Early Morning Anxiety

Group, does anyone have early morning anxiety?  When I awake in the morning, I tend to have heightened anxiety.  I can feel my body shaking internally.  I have to do deep breathing exercises to calm myself down.  When I get up and get going it tends to work itself out.  On the reverse side of this, my afternoons and evenings are just fine -- no anxiety at all.  I'm just curious if anybody knows the answer to this riddle and if anyone experiences this too.  Thanks!

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

oh yes when i have anxiety its the worse in the mornings, by afternoon am feeling better most days. i would wake up every morning for 3 months with my head tingling my ears hot and tingling a fear of doom sick stomack felt weak and tired . it will last all day up untill about 4 or 5 pm than it would get better go bed ok . wake up same way. so yes i know how that feels. dont know why mine was like that . maybe when my hubby got home from work i felt better because he was there , my dr said its because i didnt know what the day would hold. could be . but i wish you luck, i would get up and try to keep busy didnt help most the time , but i never just stoped doing. seems when i was on phone or someone over i felt better to , it took me 4 months to pull out and only with the help of klonopin did i do it , am now drug free and doing ok still have the tingling /burn of head and ears from time to time but other wise ok. hope you have a great day and try relax remember its just your body putting off a hormone making you that way . you will be ok.

[suzi-q]

Yes, yes, yes!!!!  EVERY SINGLE MORNING!  I wake up anxious and slightly nauseous...I hate it.  This has been going on for years now...I wish I had an answer....if you figure it out, let me know!

[ziggy123]

I begin my day wondering "which shoe will drop today." I just want to get rid of the constant nercousness in my stomach, that horrible uncertainty that drives my day. Does anyone have any suggestions. I have been told to cut back on my coffee intake, that it could be at the root of all sorts of my issues, heart palpitations, nervousness, etc. But I wake up this way, before I have had my 4 morning cups of coffee.

[Shannon Wyatt]

Ryan, I'm wondering your input on this situtation.  Why do you think it occurs more readily in the morning as opposed to the afternoon or evenng?  Further, do you think taking Klonopin could eliminate or help this situation.  Further, I experience shaking/tremors for the majority part of the earlier day.  Do you think Klonopin could help in this situtation too?

Thanks!  I always appreciate and respect your opinions.

[7essa]

I have the same problem.  When I wake up I feel anxious and my stomach hurts.

[suzi-q]

Aren't we a bunch of messes!!!!!  SOMEONE HELP!

[Chelle1044]

I thought I was the only one with this morning problem!!  It has been going on for years.  I do feel better as the day progresses and best in the eve when the day is over.  Had been taking Lorazapam off and on for anxiety and thought taking it at night would help me wake up less anxious.  Doesn't really work. Feel like I need to take it before I get out of bed. Started Paxil and have hope.  Only been on it for a week.  Any more suggestions?  Exhausted before the day even starts.

[mary m]

I have it early morning anxiety really really bad. I have been attributing it to Ativan withdrawal. I get cold and internally shaky. It's terrible. I even got it when I was on later stages of Ativan;it really got bad this summer. This morning I had a shirt, two sweaters, and covered in a blanket. Mary

[mia193]

Hi
I too have extreme shaky, nervous, almost like little twitches/bubbles feeling and very anxious in the morning upon awaking.  I know it is anxiety related, but I also just realized that it could be that in the am our blood sugar is low from obviously not eating since dinner and it could be a little bit of hypoglycemia going on, and then when it starts it gets worse w/the anxiety reaction that goes along with it.  I definitely feel better as the day goes on, but still from time to time get that feeling when my blood sugar drops.
I do the belly breathing excercises too, and try like mad to reverse my thought process or it gets out of control!   It is so comforting to know I am not the only one experiencing this!

[mia193]

I get that way too before my coffee in the am - the palps, etc!  it is awful- do you do anything special to relieve it?

[ziggy123]

It is a feeling of apprehension that I feel, uncertainty. While I know the adverse side effects, I have always needed coffee to start functioning. Now with all of my heartbeat issues, I am trying NOT to drink so much coffee. What are your palps like? Is it a pounding, skipping beats, fast, slow? Can you describe it?

