Morning anxiety is real—here are 5 expert-backed steps to beat it

Beep beep beep… It’s the first sound that many of us hear first thing in the day.

For some, the buzz of the alarm clock is a sunshine-and-rise (that morning scene from Barbie comes to mind). For others, it’s the dreaded beckoning of yet another episode of morning anxiety.

The ughs, the blechs, the sighs come out as you haul your butt out of bed and muster all the energy you’ve got to face the day.

Interestingly, though, it’s not uncommon to wake up feeling anxious. According to Dr. Caroline Leaf, a neuroscientist and the trainer of Mindvalley’s Calm Mind: A Scientific Guide to Managing Anxiety and Depression Quest, it’s “due to naturally elevated cortisol levels.”

But if it’s something natural, then can you do anything about it? Can you pull Barbie-type mornings with that Barbie-like enthusiasm?

Surely. And when you learn the how-tos, you can Barbie-wave that anxiety in the morning goodbye.

Why do I have anxiety in the morning?

Morning anxiety can—bam!—hit like a freight train. And there’s a whole bunch of reasons why. One big one? It’s your body’s natural rhythm—when you wake up, it releases cortisol, a.k.a., the stress hormone.

Sure, it’s supposed to give you the energy boost you need to get going. But for some of us, that surge can come with a side of unease and anxiousness.

At the same time, there are other factors that can throw off your morning vibes:

• Not enough sleep
• Poor quality sleep
• Too much caffeine
• Stressful thoughts running through your mind
• Anticipating the day ahead
• Hormonal changes
• Digestive issues
• General anxiety disorder (GAD)

If left untreated, morning anxiety could progress to more severe and pervasive generalized anxiety.

— Liz Hughes, licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) with ADHDAdvisor.org and owner of Mind Body Therapy PLLC

Here’s the thing: Anxiety is really your body’s way of waving a flag, letting you know something’s up. Dr. Leaf calls these “emotional warning signals”—they’re your mind’s way of saying, “Hey, pay attention to what’s happening inside.”

And once you get a handle on what’s triggering them, you can start swapping out those ugh mornings for more upbeat ones.

Symptoms of morning anxiety

According to Liz Hughes, a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) with ADHDAdvisor.org and the owner of Mind Body Therapy PLLC, morning anxiety can feel more “intense than general anxiety, possibly because of the dramatic shift from sleep to feelings of anxiousness.”

In an interview with Mindvalley Pulse, she highlights what you can look out for:

• Physical symptoms
  • Racing heart
  • Tightness in your chest
  • Restlessness
  • Sweating
  • Tense muscles
  • Nausea or upset stomach

• Mental symptoms
  • Racing thoughts
  • Overwhelm
  • Irritability
  • Feeling of dread
  • Difficulty focusing
  • Fatigue

If these morning anxiety symptoms are getting too hard to handle, the fear of what’s to come is likely cranked up to another level. Liz explains that in cases like these, you could have feelings of panic or panic attacks.

On top of that, the “inability to work or engage in your social life because of worsening anxiety, or heavily relying on substances to get through the day or manage anxiety” are also clear signs your condition is getting worse.

If your anxiety is taking over your everyday life, it’s important to reach out for help. A therapist or counselor can help you manage it and feel more like yourself again.

How to break the cycle of morning anxiety with an expert-backed 5-step technique

Getting those occasional jitters first thing in the morning isn’t anything to be alarmed about. However, Liz points out that if you don’t take measures to learn how to reduce cortisol, that morning anxiety could spiral into something more serious.

“If left untreated, morning anxiety could progress to more severe and pervasive generalized anxiety,” she explains. That means the episodes of anxiousness can happen at any time of the day, not just in the A.M.

Not only that, Dr. Leaf points out that unmanaged stress can spike cortisol levels. The good news? Her clinical trial found that people who used mind-management techniques saw those levels drop significantly.

The result? Better mental health and a reduced risk of heart and brain issues.

The goal is not to get rid of anxiety but [to] understand its cause and manage it in a way that is useful rather than disruptive.”

— Liz Hughes, licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) with ADHDAdvisor.org and owner of Mind Body Therapy PLLC

So how do you get there? Start with Dr. Leaf’s five-step technique to break the cycle of morning anxiety:

1. Gather awareness

By gathering awareness, you’re taking control. Instead of letting the feelings overwhelm you, you’re stepping back and recognizing them.

“It’s very much you deliberately and intentionally going into your multiple perspective advantage,” Dr. Leaf explains. Simply put, you observe your thoughts and emotions from a detached, neutral standpoint.

So notice what’s going on inside you. 

• What emotions are popping up?
• How are you acting or responding?
• What physical sensations are you noticing in your body?
• How are you viewing the situation?

This self-observation is mindfulness in a nutshell. And by being aware, you can figure out what’s setting off your anxiety so you can start managing it.

