7 Morning Activities That Are Definitely Bad For Your Anxiety

Rushed, stressful mornings are never the goal, but they are the reality for many.

However, if there is one moment of the day to prioritize inner meditation, it is the morning.”There’s something called the cortisol awakening response.Our stress hormone – cortisol – actually spikes in the morning.It increases by about 70 percent,” says Elizabeth (Birdie) Shirtcliff, a research professor at the University of Oregon’s Center for Translational Neuroscience Psychology.

Right from the start, mornings are hard.Our bodies see every morning as a stressor

So even if you follow a healthy routine (such as eating breakfast, drinking water, and getting sunlight), you can still feel stressed and anxious in the morning.

Additionally, therapists say that there are certain daily habits that can make you feel more anxious in the morning that you may have picked up without realizing it.Here are the specifics of these habits and ways to deal with them:

Waking up and going to bed at very different times each day.

A way to make the transition from sleep to wakefulness a little easier is to make mornings less unpredictable.Getting out of bed at different times of the day can be very difficult for your body because typically, the cortisol awakening response speeds up before you wake up.

In other words, your cortisol awakening response doesn’t start immediately after you wake up.Instead, it happens even before you open your eyes.So if you wake up at 5 a.m. one morning, 8 a.m. the next day, and 10 a.m. the third day, a preparatory cortisol surge can’t happen properly.

This can lead to extreme fatigue and burnout because your body is not ready for it.So you end up feeling stressed because you don’t have the protection of the awakening response.

To solve this problem, it’s important to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day – even on weekends.

Rush out the door.

I think one of the biggest problems is the rush and hustle in the mornings.

If you hit the snooze button over and over again, you’re likely to be rushing around in the morning, thinking, “Why did I do that?”This can lead to chaotic mornings and you won’t be able to carry out your normal morning activities.This can make your day very anxious from the start and can affect the rest of your day.

To solve this problem,it’s a good idea to create a basic morning routine for yourself.That way, you won’t get caught up in the chaos of being so busy, which can reduce your stress and anxiety.

View messages or news immediately.

Bombarding yourself with tons of information in the morning isn’t going to make you feel any calmer.

Checking social media, headlines, or emails first thing in the morning can leave you feeling overwhelmed or distracted from the morning tasks needed for a successful day.

Plus, if you hear anxiety-inducing news (which is often the case), you’ll feel even worse.

Sleep deprivation.

A good night’s sleep is important for reducing anxiety the next day.If you get a good night’s sleep, then you get a good arousal response from your cortisol.That in itself can be a kickstart for the body throughout the day.

A bad night’s sleep means you don’t have a cortisol awakening response.It means that in the afternoon when you’re supposed to be resting, you’re still catching up on sleep and still having a stress response.

Then you’ll sleep poorly again,which can create a cycle of stress and poor sleep.I think the best secret to reducing anxiety in the morning is to get a good night’s sleep.

Drinking too much caffeine.

Excessive intake of caffeine is a major trigger for anxiety.Caffeine has been known to make you hyperactive, sometimes nervous, and sometimes anxious.

The definition of caffeine overdose varies from person to person – some people can’t tolerate caffeine at all, while others drink several cups of coffee a day without feeling anxious.But overall, the Mayo Clinic recommends that adults limit their caffeine intake to no more than 400 milligrams.That’s the equivalent of about four cups of coffee.

In addition, excessive caffeine intake may unknowingly lead to problems such as sleep deprivation and even dehydration.

Do you need more sleep?Do you need a break from work?Do you need extra support at work?Caffeine may seem like the answer, but it’s certainly not a long-term solution.Using caffeine to fulfill these needs will only force you to stick around, thus making you feel even more anxious.

Drinking coffee on an empty stomach.

On top of that, if you drink coffee before you eat breakfast, your stress levels increase even further.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, drinking coffee on an empty stomach can cause anxiety in addition to nervousness.Why?Because your body absorbs caffeine faster when you don’t have food in your stomach.

Start your day with negative self-talk.

Starting the day with negative self-talk or self-critical conversations can also lead to anxiety.

Try to take control of your negative self-talk patterns and then think about how those thoughts make you feel stressed or anxious throughout the day.(Think about it: when you walk into the office, you won’t feel calm if you tell yourself that all your coworkers think you’re incompetent or don’t care what you think.)

There are a few things you can do to reduce anxiety in the morning.

Regularity is the secret to good stress hormones.This includes eating at the same time every day, going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time.

These are all ways to help your body anticipate the day so it doesn’t have to be overworked.

It’s also a good idea to incorporate joy into your morning routine – especially if you’re someone who doesn’t like mornings.You can try taking the time to journal, set a goal for the day, or do whatever you need to do to add some joy to your daily routine.

In addition to a morning routine, Shirtcliff recommends socializing with others in the afternoon and taking time out of your day to meditate and relax.Eating a nutritious diet, drinking enough water and exercising regularly are also ways to combat anxiety.

It’s also a good idea to do something ahead of time to help your morning routine.What is one thing you can do today to help you organize your morning routine?Even if it’s a very small thing, like getting your clothes ready the night before so you feel more prepared?

By thinking ahead, you can prepare for the next day and reduce the stress that makes you feel restless and anxious in the morning.