Answer
You’re in good company – I think this is a very common problem amongst the TMS community. Many of us have had experiences of waking up feeling like crap nearly every day.
I want you think about your Autonomic Nervous System (Google it if you’re not sure what it does). Nearly all of the functions of your ANS are unconscious, and therefore you don’t have conscious control of them. BUT, our ANS is a lot like any muscle in our body – it can be trained to work better and stronger.
When you wake up in the morning, check and see how your ANS feels – are you exhibiting signs of anxiety? Is your heart rate up? How’s your breathing? Are you sweating? Are you itchy? Etc. These are all functions controlled by your ANS. If you wake up and any of these things are present, then you know that your unconscious anxiety is taking over at night and freaking you out.
How to fix this? Be as aggressive as you can about regulating your ANS during the day. Send messages to your unconscious all day long that you don’t want to feel anxious, nervous, stressed, etc. You want to feel relaxed and safe. It may take a while, but eventually your ANS will get the picture and regulate itself at night the same way you regulate it during the day. Eventually, you’ll wake up with fewer and fewer symptoms. This process won’t happen overnight, but as I tell all of my clients, the two most important words to remember are Patience & Persistence. Patience & Persistence.
In the meantime, when you wake up – make sure that you’re actively regulating your nervous system ASAP. Don’t let yourself run from the anxiety – you want to pay attention to it and calm yourself in the moment.
Any advice or information provided here does not and is not intended to be and should not be taken to constitute specific professional or psychological advice given to any group or individual. This general advice is provided with the guidance that any person who believes that they may be suffering from any medical, psychological, or mindbody condition should seek professional advice from a qualified, registered/licensed physician and/or psychotherapist who has the opportunity to meet with the patient, take a history, possibly examine the patient, review medical and/or mental health records, and provide specific advice and/or treatment based on their experience diagnosing and treating that condition or range of conditions. No general advice provided here should be taken to replace or in any way contradict advice provided by a qualified, registered/licensed physician and/or psychotherapist who has the opportunity to meet with the patient, take a history, possibly examine the patient, review medical and/or mental health records, and provide specific advice and/or treatment based on their experience diagnosing and treating that condition or range of conditions.
The general advice and information provided in this format is for informational purposes only and cannot serve as a way to screen for, identify, or diagnose depression, anxiety, or other psychological conditions. If you feel you may be suffering from any of these conditions please contact a licensed mental health practitioner for an in-person consultation.
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