Anxiety is no joke. Starting your day off on the right foot can ease morning anxiety and set you up for a calmer day. Here are five ways to soothe yourself.
Lately, our world has faced a lot of changes. Because of it, anxiety is becoming more prevalent in our culture.
Thankfully, people have become more open to the discussion of mental health. And that’s very encouraging. Even so, we have a long way to go. It’s vital to acknowledge and understand this mental health disorder to help those in need.
You may feel the strain of anxiety, and lately, it’s worse in the morning. It could be due to a stressful job or other things in life that are causing concern.
If you’re struggling with morning anxiety, here are five ways to cope and recover!
1. Go to Bed at a Reasonable Hour
Do you have a schedule in place?
Being disciplined with your bedtime can help alleviate anxiety tremendously.
If you’re currently in a bad habit of staying up late, that’s likely contributing to your anxiety. Setting up a schedule will help your body get used to hitting the hay at a particular time each night.
Instead of getting to bed earlier right away, work up to it. That way, it won’t seem like such a challenging task. If you’re used to going to bed at midnight every week, move your bedtime up half an hour until you reach 10 pm.
By the time you get to bed at 10 (if that’s the bedtime you pick), it won’t be a big deal.
Bottom line: Focus on getting enough sleep so you will experience less anxiety in the morning.
2. Figure Out What the Source of Your Anxiety Is
Possibly you haven’t been able to pin down what’s making you feel anxious in the morning. It’s not always clear what is causing your anxiety, so try to identify your current stressors.
Here are a few things that may be making your thoughts go non-stop:
- Your job
- A stressful family situation
- An event that triggers something that happened to you in the past
- Losing a loved one
- The world’s happenings
Everyone struggles with anxiety for different reasons.
Someone you know may have recently lost a loved one. In contrast, you worry about going back to school to get your master’s degree.
In this type of situation, it’s hard not to feel like your feelings are valid. But it doesn’t matter if someone is going through something that’s considered more trying. It doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to feel a certain way.
Getting back to figuring out what’s stressing you out, what is bothering you the most?
Answering this question will give you a starting point on how to move past the problem. And keep in mind that more than one thing may be causing you distress.
After knowing what’s contributing to your anxiety, develop some coping techniques. I’ll reveal a few ways to do that next.
3. Ask Yourself What’s the Worst That Could Happen
There’s an effective technique some people use when they’re anxious. It’s asking themselves what’s the worst that could happen if what they’re fretting about comes true.
For example, say you’re worried about getting into a car accident.
What would happen if you got into an accident?
You could get injured, but you’ll get treated and heal. And if your car gets damaged, car insurance will kick in.
It’s normal if you’re anxious about certain things. But dwelling on them is going to make your anxiety worse.
Try rationalizing with yourself by questioning the fearful thoughts that come to mind. That should help you realize that there’s always a solution, even if your fear should happen.
For the most part, what you worry about rarely happens. Focus your energy on the positive things that are in your life. Simple techniques like this will improve your thought process.
4. Talk to a Professional
Talking to a therapist may seem overwhelming. It takes strength to get help and not worry about what others think about you.
But having a difficult time coping is a sign that you need help. Sometimes, anxiety affects people to the point where they can’t sleep or work. If that’s the case for you, talking to a medical professional would be wise.
Find a trained psychologist who understands your needs. To reveal how you’re feeling, you should feel comfortable confiding in them. The right therapist will be able to effectively teach you the tools to help you cope with anxiety.
And, they’ll be a listening ear, which often eases anxiety. It helps to confide and talk to someone who’s not personally involved in the situation!
5. Do Activities That Make You Happy
It could be you’re feeling anxious in the morning because you’re dreading the day ahead. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, give yourself some extra TLC! Start the day out right by doing the things you love.
Read, exercise, and talk to friends more often. Even if you don’t have the energy to do these things, do them anyway.
Making a habit of taking part in activities that bring you joy will make a difference. When you’re feeling refreshed and happy, you’re bound to get up on the right side of the bed in the morning.
Conclusion
As you go through the process of learning to deal with anxiety, be patient with yourself. It’s something that isn’t always easy to deal with, but there’s hope!
No matter how troubled you may feel, find some solutions to help you move past your problems. Going to therapy and focusing on your hobbies are just two ways to change your way of thinking.
Whatever you do, don’t give up! You’ve got this!
Adam Marshall is a freelance writer who specializes in all things apartment organization, real estate, and college advice. He currently works with Copper Beech Radford to help them with their online marketing.
