Morning anxiety

[Lind779]

Hi all,

I have developed morning anxiety attacks over the last couple of weeks. This is new to my anxiety which I have had for 3 months.

Spot on 4am every morning I'll awake with heart pulpitations, sweaty palms, tingling in arms, nausea and will start to pacing the house for 3 hrs until I go to work.

This sets the day up with anxiety until the sun goes down and all symptons disappear and have no problems falling asleep.

I have tried breathing techniques but hasn't helped.

What has helped others with this same problem? Need to break the cycle somehow?

Thanks

[Kathryne]

Hi and welcome to beyond blue,

Are you aware of what triggered the first 0400 am wake up?

have you had the heart palpitation checked out to rule out any issue?

Regards Kathryne

[Lind779]

Hi Kathryne,

Ive had an ecg and all came back fine. I think its the thought of the day ahead. How sick Im going to feel, if Im going to vomit. I really enjoy my job so it cant be that but I'm worried about how sick I feel when Im at work.

I've had bad anxiety for 3 months and this morning anxiety is new. I wake up at 4am on the dot in a panic. Its so weird.

[Neil_1]

Hi Lind

Is it possible to delay your going to be time? Push that back a bit to see if that creates a change in the early wake time?

If not, how would you feel about putting on some runners, rugging up and going out for an hour or so – walk, jog, run, whatever? This can have many advantageous effects – it can help with the mind, because you’re out and viewing different things at that time of day; you’re getting or in the process of bettering your fitness and on top of that, it should help to make you even more tired so that your sleep will be even more deep and you may just push past that 4am wake up barrier.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Neil

[Lind779]

Thanks Neil,

Woke up at 5am this morning. That is something I guess but still with anxiety.

Its very dark till 7am here so no going outside Im affraid.

My psychologist has given me some techniques so lets hope that helps a bit.

Just writing this is helping also 😊

[Neil_1]

Hi there Lind,

Hmmm, yes I was thinking afterwards about the getting out and running at that time. BUT, in my ever-thinking mind, and trying to think of active things to do, so as awake hours aren’t wasted; perhaps you could get one or two dvd’s where exercise is the thing. So you could do your own little aerobics or stretch classes, in the confines and comfort of your own loungeroom. Just me thinking with some weird and wacky ideas; sorry about that.

I’m really pleased that your psych has put forward some suggestions for you and I do hope that they help you.

You know, the writing thing is very underestimated as well. I’m pleased again to hear that you said that writing helps. I find it helps a lot, and there are so many others on here that have said the same thing.

I don’t know about you, but I find talking to be very difficult and you get tongue-tied and anxious about what to say, etc; but with writing, you get a buffer-zone, where you can take your time in manufacturing a response and it can help you to get your message across.

As always, please feel free to continue writing here also.

Neil

[awesomenesstocome]

I go through times of having morning anxiety, it will go on for a couple of weeks. I take rescue remedy and do a meditation, sometimes I will fall back to sleep. If I dont I get up and potter around the house. Breaking the cycle is the trick. Change your routine in the morning, by putting on music, read, do something nice for yourself. It is also said we have morning anxiety due to a sugar drop. Keep a snack on your bedside table.

Hope this helps

regards Tracy

[Mal50]

Hi Lind779, if all else fails may I suggest hypnosis therapy. Perhaps there is some locked subconscious memory triggering your 4am anxiety attacks.

[Lind779]

Thanks Tracey. You are right. I have to break tge habit.

[Lind779]

Was thinking of hypnosis and acupuncture. I'll try anything at the moment