Learn more: Mindfulness for anxiety: 20 practices to try today for a worry-free life

2. Reflect

Once you’ve recognized your thoughts and feelings, it’s time to reflect on them. Ask yourself, “Why am I feeling this way?”

According to Dr. Leaf, when you do so, you force “this very deep interaction in the middle of the brain, and that then allows you to get deeper insight.”

It’s all about getting curious. Maybe you woke up anxious because you’ve got a big meeting later. Or perhaps it’s something more subtle—like lingering stress from the day before.

Try meditating or talking things out loud (yes, even to yourself). It might feel a bit weird at first, but these practices can help calm your mind and give you a fresh perspective.

However you choose to reflect, this step helps you figure out what’s really bothering you so you can start working on the solution.

Learn more: Here’s how meditation for anxiety can calm your chaos (+5 guided meditations to try)

3. Write

Now, take those swirling thoughts and get them onto paper. Writing things down isn’t just cathartic—it helps you see the situation clearly. Plus, you might uncover something you hadn’t realized was bugging you.

Dr. Leaf recommends a technique called Metacog®, which helps you visually organize your thoughts. “It organizes your thoughts in such a way as to mirror the way that thought is physically embedded in your brain.”

Using this method not only helps you sort out complicated thoughts, but it also boosts your memory and helps your brain form healthier connections.

Bonus: It makes everything feel less overwhelming. And that can give you a sense of emotional balance and control over your anxiety.

4. Recheck

Here’s where you get to be a detective. Go back over what you’ve written and see if there are any patterns jumping out at you.

Are there common triggers? Certain thoughts or actions that keep showing up?

While you’re doing this, you’re also prepping your brain for new insights. Dr. Leaf says this process helps promote theta brain waves, which create the space your brain needs for healing.

So, take another look. Are there connections between your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions that you hadn’t noticed before?

What you’re really after here are the solutions you might have overlooked. And when you find them, the big question to ask yourself is: “This has happened—what can I do about it?”

5. Active reach

Now that you’ve dug through your thoughts, it’s time to put it all into action with active reach. This is a small, positive step that helps you stop the overthinking and spirals of negativity.

Create a simple, positive statement like, “I’m feeling anxious, but I’m learning how to manage it.” Dr. Leaf suggests pairing this with a visual, like picturing a white rose, to make it even more effective.

It’s important to repeat your statement (and visualize) whenever anxiety starts creeping back in. Each time you do this, you’re rewiring your brain and slowly replacing the old anxious patterns with healthier ones.

Little by little, these tiny actions help break the cycle of anxiety and give you more control over your mornings.

Frequently asked questions

Why is anxiety worse in the morning?

Because the body naturally releases cortisol in the morning, anxiety can feel more intense at that time.

According to Liz, this early cortisol surge, combined with the body’s natural “fight or flight” response, can heighten physical and mental responses. But as she would remind us, anxiety is a “healthful trait designed to keep us safe.”

“The goal is not to get rid of anxiety,” she explains, “but [to] understand its cause and manage it in a way that is useful rather than disruptive.”

How long does morning anxiety last?

There’s no specific answer to this question only because it really depends on the person and their situation. For some, it lasts a few minutes. For others, several hours.

The thing is, factors like your mindset, how much sleep you get, or what’s stressing you out about the day ahead can be major contributors to how long the anxiety lingers.

Liz explains there are healthy coping skills that you can adopt to manage morning (or even general) anxiety. These include “mindfulness, meditation, CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) skills, and the use of psychotropic medications if needed.”

How to lower morning cortisol anxiety

If morning anxiety has been weighing you down, there are a few simple ways Liz suggests to manage it:

• Start by slowing down your morning routine—avoid jumping straight into tasks.
• Try mindfulness practices like meditation or deep breathing to calm your mind.
• Ground yourself and bring your focus back to the present with the 3-3-3 rule: Look around and name three things you see, three things you hear, and move three parts of your body.
• Work on your sleep routine to get better rest and wake up feeling more balanced.
• If it feels overwhelming, don’t hesitate to reach out to your doctor or therapist for extra support.

By making these small changes, you can eventually reduce morning anxiety and feel more in control of your day.

Futureproof your well-being

Not all of us can wake up like Barbie—full of energy and sunshine from the get-go. Morning anxiety can feel like the complete opposite of that movie-perfect scene.

But here’s the upside: with a Mindvalley account, you can start transforming your mornings into something a little more “Barbie-esque.”

Sign up for free to get a sneak peek into quests that can help support your well-being in many ways. Here are a few you might find helpful:

• Calm Mind: A Scientific Method for Managing Anxiety and Depression with Dr. Caroline Leaf for strategies to manage stress and anxiety.
• The Mastery of Sleep with Dr. Michael Breus to improve your sleep and reduce restless nights.
• Superbrain with Jim Kwik to boost your brain performance and get focused for the day ahead.

So, while Barbie might make it look easy, you can get there, too—with the right tools in your morning routine.

Welcome in.