It's normal for everyone to sometimes feel anxious in the morning. The typical reasons for morning anxiety is feeling rushed and unprepared. Ever sleep through your alarm or realize that you have nothing clean to wear?
It’s important to recognize that the anxiety one feels while getting ready for the day and having an anxiety disorder are vastly different states of being. In fact, a person being treated for an anxiety disorder can potentially feel less anxious in the morning than someone who doesn’t have the diagnosis. Anxious symptoms worsen when the person feels rushed, unprepared, and not in a routine. Below are some suggestions for getting organized, less hurried, and reducing your morning anxiety.
Prepare the night before: at least two hours before bed:
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It’s important to recognize that the anxiety one feels while getting ready for the day and having an anxiety disorder are vastly different states of being. In fact, a person being treated for an anxiety disorder can potentially feel less anxious in the morning than someone who doesn’t have the diagnosis. Anxious symptoms worsen when the person feels rushed, unprepared, and not in a routine. Below are some suggestions for getting organized, less hurried, and reducing your morning anxiety.
Prepare the night before: at least two hours before bed:
- Lay out the next day’s clothing, and pack backpack or tote
- Make your lunch
- Make a to-do list
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- Shower
- Get in your jammies
- Turn off all technology
- Have a warm beverage (no alcohol, though)
- Brush teeth
- Read a non-stimulating book or journal about your day/things for which you're grateful
- Set alarm to awaken in plenty of time to be unhurried in the morning
- Set bedtime at same time every evening; plenty of sleep can help ward off feeling stressed
- Make your bedroom dark and quiet to make falling asleep easier
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- Get out of bed when the alarm goes off. No hitting the snooze button!
- Make your bed
- Exercise/stretch
- Sit in a comfortable chair and meditate or pay attention to your breath for 5-10 minutes
- As you get dressed, keep a positive mindset about the day ahead
- Sit at your table and eat something for breakfast
- Look over the to-do list and prioritize your tasks
- Grab your lunch and backpack/tote and get out the door, leaving with plenty of extra time in case of a traffic jam, etc.
- Enjoy your anxiety-reduced day!
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