How to Calm Terrible Anxiety in the Morning

Looking for simple and effective ways to deal with terrible anxiety in the morning? Here are 11 sure-fire tips you should try out.

Waking up to that familiar knot of anxiety already tightening in your chest is one of the worst feelings—ever.

Your mind starts racing, a thousand thoughts clash in your head, and suddenly the day ahead feels overwhelming.

As busy professionals juggling the demands of work and personal life, stress and anxiety significantly impact our productivity and overall well-being. But if you implement the simple yet effective strategies I’ll share with you today, you will finally be able to calm morning anxiety.

You will start every day with excitement and focus, even on those challenging mornings when it feels like the odds are stacked against you. But first, let’s talk about how our mood affects productivity.

How Mood Affects Productivity

Our mood plays a tremendous role in determining how productive we can be throughout the day. This research survey found that 88% of employees are more productive when they are happy at work. 

Conversely, negative emotions such as anxiety and stress can have detrimental effects on efficiency. No wonder workplace stress costs U.S. businesses over $300 billion annually in lost productivity. 

Hence, there’s no doubt that “mood” directly impacts our ability to perform effectively in both personal and professional settings. So, knowing how to control morning anxiety will improve your mood, productivity, and overall well-being.

How to Break the Cycle of Morning Anxiety: 11 Tips

If you’ve ever asked, “What helps morning anxiety?” Here are 10 tips to stop terrible anxiety attacks in the morning and actually get things done.

1. Prepare the Night Before

Leaving things until the last minute sets off anxiety pretty quickly. You wake up and have no clue what to do or where to start. 

Make it a part of your nighttime routine to prepare for the next day. This will calm the morning chaos to a large extent.

If choosing an outfit wastes your time, select your clothes the night before. If waking up to dirty dishes sets off your mood, clear the sink in the evening. 

2. Get Adequate Sleep

Adequate sleep is essential for stress relief and, also, for starting the day on a positive note. On average, the recommended sleep period for optimal health and productivity is 7-8 hours. 

Develop a consistent bedtime routine to ensure you get proper sleep. You can limit TV and screen time at night to improve sleep quality because, when you get adequate rest, you feel refreshed and ready to take on the day.

3. Establish a Healthy Morning Routine

Create a healthy and consistent morning routine. Wake up at the same time each day and engage in mindfulness techniques (such as making a journal entry) and energy-boosting activities (such as running, taking a walk, and dancing).

Having a set series of actions to follow can provide a sense of structure and stability, which sets a positive vibe for every day.

4. Create & Prioritize Your To-Do List

Waking up without a to-do list and waking up to a long list of tasks result in the same issues, such as nervousness, restlessness, and an inability to focus. 

So, create a daily to-do list and prioritize your tasks by focusing on the most important and urgent ones first. This keeps anxiety under control by ensuring you tackle the most critical and time-sensitive items on your list. 

Consider using task prioritization techniques to streamline your workflow and increase productivity.

5. Practice Deep Breathing Exercises

Deep breathing is a simple and effective way to calm the mind. It activates the body’s relaxation response and promotes a sense of peace and clarity.

When you feel overwhelmed by terrible anxiety in the morning, take some minutes to focus on how you breathe. 

Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth. Do this repetitively to release tension with each breath. You can use a guided mindfulness or yoga app to practice deep breathing exercises.

6. Use Workflow Management Tools

For busy professionals, staying organized and on track is essential for increased productivity and stress management. 

Workflow tools will help you prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, stay organized, and streamline your processes. These include task and project management tools, automation software, plug ‘n’ play templates, and time-tracking tools.

7. Incorporate Mindfulness Techniques

Mindfulness will help you develop a calm mind and focus your attention on the present moment. This improves your nervous system and helps you think and act without judgment or anxiety. 

You can practice other mindfulness techniques, such as morning pages journaling, yoga practices, and reciting positive affirmations. 

8. Set Realistic Expectations

“Expectations” is one anxiety trigger we don’t talk about enough. As humans, we set expectations for ourselves, and oftentimes, we go out of our way to meet the expectations other people have set for us.

Things may not always go as planned, and you may not be able to accomplish your set goals by the expected deadlines. 

It’s okay to accept this and focus on what you can control, such as setting realistic expectations and adjusting your strategies when things don’t pan out as you thought.

9. Focus on Self-Care

Anxiety can be your body’s response to stress. If you want to start each day feeling chill and productive, make self-care a priority.

Take time each morning to engage in activities that nourish your physical and mental health. This can be eating healthy diets, going for a walk, sweating it out in the gym, spending time in nature, doing mindfulness yoga, and setting a work-life balance.

10. Try the Self-Evaluation Method

Anxiety often comes with a lot of “what if” thoughts. So, when next you feel anxious, challenge your thoughts by asking yourself these two questions:

• “What’s the evidence for and against this thought?” 
• “What would I tell a friend in this situation?” 

This evaluation method can help you gain a more balanced perspective and calmness.

11. Seek Professional Support

Sometimes, it looks like your actions and patience aren’t enough. When this happens, remember that you’re doing the best you can and maintain consistency.

However, if morning anxiety becomes unmanageable for you, seek professional help from a medical expert, therapist, counselor, or anxiety coach. They can provide effective guidance, coping strategies, and even medications for managing morning anxiety.

Dealing With Terrible Anxiety in the Morning

With the right mindset and strategies, you can wake up to anxiety-free mornings and start every day on a positive note. 

Implement these tips to control morning anxiety symptoms and boost overall productivity. This would not change overnight, but with patience and consistency, you will overcome morning anxiety and have fulfilling days.