Therapist for Anxiety Chevy Chase MD
Many people in Maryland suffer from anxiety and often these feelings are present when they wake up in the morning. This morning anxiety happens for a lot of people occasionally, but when if you are feeling this anxiety on a regular and consistent basis, a therapist for anxiety Chevy Chase MD families trust can help.
Symptoms of Morning Anxiety
Anxiety is more than just feeling worried or stressed about something. Anxiety can also cause physical symptoms, as well. If you wake up feeling any of the following, you may be suffering from morning anxiety:
- Wake up and feeling unable to stop from worrying obsessively
- Wake up fatigued
- Wake up feeling as if you cannot concentrate or your mind goes blank
- Wake up feeling on edge or irritable
- Wake up with fast breathing
- Wake up with heart feeling as if it’s pounding
- Wake up with tense muscles
- Wake up with thoughts racing
Many studies have been conducted to determine why a person may suffer with morning anxiety. One of the most common factors researchers found was that cortisol, which is a stress hormone, reaches its highest peak during the first hour a person awakes and then gradually subsides throughout the day. If a person is stressed, their peak cortisol level is even higher than a person who is not stressed.
Other factors that can contribute to morning anxiety include:
- Falling asleep at night or waking up in the middle of the night with stressful thoughts or worries
- Blood sugar level is too low when the person wakes up
- Consuming too much caffeine and sugar upon awakening
A therapist Chevy Chase MD clients recommend knows that morning anxiety is much more common than people realize. When this anxiety has to do with everyday worries, such as work presentation for a new client, that anxiety and worry should subside once the event has taken place. However, when a person is suffering from constant worry or stress, they may be suffering from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). People who suffer from GAD often worry excessively about all kinds of issues in their lives and this worry can become uncontrollable. After a while, this worry and stress begins to have a significant impact on a person’s daily life.
How to Deal with Morning Anxiety
There are some basic lifestyle changes that can help a person deal with anxiety. Making sure to get enough sleep each night, eating a healthy diet, limiting sugar and caffeine intake, exercising, and meditation can all help alleviate anxiety. If these self-care steps are not helping to alleviate anxiety, it may be time to consider seeking out the help of a therapist.
Contact Lindsey Hoskins & Associates today to schedule an appointment with a compassionate Chevy Chase MD therapist for anxiety and find out how we can help. Call our office today.