Anxiety-reducing morning activities have changed my life.
If you have read Upplifter for any amount of time, you’ll notice that I am big on morning routines.
What do I mean by a morning routine, specifically as it relates to anxiety?
A routine is a regular course of procedure; in other words, it’s doing the same things many times over in a particular manner.
This is important because unhealthy routines lead to bad habits, and bad habits keep you from building the foundation necessary to keep anxiety at bay.
For instance, take a person who stays up too late and never gets an adequate amount of quality sleep. When this person wakes up because they are still tired, they are prone to making what I call “lazy mistakes.” They may overeat, drink too much caffeine, snap at a spouse, child, or co-worker, or drive erratically on their way to work. This then sets in motion a series of negative thoughts, usually associated with unhealthy behaviors that increase anxiety and heightens stress levels.
Do you see the dilemma?
So the question then becomes: How do you fix it?
Simple – create anxiety-reducing activities first thing in the morning.
Building a healthy morning routine creates better habits, which leads to healthier behaviors, which leads to less anxiety.
But what are examples of healthy morning routines and associated habits?
I have jotted down seven of them that have helped me.
WAKE UP AT THE SAME TIME EACH MORNING
Waking up at the same time is one area often overlooked by those struggling with anxiety. This is one of the key components of all other anxiety-reducing activities. Anxiety does not like routine, especially ones that are healthy. For this reason, you should be cultivating routines that create a sustainable foundation in managing anxiety. Waking up at the same time each morning isn’t always easy nor convenient, but it goes a long way in setting you up for success against your anxiety. Waking up at the same time also helps with sleep, particularly reinforcing your circadian rhythm. And when you are more rested, you will be less prone to experiencing emotional triggers that spike anxiety.
DO ONE ACTIVITY THAT YOU ENJOY (THAT’S HEALTHY)
When you’re in a lighter, happier mood, the chances you will be triggered into anxiety decreases. This is why doing something you enjoy and something healthy (sorry, drinking your favorite craft beer at 7 am does NOT apply) can help improve your mood. Doing this gives you a better chance of warding off any stress and anxiety that may want to creep up first in the A.M… Whether it’s reading, writing, watching your favorite show, listening to music, going for a morning walk, doing a crossword puzzle, or enjoying tea or coffee on your porch, make sure you start the day off on the right mental foot.
PERFORM DEEP BREATHING
Deep breathing is an easy way to change your stress levels quickly as well as your heart rate. You can do these breathing techniques anywhere, at any time during your morning routine. If you can be in the shower, while you’re making breakfast, the first thing after you wake up or when you’re getting dressed for the day. I perform a technique called equal breathing, in which I inhale and exhale at the same four-count interval for up to five minutes. It helps to lessen any anxiety I might be feeling at the time and immediately gets me into a healthy habit to start my day.
EAT A PERFORMANCE ENHANCING BREAKFAST
Anxiety-reducing activities should be fun, but they also should promote healthy living. Diet is an area you should discuss with a dietitian, doctor, or healthcare professional since we all have different dietary needs. But eating a healthy breakfast cannot be overlooked and should be one of the areas you improve upon if you haven’t already done so. Giving your body the proper nutrition is beneficial for many reasons, but specifically because you are giving yourself the best chance at fighting off any stress and anxiety, as well as eliminating the opportunity for anxiety to appear because of the foods you are eating.
GET YOUR THOUGHTS OUT
This may be the most underrated activity I do each morning. Even for just a few minutes, I will sit out on my balcony and let my current thoughts flow through me – the good, bad, and ugly. I try not to get caught up in any individual thought; I observe them and let them go. Giving yourself time to be and letting your thoughts roam free in your mind is essential because you’re giving yourself time to let go of any nagging or negative thought that may hold you back.
For those of you with children or busy morning schedules, try doing this when you are in the shower. Give yourself time to be, even for a few minutes. Be sure to write them down, whether in a notebook or journal, on your phone, or a computer. Getting these thoughts out gives you a sense of power over them since you can now see them right in front of you; they are no longer trapped inside your head.
SMILE OFTEN (FEEL GOOD CHEMICALS!)
Smiling is another easy way to boost the feel-good chemicals in your brain instantaneously. According to research, smiling activates neuropeptides, which are tiny molecules that allow neurons to communicate. These neuropeptides help fight off stress and send messages to
the body when we are happy, sad, angry, depressed, or excited. Another reason you should smile is that when you do, feel-good chemicals such as dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin are all released. These chemicals help relax your body, lower your heart rate, and lower your blood pressure.
PRACTICE GRATITUDE (STRESS REDUCER)
Gratitude is a word thrown around a lot these days. Whenever I skim through personal development blogs, podcasts, or books, gratitude seems to be a subject brought up endlessly. But there is a reason why – gratitude has many benefits that can’t be seen by the naked eye. I published an entire blog post on the benefits of gratitude alone. One of the reasons gratitude has a positive effect on stress is because grateful people tend to have the psychological resources to manage stress more productively. In this particular study, people who practiced gratitude were more likely to manage stress by looking for the positive in negative situations, seeking others for help, and actively coping and planning.
IN REVIEW
Creating healthy anxiety-reducing activities will change the way you react to stress. Waking up and being instantly bombarded with stress and anxiety is exhausting. I did for a considerable chunk of my life. Finally, I reached a breaking point where I could no longer take the pit in my stomach every morning. I did not want to subject myself to negativity and anger before I had a chance to start my day. So I worked, and worked, and worked until I found useful techniques, created better habits, and forged my own will onto my morning routine. It has worked wonders for me, and it can help you do the same. These seven are recommendations, so you’ll need to experiment and see which blend works for you. The research, logic, and experience are behind each one.
Latest posts by Brad Coreno (see all)
- 8 Proven Tips To Improve Your Communication Skills - April 29, 2022
- 5 Proven Ways To Manage Work-Related Anxiety - April 3, 2022
- 10 Steps To Develop A Growth Mindset - March 13, 2022