Why Am I Waking Up Anxious
If you are wondering why you are waking up anxious this blog post is for you. We will share some reasons why and then what you can do.
How stress signals get dysregulated
For many people, anxiety starts from the moment they open their eyes in the morning. Some may even spend the first hour or more of every day narrowly avoiding a panic attack. Morning anxiety may initially be easily linked to a source of stress, but management can feel complicated when symptoms persist long after obvious stressors have been eliminated.
This is commonly the case when new morning anxiety starts during or after a period of chronic stress. Understanding how long periods of stress can affect a hormonal messaging system called the HPA axis can give insight to why so many people experience this type of anxiety, and what may help.
What is the HPA axis?
The HPA axis stands for the “hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal” axis. It’s a constant feedback loop that communicates stress responses between two parts of our brain, called the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, and a part of our endocrine system, called the adrenal glands.
The hypothalamus is a small structure that sits deep in the brain directly above the pea-sized pituitary gland, which sits at the base of the brain. In response to stress, special cells in the hypothalamus release a chemical messenger directly to the pituitary gland, which in turn releases a second chemical messenger into the bloodstream.
This messenger moves through the bloodstream to the outer portion of the adrenal glands, called the adrenal cortex— the production site of the well-known hormone cortisol. When that chemical messenger sent by the pituitary gland makes contact with the adrenal cortex, it stimulates the production and release of cortisol into the bloodstream.
Cortisol then travels back through the blood to interact with many parts of the body and brain, causing changes like increased heart rate, sweating, and even feelings of anxiety.
How does chronic stress affect the body?
Typically, when its levels get high enough in the blood, cortisol signals the hypothalamus and pituitary gland to stop sending the messages that initiate its production. This is called a negative feedback loop. It enables the body to safely respond to stress without raising hormone levels beyond a healthy limit. Chronic stress can make this negative feedback loop less effective.
Persistent stress signals keep cortisol levels high, resulting in the brain receiving an overwhelming amount of “stop production” messages throughout the day as the body attempts to maintain healthy levels. But when that “stop” message is received too often, the brain becomes less sensitive to respond to it, and the necessary communication from the brain to the body to stop cortisol production doesn’t happen as often as it should. The end result is consistently elevated levels of cortisol in the blood, rather than the natural fluctuations seen in healthy functioning.
How do higher cortisol levels impact sleep and anxiety?
Among many other things, cortisol is important for our sleep-wake cycles. When properly regulated, cortisol levels are naturally increased in the morning to promote energy, and decreased by nighttime to encourage a restful state.
This sleep-wake cycle, however, also relies on the HPA axis to know when to “start” and “stop” cortisol production. When chronic stress disrupts the HPA axis’ negative feedback loop, this also impacts sleep. Cortisol levels no longer decrease as much as they are supposed to by nighttime. Not only can this result in difficulty going to sleep, or insomnia, but it also means that the cortisol levels in the blood may be higher throughout the night and on waking than normal.
So when you wake up anxious with your heart racing, it may be a result of your levels of cortisol being too high in the mornings.
Why does this still happen even when the stress stops?
It’s common for it to take weeks, months, or even years in some cases for anxiety levels to return to normal after long periods of stress. This is because even when active stress signals stop being sent, the brain needs time to increase its sensitivity to the “stop production” signals again.
During this period of adjustment, cortisol levels may remain consistently high, and the anxiety symptoms will likely stick around too. Think of this like running a marathon. The longer you run, the more your legs will likely hurt. But they don’t stop hurting immediately after you stop running. It takes time for your body to heal and return to regular levels of functioning, and extra rest and care is needed to support that healing process. The same can be said for your brain and mental well-being.
So what can you do while your brain and body heals from chronic stress?
While it’s normal for the body to take some time to return to a consistently calmer state after living through chronic stress, the anxiety and sleep disturbances experienced in the meantime can be debilitating. Remind yourself that healing is a process and your body needs time to find safety and balance again.
If these symptoms are greatly impacting your daily functioning, it’s important to seek out support. Many medical conditions can mimic or cause anxiety, and it’s important to first rule out these possibilities with evaluation by a physician.
It can also be helpful to work with a qualified mental health provider if you are waking up anxious who can help you identify individual stressors and create plans to decrease stress where you can. When you can’t remove a stressor, clinicians can also teach coping skills to improve overall stress management and nervous system regulation.
Additionally, developing a consistent sleep schedule (yes, even on weekends) and appropriate sleep hygiene can be paramount to encouraging your brain to send out those “sleep” and “wake-up” signals at the right times. A little routine can go a long way in supporting a brain that’s already working overtime.
The most important thing, however, is to give yourself grace if you are waking up anxious. Remember that it’s normal for it to take time to feel calm again after managing chronic stress, and there are resources out there to support you along the journey.
Thank you to Faith Davis for this guest blog post. This blog post was clinically reviewed by Dr. Sindhu Singh, therapist at Best Within You Therapy & Wellness. If you are waking up feeling anxious know that therapy can help and we are here to support you.
