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Original poster

Has anyone successfully got rid of morning anxiety (Cortisol Awakening Response)?

60 replies

WelshPoppy5 · 12/05/2023 07:29

Every morning I wake up with intense anxiety, feeling of dread etc. It doesn’t matter how I feel when I go to sleep, when I wake up the anxiety is there and really intense. It usually goes away after an hour or three, and I have a normal day. But it’s such an awful way to start every day.

I think it’s explained as the cortisol awakening response, and all the info online suggests ways to improve it once it’s there, but since it disappears on its own they all seem a bit pointless! Does anyone know how to prevent it happening in the first place?!

OP posts:
Original poster
WelshPoppy5 · 14/05/2023 13:45

hopsalong · 14/05/2023 00:01

Please don't recommend anti-depressants or random herbal supplements to someone with bipolar disorder who is already on meds.

I think you need to speak to your psychiatrist, and if the NHS is being shit about a review then push them on it.

That said, I also have this. I find the best solution is to put an alarm on and get up slightly earlier than I would otherwise have woken. I find it's worse if I wake naturally and slightly late.

B vitamins aren't a bad idea, and magnesium before bed. Have you checked your blood pressure on lying down and then again after standing up? For me this seems linked to postural hypotension.

It’s definitely worse if I wake naturally, but I do wake between 5-6am so want to avoid setting an alarm earlier. I take magnesium before bed but not checked blood pressure so will try that 👍

OP posts:
Original poster
WelshPoppy5 · 14/05/2023 13:46

GiveUsACoffee · 14/05/2023 00:24

I used to have this for years! Horrible, horrible feeling. It used to wake me up. But as my anxiety eased in general, it stopped happening. I used Chinese medicine and acupuncture, as well as CBT

I love having acupuncture! I don’t know why I didn’t think of it for this - thanks for the reminder 😊

OP posts:
Original poster
WelshPoppy5 · 14/05/2023 13:53

DustyLee123 · 14/05/2023 11:33

Have you tried taking magnesium ?

Yes I take it every night (has cured my restless legs pretty much!), it’s not fixed the dread though unfortunately

OP posts:
Original poster
WelshPoppy5 · 14/05/2023 13:56

Oftenaddled · 14/05/2023 11:37

Couple of small things -

Try a sleep cycle alarm - the ones that sense when your breathing / movement shows you are waking up. When it tips you gently into being awake, get up. (Android has a free version called Sleep).

Have just a square of chocolate beside your bed to suck when you wake up, if you like it at all.

I use Sleep Cycle to monitor sleep for bipolar and I think it has this function so will set that up 👍 I like the sound of chocolate first think 😄 Does that help just because you feel happy you get to eat some chocolate when you wake up?

OP posts:
Original poster
WelshPoppy5 · 14/05/2023 13:58

Sorry to everyone who experiences this too - hope the tips on here help

OP posts:
kizziee · 14/05/2023 15:48

@rileynexttime is that because your DB’s doctor feels that sertraline better for anxiety than citalopram ?

rileynexttime · 14/05/2023 16:59

@kizziee I'm not entirely sure ,he's taking citalopram at the moment plus something else ,more sedating ,at night but they';re not helping .So I think it was a question of trying something else .
But anecdotally I believe sertraline works better for anxiety .I mean I've often heard people say that ,on MN mainly .

Leafywa · 14/05/2023 17:12

Not sure if it’s a true “fix”, I’ve been waking up every day to do spin classes on my bike at home and for the first time in years for the last two weeks I’ve experienced no morning anxiety at all. Not sure if it’s regulating something in my body/hormones maybe?

kizziee · 14/05/2023 23:31

Thank you @rileynexttime

Back21970 · 14/05/2023 23:44

I get this some mornings, a feeling of dread when I wake up that something bad is going to happen, it’s horrible.

I take a Beta Blocker when it happens and the feelings go away quite quick - I was prescribed them for anxiety and panic attacks years back but don’t have to take them every day.

I also take Prozac and am on HRT, and beta blockers are safe to take in conjunction.

Not sure how they would react with your current meds but may be worth asking your doctor.

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