Why do I experience anxiety in the morning?

                Thank you for this question, reader. Actually, the very best person to help answer your questions is you, BUT I can hopefully help point you in the right direction when it comes to what to ask yourself. There could be several different things at work, maybe even working together, if you feel an anxious first thing when you wake up.

                Anxiety Disorders are a result of something going on with your brain function. In that way, if you have an overactive anxiety response, think of it as the body’s alarm system going a little haywire; your body might just not be waking in a normal, restful state. As your brain is waking, it could just start sending anxiety-related chemical responses to the rest of the body. Hence, you are not being able to feel relaxed even when you are first waking. This is obviously not your fault.

                Secondly, you might be experiencing anxiety when you wake in response to intense emotional experiences in your dreams. You may not even remember the content of your dreams, but while you are sleeping, your brain is hard at work processing a lot of stress and other emotional content from your memories. If you had an intense dream that provoked anxiety and then you were aroused out of sleep, you might bring some of that anxiety response with you into your waking state. This is obviously not your fault.

                Lastly, upon reflection, many people can recognize some pattern to when, why, and how they feel anxious. When you wake, what do you find yourself thinking about the first thing? Are you going over the tasks to be completed that day? Are you dreading the morning routine? Does your body hurt? Do you worry about your job or other responsibilities? Your brain might start sending signals to the body that this day will be a difficult one based on the thoughts it starts to generate. This is obviously not your fault.

                I hope you have been able to ask yourself some helpful questions as a result of reading this. If you wake up more often in the morning with anxiety, I recommend seeking help from a mental health professional. They will likely help you do more of the above to help you understand, manage, and decrease anxiety over time. If you are often waking with anxiety, you are also feeling quite tired, and a mental health pro can help you improve your sleep as well.