Do you wake up feeling anxious? Morning anxiety is real, and here’s how to manage it

Waking up with morning anxiety can feel like the day’s stress hits before your feet even touch the floor.

For many, tension washes over them the moment their eyes open—tight chest, racing thoughts, or a deep sense of dread.

From looming deadlines to everyday worries, the pressure begins before the day starts.

“It can feel like this fog of confusing and unpleasant emotion,” said Kate Wolitzky-Taylor, an associate professor of psychiatry at UCLA.

Why does morning anxiety feel so overwhelming

Morning anxiety isn’t a formal diagnosis, but it’s a real struggle for many.

Take 22-year-old Bushra, a student at the University of Texas at Dallas. For her, mornings bring a crushing feeling. She describes it as her “chest feels like a crushed can of Coke.”

A lack of sleep often triggers this anxious wave or worries about the day ahead.

But once she begins her morning routine, that tightness slowly fades.

Experts explain that morning anxiety tends to show up in people with generalized anxiety disorder—but even those without a diagnosis can feel its effects.

Circadian rhythms, or our internal body clocks, also play a role.

According to Washington University researcher Rebecca Cox, “early birds” are more likely to feel anxious in the morning, while “night owls” may experience stress later in the day.

What’s really happening in the body and brain

One common belief is that rising cortisol levels in the morning are to blame. Cortisol is the stress hormone, and it naturally peaks after waking.

But Cox says the science isn’t so simple.

“The research literature on cortisol is really quite mixed and messy,” she says. “Some studies show a higher cortisol awakening response is associated with higher in-the-moment anxiety, but other studies don’t show that effect.”

Doug Mennin, a clinical psychology professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, agrees.

“It’s not causal — it’s an index,” he said. “It shows an indication of something being dysregulated.”

So, while cortisol plays a part, it’s only one piece of a larger puzzle.

How to break stress habits that fuel morning anxiety

According to Judson Brewer, a professor at Brown University and author of Unwinding Anxiety, morning anxiety can become a habit—one we don’t even notice.

To break it, he recommends three steps:

1. Recognize the pattern: Notice when you’re falling into anxious thinking.
2. Question the worry: Ask yourself if worrying is helping.
3. Use curiosity: Instead of reacting with fear, get curious about the feeling.

“Don’t underestimate the power of curiosity in helping to break free from that habit of morning anxiety. That is a game changer.”

This mindset shift can be beneficial during the morning when our thoughts are often on autopilot.

Better sleep, better mornings

Experts agree that managing morning anxiety begins the night before.

Cox says, “Sleep is like medicine.” It’s one of the few things people can control that directly affects how they feel in the morning.

Cox suggests getting out of bed and doing something calming if anxious thoughts appear after waking.

This prevents the brain from linking mornings—or the bed—with stress.

Mennin adds that working late or overstimulating activities at night can disrupt sleep quality, even if you fall asleep quickly.

To improve sleep, he recommends:

• Reducing screen time before bed
• Using low, warm lighting in the evening
• Practicing deep breathing or calming visualizations
• Trying progressive muscle relaxation to feel grounded

These minor adjustments can reset your body’s clock and help quiet the mind before sleep.

Know you’re not alone

Wolitzky-Taylor reminds us that while anxiety is part of being human, it becomes a problem when it’s constant and starts affecting everyday life.

About 3% of Americans have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), marked by six months or more of excessive worry, poor sleep, irritability, and fatigue.

People with GAD often imagine worst-case outcomes, even when the risks are low.

But having morning anxiety occasionally doesn’t mean you have a disorder.

Still, talking to someone can make a real difference if it starts to interfere with your well-being.

“There’s nothing wrong with going just to talk to someone,” Mennin said.

Here’s practicing clinical psychotherapist Paige Pradko sharing five easy steps to ease morning anxiety:

If you or someone you care about is struggling, support is available. You can call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, visit 988lifeline.org, or explore additional resources at SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.