Living with anxiety is difficult. It’s exhausting and can make you feel like getting through each day takes everything you have. It can be hard to figure out where to even start with getting your life back on track. As an anxiety therapist for young adults in North Carolina, I’ve seen how much anxiety can impact someone’s life. Establishing a morning routine is a great start to creating a sense of normalcy and comfort. 

Here are some tips for building your morning routine: 

Wake up around the same time each day

Sleeping in a little later on weekends is ok. Research has shown that sleep has a huge impact on mood. Typically, people experiencing these symptoms have erratic sleep schedules. Some people with depression sleep way too much or not enough. Often, anxious people stay up late worrying for hours and don’t get enough sleep. By putting yourself on a good sleep schedule, you can help regulate a major part of your body and mind. 

Take a few minutes to wake up and be present; Don’t go on your phone immediately

Most people use their phones as an alarm and then spend their first few minutes (if not longer) on their phones. This doesn’t give you any time to really wake up and throws you right into the in and outs of life (texts, emails, social media, news, etc). Your brain needs some time to warm up for the day before you’re bombarded with everything else in your life. 

Stretch in bed and practice breathing

Before you hop out of bed and get started going for the day, take a few minutes to stretch and prepare your body for movement. Take a few deep breaths to regulate your body’s internal system.

Set your intention for the day

Make a plan for the day. Oftentimes, having a plan helps people feel more in control and motivated. 

Then, you can check your phone

Now you can look at your phone and decide what you tasks need to be addressed first. Try to block out or delay reading or responding to negative things. Get your day going first and then work on tasks.

Drink some lemon water

Everyone is dehydrated when they first wake up. Continue waking up your body and preparing it for the day ahead by addressing your physical needs. 

Eat a healthy breakfast

I know that everyone doesn’t like eating breakfast or doesn’t have much of an appetite when they first wake up. However, if you can eat, then you should. A healthy option like fruit or yogurt is better and is another way to provide your body with fuel for the day.

Exercise

Everyone who works out has a preference for the time of day they prefer to work out. If you have more energy in the morning or want to build your energy for the day, a quick workout (walk, run, weight lifting, yoga) can kickstart your day in a positive way.

Listen to music or a positive podcast or YouTube video while getting ready

Instead of listening to the news and getting more down or anxious about the world, listen to positive songs or an uplifting video or funny podcast to help put you in a good mood. Moods are contagious; if you want to feel more positive, you have to decrease the negative energy you’re taking in and replace it with something cheery. 

Summary

There are so many aspects of anxiety that are tough to deal with. It’s helpful to focus on the parts of your life that you can control. Starting your day off on a positive note with healthy things can set the tone for the day and help you reduce your stress.