[mia193]

I also need coffee to start functioning too.  Mine are different every time - sometimes it is skipping beats, and pounding, and it can be fast or slow!  I have no pattern - it just happens out of the blue (at least that is mine feeling!) and it is awful!  It does not make me dizzy or take my breath away and I don't ever (knock on wood) get chest pain w/it.  How about you?

[ziggy123]

Thank you! Thank you! for saying that yours can be fast or slow. It eases my mind when I read that someone has the same thing as I do. I have been glued to the internet looking up every possibility for my poor perfomance on my stress test yesterday. Heartbeat too fast, too slow, skipping beats. etc. I can talk myself in or out of almost all of the possible ailments I have found! My weird beats do not make me dizzy, I do not have chest pain, etc. I do get that nervous stomach feeling however, even worse now, because I am afraid the wackiness is assocaited with some kind of heart failure. Have you ever had a stress test?

[mary m]

I rememebe once Ryan once said it has to do with a surge in cortisol, the hormone that works in the am to wake us up.It'sinm chronicle of withdrawing from Ativan onto Klonopin. Mary

[mia193]

i lost my post - sorry!
I have had a stress test and it was normal except i do have mitral valve prolapse confirmed on an echocardiogram. It is the mild form of it.  I also get the nervous stomach feeling as well, which again may be contributed to the lack of food from pm to am- i am just guessing this is my deal.  Have you had a stress test yet?  
I don't take klonopin or  ativan, only an occasional xanax - .25mg here and there when i get in a real panic!  It very well could be do to a surge in with cortisol - that is a possibility.  Thanks for the suggestion mary m.

[wishiknewbetter]

I called out of my internship several mornings because my anxiety was so bad that I just did not want to get out of bed. One morning i woke up, flipped out and went to the hospital...only to be told that I was fine.

[Kt28]

I get anxiety in the morning, and it goes away around 12-1.  This is due to low blood sugar and cortisal (sp).  It is very common for anxiety to be worse in the morning.  Therapy, SSRIs, and behavior-cognitive therapy will help.  I started taking Colazapam at night and in the morning.  This helps until the Lexapro will kick in.  Also, caffeine is not a good idea.  It just stimulates you and makes anxiety worse....sorry.  Another thing to try is to not wake up thinking about anxiety.  If you are worried about anxiety it will only bring it on.  Do something productive, but not too stressful.

[drewy412]

I totally get the nervousness in the morning. I currently have so much energy in the morning that sometimes I feel as though I am gonna burst! I try to take my mind off of it and keep busy with work , excercise, daily activities etc... Xanax helps a bit, but I am trying not to be too dependent. Sometimes I feel almost manic (my therapist asures me I dont have bipolar disorder). Anyway, I feel your pain. Try and use your energy towards something positive like cleaning or excercise!!!

[hitman60]

Oh yes, the morning anxiety. I have had that my entire life.....literally!. I remember feeling that as a young boy. Now, I am feeling it a bit more because I am titrating slowly off of Klonopin .5mg. It seems odd though, as soon as my feet hit the floor, I take a few deep breaths, squeeze and kiss my cat, and get my coffee and Oatmeal, say a little prayer,  then I am good to go. Thank God for Fox and Friends, because Brian Kilmede and that crew make me laugh and I am a damn Democrat!!!

[maestro22172]

i think it runs in the family. my nephew is experiencing night terrors and all my life i have waken up at least a few times a week feeling uncontrolably scared and frightened for no reason, it screws up my whole day. im thinking it must be a bad dream i was waking up from but cant remember having a dream, or i dont remember what it was about but have the feeling of being in a really bad dream. im on paxil and have been for many years. this helps but only if i take it at night. i want to get off the stuff...how do i do this without all the withdrawls?

