Preventing morning adrenal surges
September 20, 2015 5:23 AM Subscribe
I've realized that morning adrenaline and cortisol surges are largely responsible for my daily hours of panic and dread. While I know ways of soothing that after the fact, I want to prevent it altogether and am looking for supplements, medication, lifestyle hacks. More inside.
While I do experience GAD, my morning anxiety is not related to any apparent triggers, it is there every single morning, and it definitely feels like an adrenaline rush. And adrenaline and cortisol levels are highest in the morning to help us wake up.
I don't use an alarm clock or have morning obligations most days, so it's not a matter of hacking my sleep cycle. I use a cpap to sleep, so my apnea is under control. I know that low blood sugar can also contribute, but I've been experimenting with that and haven't found relief.
What can I do specifically to prevent the adrenaline and cortisol spikes? Or at least make them less strong when they come on?
Like I said, I know that exercise, meditation, etc. can help. I do those things, but I'd rather not have to live with this every morning. I am open to medications, supplements, doing different things before bed, etc.
While I do experience GAD, my morning anxiety is not related to any apparent triggers, it is there every single morning, and it definitely feels like an adrenaline rush. And adrenaline and cortisol levels are highest in the morning to help us wake up.
I don't use an alarm clock or have morning obligations most days, so it's not a matter of hacking my sleep cycle. I use a cpap to sleep, so my apnea is under control. I know that low blood sugar can also contribute, but I've been experimenting with that and haven't found relief.
What can I do specifically to prevent the adrenaline and cortisol spikes? Or at least make them less strong when they come on?
Like I said, I know that exercise, meditation, etc. can help. I do those things, but I'd rather not have to live with this every morning. I am open to medications, supplements, doing different things before bed, etc.
Are you open to running or other aerobic activity? I have similarly crazy-strong morning cortisol. After I wake up I have one small black coffee then go out for a hard run. On days when I don't run, I'm shakier and slightly panicky for a few hours. When I run, it doesn't happen.
posted by kinetic at 5:57 AM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by kinetic at 5:57 AM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Seconding the morning running or other aerobic exercise, if it's something you can do. I was stunned at the immediate results it had on my fairly severe GAD and dysthymia, both of which are at their peak early in the day.
posted by skybluepink at 6:09 AM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by skybluepink at 6:09 AM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
If your thinking about meds, klonopin has a half life around 8 hours. Take it before you go to sleep and you won't wake up anxious.
posted by Lutoslawski at 6:22 AM on September 20, 2015
posted by Lutoslawski at 6:22 AM on September 20, 2015
SSRIs have worked really well for me in this regard, citalopram (Celexa) in particular.
posted by howfar at 6:25 AM on September 20, 2015
posted by howfar at 6:25 AM on September 20, 2015
Best answer: I'm experimenting with that myself. I'm finding that if I eat lots of fruit the day before, all throughout the day, I don't wake up with low blood sugar and I don't have the morning anxiety. It also helps to have a set routine every morning. I know that I have at least 30 minutes of my routine before I have to think about anything. This gives me time to eat and wake up a little. On the rough mornings, I have some chocolate with my morning tea to spike my blood sugar a little. It doesn't always work but it tastes good so I'm not stopping.
posted by myselfasme at 6:45 AM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by myselfasme at 6:45 AM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Not sure if this applies in your situation, but trying to enforce a "no screens in the bedroom" rule can be useful. This usually gets me up and down to the kitchen to check email etc. Then I am up and making breakfast and getting into the activities of the day.
posted by carter at 6:47 AM on September 20, 2015
posted by carter at 6:47 AM on September 20, 2015
Much like Myselfasme I find keeping my bloodsugar from dipping in the morning helps. I tend to have some muesli or grain rich toast before bed, I also make sure I have time to greet the world slowly. I do not get out of bed right away I lay there for a while letting the world slowly come in, after 10 minutes I may reach for my tablet to check emails etc for 10 more minutes then I slowly get up, it can take me up to half an hour to get out of bed in a morning. I find it has decreased a lot of my general anxiety during the day. I also have a long shower in the morning as it adds to the slow greeting of the day ritual & I find it relaxing. If I have to go from sleep to screaming alarm to running around like a mad fool to get to work on time I'm just going to shut down from stress.
