GAD or Generalized anxiety disorder refers to a condition wherein patients feel anxious and tense, almost all the time, over situations that would not usually be bothersome.
A few symptoms associated with GAD include; restlessness, exhaustion, lump in the throat feelings, irritation, increased alertness, breathing issues, increased perspiration, depersonalization and blood pressure issues. Also, anxiety and worrying about things tend to switch from one aspect of life to another.
Some of the most common causes of Generalized Anxiety include financial problems, relationship issues, fear of unfulfilled ambition, bad work-life, irregular diet, poor sleep, and increased stimulants intake, etc.
Dealing with Generalized Anxiety in the mornings
The best way to minimize the effects of GAD is by doing certain things in the morning itself after waking up. This will prepare you for the rest of the day.
The first thing to do is to remember and remind yourself that all the symptoms that you are experiencing or may experience over the course of the day are normal. Besides following a proven CBT based treatment plan, you may also follow the options listed below to help cope with Generalized Anxiety, especially in the mornings.
Post-it Notes: Write positive notes, like ‘it will be a great day,’ and stick them near the bed and other places in your house. Looking at them after waking up will boost your ability to cope with the day ahead as well as enhance positive vibes.
Writing in a fresh start journal: Start writing a journal every day, before you go to sleep and after waking up. You may write just a few lines in the beginning and then progress to writing paragraphs. Ensure that you write the positive aspects of the day gone by and about the hopeful day ahead.
Change aspects of work that cause stress: Work is often one of the main causes of anxiety. Find out all the aspects of your job that you find stressful and work with your therapist for options on what you could do to make work more enjoyable and less stressful.
Repetition of positive phrases: Affirmation with true emotions behind them is a good exercise to follow in the mornings. Repeated utterance of positive thoughts and phrases, especially when you are anxious or sad, can eventually result in positive changes to your outlook towards life in general.
Set goals for the day: Every morning, set a goal that you want to achieve for the day. You may divide the method to achieve the goal into many small sub-goals and finish them one by one. This will help avoid added pressure and burden of fulfilling a goal and by the end of the day you would have achieved your goal for the day, thereby making you feel good about yourself.
Other options: There are many other options that patients may follow to reduce anxiety in the mornings. You may try yoga, meditation, and relaxation techniques; eat a healthy breakfast and a balanced diet for the day; go jogging or engage in other forms of physical activity; socialize; limit intake of coffee, alcohol, etc; quit smoking; join an anxiety group; sleep well and for required amounts of time; and avoid procrastinating resolution of relationship problems.
Putting these steps into action on a daily basis will give you a sense of progress. With progress comes happiness and with happiness comes much improved confidence over GAD.
Share What Helps You Deal With Generalized Anxiety In The Morning In The Comment Section Below.
I’ve found that cardiovascular exercise (I do rowing!) first thing in the morning absolutely puts me in a much better and less anxious mood during the day!
Great momentum for the rest of the day definitely Ben.
I find that doing exercise in the morning definitely helps me stay more positive and focused throughout the day. I also try and make a list of a couple of goals for the day – it makes me feel a sense of achievement once I’ve crossed them all off. This usually puts me in a pretty good mood. I think staying active and keeping busy (mentally and physically) can definitely help. I also like the idea of putting positive notes and phrases around the house.