[Jtroyer]

Personally...I woke up MID-panic attack at 6am thismorning. The morning anxiety and nausea/vomiting is so intense. Thismorning I had to put my shoes on and go out into the cold and just pace my driveway. Sort of helped. I have heard that exercise will release "feel good" hormones and it can help. Seems to have helped me ward off the increase to full blown attack just by walking and walking...about a half hour! And its 35* here thismorning! But...it helped just to breathe in the thin cold air!
However, I know mine is being caused by a hyperthyroid! Nodule and goiters and thyroid issues can set off panic/anxiety disorder. I never had these before so they're very scary and I have to fight with everything I am to control it. Its a curse! =(

[morninganxiety]

I had a similiar problem and eventually determined that that cause, for me, was excess production of a hormone called cortisol.  Cortisol is naturally released as part of the body's reaction to stress, but chronic stress can result in too much of the hormone being produced.  Cortisol production is at its highest point in the morning in order to prepare the body for the day.  It is at its lowest point in the evening so that the body can prepare for sleep.  If you experience severe anxiety in the morning but feel mostly normal in the evening, that might be a sign that cortisol is the problem.  

The solution I found was to take an over the counter supplement called Phosphatidyl Serine or PS.  Research indicates that PS helps to counter high cortisol levels and helps to repair the cause of the hormone imbalance.  I took 300mg of PS before bed every night and started to notice an improvement after about four days.  Within a week and a half my sleep pattern was mostly back to normal and I was able to wake up naturally without feeling severe anxiety.  The PS upset my stomach the first night I took it, but otherwise I experienced no side effects.  I was able to purchase the Phosphatidyl Serine at a health food store and it was somewhat expensive.  Theoritically the supplement should only be needed for a short time until the hormone imbalance is fixed.

I'm not a doctor and all the information presented here is from my own research as a layman.  In my personal experience the PS supplement seems to have helped with the severe anxiety I felt in the mornings.  This may not be the case for everyone, and I would encourage everyone to do their own research and consult with their doctor.  

[anxiety321]

I had the same problem and eventually discovered that it might be caused by a magnesium deficiency.  I felt a little better after a few weeks of taking magnesium supplements.  When I added a dose of vitamin B-6 100mg (taken in the morning to avoid vivid dreams) it was like flicking a switch.  I woke up normally for the first time in seven months after adding the B-6 (which helps cells absorb magnesium).

I suggest looking up the symptoms of magnesium deficiency to see if that might be the cause.  Apparently no one gets as much magnesium in their diet as they should, but there are factors such as stress that can drain magnesium from the body.  For a more thorough explanation you might want to check out a book called The Magnesium Miracle.

Magnesium can be supplemented with over the counter pills.  It comes in several forms that all work fairly well.  "Chelated" magnesium is the best absorbed but more expensive.  Don't take magnesium oxide as it is poorly absorbed.  There is also "magnesium oil" which can be absorbed through the skin.  Supposedly it is absorbed more easily than oral supplementation and helps restore magnesium reserves faster, but I haven't tried it out yet.

The correct dosage of magnesium is different for each person and can be anywhere between 200mg-1000mg a day.  It's difficult to overdose on magnesium, but too much magnesium can cause diarrhea (which exacerbates the deficiency) so start with a low dose and work up.  Vitamin B-6 can be toxic in high doses, so don't take more than the recommend amount if you decide to try a b-6 supplement.

Other mineral deficiencies such as potassium or calcium can cause similiar symptoms, but magnesium deficiency seems to be far more common.  You may also want to look into Hyperventilation Syndrome, which can also be caused by a magnesium deficiency.  

[patti103]

I've been having the same problems for about 6 years with the last 13 months being a horror story. I have been in the hospital twice with blood gasses in critical condition due to my "anxiety".

I refused to believe it was all in my head and began demanding tests from my doc. I also spent thousands of dollars on holistic docs that weren't covered by my insurance.

I've had:
ekg
echo cardio
brain ct
full body ct
brain mri
individual mri of each vertebrae
checked: liver, kidneys, appendix, brain, lungs, heart, gal bladder, pituitary, thyroid, female reproductive organs, ears, and I'm sure there are more I am missing.
Findings: deficiencies in B12, D, potassium, magnesium, lysine, arginine, omegas, selenium, progesterone- I was 34 and had the hormones of a post meno woman, yet I was not in meno- that they checked for as well.

