! Writing down all my thoughts in the morning has made me realize some of my personal stressors. For example, having a clean space (my room, car, etc.) is really important to help me not feel anxious. If my space is in disarray my mind is usually running on about how I NEED to clean. Another thing that gives me anxiety is putting off looking at bills, emails, and that sort of thing. If you find what your stressors are and instead of putting off doing them at days at a time (if that’s what you typically do), make it one of the first things you do that morning. Then you won’t have to dread it for the rest of the day, or the next few days.
I hope this How to Get Rid of Moring Anxiety Helped You in Anyway.
Maybe not all these tips work for you, but I hope at the least one of these tips help you subside some of your morning anxiety. Anxiety is rough! If nothing helps, I always encourage seeing a psychiatrist, psychologist, or doctor for either therapy or medication. There is no shame in seeing someone or taking medication to help you be more you, or to be the best you.
Thanks for reading! If you have anymore tips I would *love* for you to comment it down below!
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