The Everyday Routine That Alleviates My Anxiety

Some individuals grappling with anxiety may notice a recurring pattern that intensifies most upon waking in the morning. As soon as their eyes open, a flood of worries and potential stressors overwhelms their mind, creating a pit in their stomach that makes staying in bed seem like a tempting escape from the challenges of the day.

While anxiety might not have a cure, there are various strategies to manage its symptoms and enhance overall quality of life. A crucial step in this direction is the development of a daily morning routine comprising practices designed to alleviate anxiety.

Initiating a Robust Morning Routine

Waking up a bit earlier can contribute to making mornings less stressful. However, it's important to note that a morning routine is not one-size-fits-all. Each individual has a different span of time under their control, be it 10 minutes or an hour. The key is to identify what's realistic for your circumstances. It's vital to create a routine without sacrificing precious sleep. If early mornings don't align with your natural rhythm, it's best to avoid forcing it, as it can be counterproductive.

Discovering an enjoyable routine makes it easier to stick to it. Differentiating routines based on personal circumstances may require some trial and error. What works for others may not necessarily work for you. Identifying your primary stressors and experimenting with activities that calm your anxiety is essential. The goal is not a radical overhaul but the incorporation of small, positive changes that seamlessly integrate into your life and have a lasting impact on mental health.

Incorporating Habits into Your Morning Routine

Planning the night before can significantly facilitate the execution of your morning routine. Preparing workout clothes, organizing your space, and placing your journal next to your coffee mug are practical steps that serve as reminders. It's crucial to acknowledge that executing your routine flawlessly every day is an unrealistic expectation, and that's perfectly okay. Celebrate your achievements, and if you miss a day, be compassionate with yourself, preparing for the following day.

Habits to Include in Your Morning Routine:

Here are 10 habits that you can incorporate into your morning habits:

 1. Journaling: Journaling provides insights into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, fostering self-awareness and personal growth. It acts as an outlet for worries, reducing stress levels and regaining control over life.

2. Yoga: Enhances cognitive skills, memory, and brain structure and function. Yoga strengthens parts of the brain that play a key role in memory, attention, awareness, thought, and language. Think of it as weightlifting for the brain.

3. Meditation: A powerful tool for calming the mind and reducing stress. Choose a meditation type that resonates with you and create a calming environment.

4. Stretching: A simple morning stretch boosts blood flow, loosens tight muscles, and improves physical and mental well-being.

5. Outside Walk: Exposure to sunlight stimulates serotonin, while the environment's sights and sounds engage the senses.

6. Reading: Reading a few pages of a book helps wake up the brain gradually and instills positive energy for the day.

7. Mindfulness and Gratitude: Reflect on the positive aspects of your life, fostering gratitude and mindfulness. You can sit in silence, listen to relaxing music, do a guided mediation through an app like Calm, Headspace or Insight Timer, or find one on YouTube or you can just repeat this line: “I am grateful for my life, I am safe, and I will be OK.”

8. Deep Breathing: An effective way to reduce anxiety by slowing down breath and calming the body. When you're feeling anxious, your breath becomes shallow and rapid. This can make your anxiety worse. Deep breathing helps to slow down your breath and calm your body.

9. Balanced Diet: Our moods are highly influenced by what we eat. Consume a nutritious breakfast with protein, healthy fats, fiber, and complex carbohydrates to influence mood positively. Prepare a vegetable omelet with avocado toast or oatmeal with nut butter, berries and chia seeds. Refined carbohydrates, such as doughnuts and sugary cereals, can lead to a blood sugar spike and crash, causing challenges with emotional regulation, which may leave you feeling anxious during the day.

10. Exercise: Thirty minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week releases endorphins, reducing stress and improving mood.

Incorporating these habits into your morning routine can contribute to easing anxiety and enhancing overall well-being.