“Good morning!” Well, sometimes. Why mornings aren’t always “good”.
Some people rise and shine in the mornings with a passion for life and a natural state of internal joy, flinging open the curtains in a Disney-musical style ready to greet the challenges of the new day.
And many more of us don’t.
For lots of us, mornings are an all-too-regular time for feeling nervous, anxious or worried. This is not just in the mind; this is your biology which is also at work. Cortisol, known as “the stress hormone”, is at a significantly higher level in the first hour of waking which can physically make our anxious feelings seem heightened. Our logical brain is harder to access when we are feeling this way, so the invisible but significant increase in cortisol may be harder to overcome with rational thoughts about the reality of the day ahead. In addition to this, many components of our modern-world morning routines can add to the issue: sugar, caffeine and exposure to negative news feeds can contribute to feelings of worry and distress that are already present in your body.
Your own brain is not always your best friend, so sometimes, we need to box clever to get ourselves on the right footing to get on with the day ahead.
If mornings are a difficult time for you, don’t despair. Here are some tips that may help:
Apply (force through) logical thinking if you can: Try to think through the realistic, practical elements of your morning. Who are you looking forward to seeing or talking to? Which lesson are you looking forward to?
Focus on ways to lift your mood: Is there a piece of music that lifts you up when you listen to it? Cue it up and press play. Is there a breakfast choice that you love? Get cracking. Is there a view on the way into work or school that is lovely to look at? Look up and make sure you spot it.
Breathe: Deep, focused breathing before you even get out of bed, or before you start your morning routine (or at intervals throughout the morning) can help you to feel grounded and more in control. Breath focus and control really is a superpower.
Anticipate the feelings: If mornings are often a challenge for you, think ahead the night before and let calm-you write a note to future worried-you to address the matter head on with your own words. You might write: Mornings are always hard, and we can sometimes feel worried. Don’t go on social media, take ten deep breaths and make sure you eat breakfast. You are going to be fine as soon as you get into form time so focus on that. Most days turn out to be good ones. A reassuring note from you to you may help to get you started and navigate the start of the day.
Mornings can be tricky but when the day begins, the negative feelings can usually melt away.
If you do regularly, or persistently feel anxious in the mornings, make sure that you talk to someone you trust about it and seek further support.
