🕊️ Waking Anxiety: A Gentle Start

A nervous system-informed first-aid for anxious mornings

You wake up and something feels... off.

Maybe your heart’s racing. Maybe there’s a knot in your chest or a sense of dread before your eyes are even fully open. Maybe you can’t name it at all — you just know that your day has started, and so has the anxiety.

This gentle guide is here to help.

🌿 First, know this: you’re not doing anything wrong.

Many of us wake up in a state of heightened alert, especially if we live with:

  • A sensitive nervous system (ADHD, burnout, trauma, high stress)

  • Sleep that feels disrupted or emotionally loaded

  • Life demands that greet us the moment we open our eyes

Sometimes it’s not your thoughts causing anxiety — it’s your body waking up faster than your mind.

🧠 What we often do:

  • Reach for our phone (socials, news, emails)

  • Mentally scan the day for things that could go wrong

  • Distract, avoid, or try to push through

This is natural — but it usually makes things worse.

🪨 What helps instead: a gentle landing

Before you jump into your day — land in your body.

Even 30–60 seconds of connection can begin to regulate your nervous system.

Try this:

1. Place your hand on your chest or belly.
Feel the weight of your palm. Let your breath find a natural rhythm.

2. Tell your system something kind or steadying.

  • “I’m safe here.”

  • “It’s okay to go slowly.”

  • “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

3. Let your feet feel the ground.
Whether it’s floorboards, a rug, or — like me — your favourite slippers. The feeling of warmth and contact can anchor you before the world starts pulling.

I keep fluffy slippers by my bed. The moment my feet go in, I feel comforted and ready to stand. It’s small — but it counts.

☀️ Create a soft start

Mornings don’t need to be perfect. But a few consistent signals can remind your body it’s safe to begin.

Here are some ideas:

Prepare a ritual: Light a candle, stretch by the window, or drink water from your favourite mug

Play gentle sound: Ocean waves, a calm playlist, or even silence — something that doesn’t jolt your system

Delay the scroll: Leave your phone across the room and give yourself 5–10 minutes of body-first awareness

Give yourself something warm: A robe, heated wheat bag, or cup of tea — warmth helps bring your nervous system down a gear

Name what’s true: “This feeling might be old. I don’t have to believe everything my morning brain says.”

🌱 Finally: this will get easier

If you’ve had many mornings that start with anxiety, your nervous system may be expecting it — even if nothing is wrong.
But with small, repeated acts of care, you can begin to rewrite your morning pattern.

Start simple. Be gentle. Land first.