Why You Might Be Feeling Anxious the Moment You Wake Up
Morning anxiety is something that comes up so often that it almost feels universal. The alarm goes off, your eyes open, and before your feet even touch the floor your mind is already racing. Your chest feels tight, your thoughts jump to everything you “should” do today, and part of you just wants to pull the covers back over your head. If that sounds familiar, you are not alone.
Morning anxiety does not always look like a full-blown anxiety attack. Sometimes it is a quiet but heavy dread in your stomach; other times it shows up as worry or a sense of impending doom, racing thoughts, restlessness, trouble concentrating, or physical sensations like dizziness, sweating, trembling, rapid or shallow breathing, headaches, muscle tension, chest tightness, or feeling suddenly very hot or very cold. Real life stressors, health issues, money worries, work pressure, family or relationship conflict, trauma, sleep problems, or relying on sugar, caffeine, or substances to get through the day can pour fuel on the fire and make waking up feel like stepping straight into a storm.
But, Why Can Mornings Feel So Intense?
There is a biological piece to this, and it makes a lot of sense. In roughly the first hour after you wake up, your body releases a burst of cortisol: a hormone that helps you wake up, feel alert, and get moving. Cortisol is often called the “stress hormone” because it powers your fight or flight system, raises your heart rate and blood pressure, and mobilizes energy so you are ready for action and actually get out of bed. This surge is called the Cortisol Awakening Response.
Think of cortisol as your body’s built in “start the engines” system. If you went to bed worrying, mentally scrolling through your to do list, replaying difficult conversations, or bracing for tomorrow, your brain may decide it needs to “help” by hitting the gas even harder in the morning. So, when the alarm rings, you do not just wake up, you wake up flooded with stress chemistry plus all the thoughts about what might go wrong today. Nothing bad has happened yet, but your body is acting like it has.
Morning anxiety also is not only about stress and thoughts. Certain health conditions and imbalances can make your system more sensitive in the mornings. Things like low vitamin D, blood sugar issues, thyroid conditions, or chronic inflammation can all influence mood and energy when you wake up. Some people also find that evidence informed supplements, such as magnesium, can support better sleep quality and nervous system relaxation at night, which may soften that anxious spike in the morning. Always check with a healthcare provider before starting any supplements, especially if you take other medications.
An important note: if you are living with burnout, ADHD or other forms of neurodivergence, PTSD, depression, chronic illness, or another specific mental health or medical condition, that hit of anxiety when you wake up might be a symptom of those underlying issues rather than just anxiety on its own. In these cases, morning anxiety is often your body’s way of signaling overwhelm, exhaustion, or nervous system overload, and it usually needs a more tailored, whole person approach than anxiety tips alone.
Gentle Ways to Start Your Morning
When mornings already feel hard, the idea of a perfectly calm, two-hour sunrise, yoga routine can sound unrealistic or even annoying. Instead, think in small, manageable steps.
Start tiny with movement: If getting out of bed feels overwhelming, begin with whatever is easiest: wiggle your toes, move your feet, stretch your legs, roll your shoulders. Then maybe sit up in bed, then move to a chair. You are slowly telling your body, “We are waking up, and we are safe enough to move.”
Create a grounding ritual: A few minutes of slow breathing, a short meditation or prayer, a couple of gentle stretches, or a quiet walk can signal to your nervous system that you do not need to sprint into the day. This could even be a slow walk to your window or balcony to look outside, feel the temperature of that day, notice the environment and the weather.
Talk to yourself like someone you care about: Those first few minutes are often full of harsh thoughts: “You should be able to handle this,” “Why are you like this” - Try replacing them with something nicer words, like: “It’s ok, sometimes mornings can be hard but, I know how to get through them,” or “I do not have to do everything right now. I only need to take the next step.”
Let your body use that cortisol: Even light exercise, stretching, a short walk, or a few minutes of movement later in the morning gives your body somewhere to channel that stress energy instead of letting it just swirl around as anxiety. You might, for example, build this into a non negotiable part of your day like walking your dog, that’s what I do!
Nourishing Your Body and Protecting Your Sleep
Anxious mornings often start the night before, so it helps to zoom out and think about the full 24-hour cycle.
Feed your brain and body: Going all night without food and then skipping breakfast can drop your blood sugar and leave you feeling shaky, wired, or off, sensations that are easy to misread as anxiety. A simple breakfast with some protein (like eggs) and complex carbs, like whole grains or nuts, can make a real difference.
Watch caffeine, sugar, and alcohol: Many people notice that coffee on an already anxious morning makes everything feel intense and more jittery, and sugar can do something similar. Alcohol might help you fall asleep, but it tends to disrupt sleep quality and can leave you more anxious the next day.
Offer your nervous system a calmer night: Try to keep a fairly consistent bedtime, give yourself some no screens time before bed so blue light and late night scrolling do not keep your brain on high alert, and keep your room cool and dark. A small, relaxing routine, reading a few pages, stretching, or simply dimming the lights and slowing down, can gently tilt the conditions in your favor.
Making Sense of Your Stress
Morning anxiety is often your body’s way of saying, “There is a lot on my plate.” One gentle way to respond is to give that part of you some space and attention.
Journaling as mental declutter: Before bed or first thing in the morning, try writing down everything swirling in your mind: worries, tasks, fears, what ifs. You are not solving it all, you are just moving it from your head onto paper so your brain does not have to keep spinning it (this is called a Brain Dump).
Gratitude with both feet on the ground: If it feels accessible, add a few things you are genuinely grateful for, small, real things, not forced positivity. This can help your mind hold more than just what is scary or heavy.
Get curious, not judgmental: Instead of “What is wrong with me or Why can’t I just be” see if you can gently ask, “What might be contributing to this, Is it my health, Is it my workload, Money, Relationships, Old experiences that are still affecting me” That curiosity and awareness can open the door to real support.
If your mornings feel like a battle day after day, or if anxiety is affecting your health, relationships, or ability to function, you deserve support. Talking with a mental health professional or a healthcare provider can help you untangle what is going on, biologically, psychologically, and situationally, and create a plan that fits your life. Feeling anxious in the morning means your body and mind are working very hard to protect you, even if their methods feel overwhelming right now. With understanding, a few small changes, and support when you need it, mornings can become less of a mountain to climb and more of a gentler beginning.
By
Nathasha Sharma
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