posted by wwax at 7:09 AM on September 20, 2015
posted by wwax at 7:09 AM on September 20, 2015
Best answer: L-theanine, the calming substance in green tea, is a cortisol antagonist and keeps me calm and much less irritable. I take 100 msg every morning on an empty stomach. You will probably have to experiment to find the right dosage for yourself.
posted by rpfields at 7:57 AM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by rpfields at 7:57 AM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
The holy basil really helps me from being jolted awake in the night and seems to help keep my energy steady all day, so I assume it works on cortisol. It took about a week of usage to start seeing results, for me.
When I went through a period of suffering from the "midnight jolts" - a little different timing than what you have, because I felt at my worst in the middle of the night - among other symptoms, it turned out to be insulin resistance. My blood sugar would spike and crash because of this. Eating very clean, Paleo-style, and exercising, has helped immensely. You might want to get a blood test and check to make sure you are not having blood sugar issues.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 10:13 AM on September 20, 2015
When I went through a period of suffering from the "midnight jolts" - a little different timing than what you have, because I felt at my worst in the middle of the night - among other symptoms, it turned out to be insulin resistance. My blood sugar would spike and crash because of this. Eating very clean, Paleo-style, and exercising, has helped immensely. You might want to get a blood test and check to make sure you are not having blood sugar issues.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 10:13 AM on September 20, 2015
I've been there. You need to break the cycle. Obsessing over treatments, what medications to take, etc just feeds the anxiety and continues the cycle and makes the anxiety a focus in your life. You will be constantly checking in to see if the anxiety is there and wondering if treatment A, B, or C is working which will cause more anxiety.
posted by hamsterdam at 1:16 PM on September 20, 2015
posted by hamsterdam at 1:16 PM on September 20, 2015
Protein? Either right before bed (a high protein snack like almonds, cheese, a little meat even, egg, a protein bar) or right when you wake up.
posted by Rocket26 at 2:07 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Rocket26 at 2:07 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Long chain carbohydrates at bedtime to give your brain sugar while you sleep. Then it doesn't have to jolt you in the morning. But maybe you need a piece of fruit at bedside to eat 10 minutes before you get up. Then lol about until the fruit sugar starts feeding your central nervous system. Then your brain doesn't have to create emergency metabolism to get your liver to convert other stores to sugar.
Or look up pheochromocytoma.
posted by Oyéah at 2:15 PM on September 20, 2015
Or look up pheochromocytoma.
posted by Oyéah at 2:15 PM on September 20, 2015
How is your blood pressure? Are you sure it's an adrenaline rush and not hypertension? I didn't know the difference until I got a home monitor.
posted by desjardins at 3:14 PM on September 20, 2015
posted by desjardins at 3:14 PM on September 20, 2015
Just because no one else has mentioned it: do you drink caffeine? If so, stop and see if it makes a difference. (Morning caffeine really ramped up my morning anxiety. I switched to decaf and haven't looked back.)
posted by purple_bird at 9:20 AM on September 21, 2015
posted by purple_bird at 9:20 AM on September 21, 2015
Didn't know about adrenaline/cortisol. Explains a lot.
I know you said you are aware of meditation, but.
I used to have this problem (and still do but to a much much lesser degree). I started meditating in the mornings before work, no matter what. Even if that means starting my day a little late, unless it's a life or death (and it never is). This has had a surprising carry over effect in the sense that most days I wake up fine, but even if I dont the thought of upcoming meditation session takes the anxiety down a notch.
HTH.
posted by aeighty at 9:47 AM on September 21, 2015
I know you said you are aware of meditation, but.
I used to have this problem (and still do but to a much much lesser degree). I started meditating in the mornings before work, no matter what. Even if that means starting my day a little late, unless it's a life or death (and it never is). This has had a surprising carry over effect in the sense that most days I wake up fine, but even if I dont the thought of upcoming meditation session takes the anxiety down a notch.
HTH.
posted by aeighty at 9:47 AM on September 21, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 5:34 AM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]