They still told me "it's all in your head." I asked, then why am I deficient in so many nutrients? They told me to eat better and go on Lexapro. I eat mostly organic. I refused to take SSRI's anymore- they are instant 40+ lbs for me every time and they are the only reason I have ever gained weight in my adult life. I have 70lbs to shed from them. I finally gave in and saw a shrink. His credentials are amazing. He is adamant that my symptoms are physical and has urged me to keep looking.
Two months ago, I awoke at 4am with severe pain in my right side. I went to the ER, I had colitis- not ulcerative.
Last week, I had an upper endoscopy (for celiacs) and colonoscopy (for things like crohn's). Getting results tomorrow, but the doc said all of these severe problems could stem from simple food allergies. I may not have celiac's or crohn's. Most commonly, milk and wheat can cause these secondary allergic responses that make one eternally sick. I guess what I am saying is when it comes to your health, leave no stone unturned. I knew from the beginning that anxiety is a symptom, not a disease unto itself.
Please do not mess around with local doctors. They are very rarely trained to do anything other than put a band-aid on one's symptoms. University doctors are at the forefront of health care. I only wish i would have known this six years ago.
Good luck to everyone. Look for answers, no one needs to live the symptom of anxiety, it'd be like saying it was okay the live a nail in your foot as long as you keep it clean and change the bandage ever few hours.

[lc1121]

I HAVE IT EVERY MORNING I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING NUTS!!!!!!

[anxietyfighter28]

i wake up every morning like this also.. than im fine all day and feel it comming back in the afternoon. i went through sever anxiety 8 years ago and the dr. put me on zoloft and a low dose of xanax which really pulled me through i went to the doctors not even knowing what was wrong with me i thought i was dying when he asked me my symptoms i explained and told him what i had been feeling and that i thought i was dying he laughed and said oh honey your not dying your having anxiety attacks.. all i know is the medicine started working and after a year i quit the xanax and stayed on my zoloft i havent had a panick attack in 8 years till now.. i stupidly thought hey i been on zoloft 8 years and im fine now i dont need this anymore and was skipping doses and cutting them in half when i remembered to take em.. omg!!! worst mistake ive ever made.. i was so un educated about zoloft withdraw or any anxiety medication withdraw i had no idea i would have such a set back my anxiety started all over again like it was before i cant say worse cuz both times have been bad i quit my job was in bed for a week i was miserable thought i was loosing my mind!! the feelings of fainting overwhelming fear "panick"  vertigo could barley walk diareah nausea i felt like i was in a dream my head was cloudy! ugh just awful i went back on my zoloft 50mg and take it religiously every night i will never do that again and i started taking half a pill of xanax the lowest dose just in the morning to wake up and not panick so bad its been a week since ive been back on my zoloft and am feeling alot better not 100% yet still a lil anxious and cloudy head but nothing like before..i dont even wanna drive or nothing till im completly better.. im just posting this to let people know how seriouse it is when u just stop taking your meds for anxiety like i did and i hope it saves someone from the whole withdraw like me and many others have been through..i say.. if i have to swallow a pill the rest of my life to not feel the horrible anxiety im ok with that! also praying and breathing exersize have worked so far! i have faith in god that he pulls us through just have faith in him!! to anyone suffering with anxiety disorder i just want u to know you are not alone!! many of us go through this!!  you are not going crazy!! =) god bless

[min113]

I started 10mg of lexapro a month ago, took the 10mg for a wk and then the doctor upped my dose to 20mg. After 2 1/2 wks at 20mg I began to experience severe anxiety that lasts all day and have been having every side effect on the list of side effects, its been horrible. After 5 days of this my doctor told me to lower my dose back down to 10mg and take a .5 Xanax every 4 hrs. I wake up every morning around 5:30 in a panic, tingling, vomiting, light headed, diarrhea. I can't take much more.

[edra]

Don't get hooked on Xanax, it is *bad* stuff.   I had terrible anxiety for years due to celiac disease that triggered autoimmune hypthyroidism.   Even when the hypothyroidism was fixed, still couldn't get back to normal; still plagued by middle insomnia/early awakening.   Turns out that a combination of phosphatidylserine, inositol, and chelated magnesium (added to the rest of my usual supplements) turned off the anxiety like magic.  I use PS=150mg plus inositol@500mg plus mag glycinate @ 360mg.  It's become impossible to get enough PS from crappy American food these days.

[nowhopefull]

Yes yes yes