The morning is often the time when most people will experience anxiety. If you wake up feeling nauseous, this may be a possible indication that you are under stress and the nausea is a physical manifestation; often the nausea will be accompanied with an elevated heart rate and shortness of breath.
The problem may be that we are more alert in the mornings. We have the opportunity to start overthinking things and stress over the day ahead. We start running through the “what ifs” and we can begin to feel exhausted even before the day has begun.
In this article I will outline a simple and positive routine that everyone can use to combat the effects of morning anxiety.
Positive Morning Routine:
1. Get Up Earlier.
Even 15 minutes will help. This allows you to ease into the day without the rush. No sudden alarms! Replace with soothing music.
2. Practice Gratitude.
If it’s easier, write a few lines about the wonderful things and people in your life that you are thankful for. Have the paper or card handy by your bed and read it every morning to yourself… Don’t rush. Really think and feel the words you are reading.
2. No Social Media.
Please don’t start checking your phone. You don’t need any stress triggers at this time. Turn off the alerts the night before. Swap this time for a few minutes of mindful meditation or yoga.
3. Exercise.
If you cant get to the Gym, then doing these two exercises at home in the morning is great as it helps to release endorphins into your system. This combats the feelings of low mood and anxiety.
• Slow Deep breathing. To make sure your blood is being properly oxygenated.
• Progressive muscle Relaxation where you simply tense and then relax your muscles from your head down to your feet.
4. Replace The Caffeine.
You don’t need stimulants in your system when you are trying to battle anxiety! Try Camomile Tea as a substitute. Camomile is known to help increase the levels of serotonin and melatonin in your body and helps to combat stress.
5. Make Breakfast a Habit.
After several hours of sleep, with no food or water, we wake up with our blood sugar and hydration levels naturally low. The perfect combination for a feeling of low mood and morning anxiety! So, we must eat to help balance our sugar levels again. Anxiety can cause a loss of appetite, so we need to make ourselves eat something – even a light breakfast like a fresh fruit smoothie!
Below is a great 5 minute breathing routine to help start your day:
I hope this routine to defeat morning anxiety helps you and sets you up for a Positive Day Every Day.