Waking with Panic
“Hi I have been listening for months and the podcast has really helped me with my anxiety. I wrote in a while ago saying how much closer it has brought me to my friends just by opening up and talking to them about it. I am trying really hard with my anxiety – but I was wondering if you could discuss this topic on a podcast. It would really help me and I want to learn and be able to help myself – the problem is this:
I wake up in such a panic, I think I subconsciously panic in the early hours of the morning because I wake up and have been worrying about something for what seems like my entire sleep, so I wake up feeling down and negative and instantly cancel my plans for the day (those that I can) which is ridiculous. I even feel better in the afternoon once I’ve got myself together – taken a walk etc done my morning routine. It’s hard to explain – I must panic in the night and wake up panicking and feel ill even though I am not. It’s happened after university exams which I had in May where I would wake up panicking about them, but i can’t shift it.
I love your podcast and any help would be grateful. Thank you.”
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Our response:
- exams are often stressful
- they are also completely pre-occupying which can put us out of touch with our needs
Increased self-care is recommended after times of stress (and we usually need to take care for longer than we might expect)
Wake up gently, try a gentle alarm clock that fades in gradually so you don't wake up with a jolt, or a wake up light alarm clock or application. Don't sit up suddenly and shoot out of bed, give yourself time to wake up gently.
Transition into getting up with this short exercise
Try taking slow deep breaths with one hand on your chest and the other over your belly button. Make your out breath as long as you can and rest like this for a minute or two before getting up.
Try Bach Flower Remedies
Have a bottle of water by your bed with some Rescue Remedy in it and take a few sips as soon as you wake up.
Elm helps when we feel overwhelmed, when we feel like we have to much to do and we don’t know how we are going to get through it.
Chestnut Bud offers support in remembering past patterns. If we repeatedly make mistakes and don’t digest the learning Chestnut Bud is the remedy. It will help you remember that you always feel better after you’re up and through your morning routine.
Journal your successes to help you develop confidence from them
We find it a lot easier to remember our failures and mistakes than we do our better choices and successes! When you make a good choice and expereince a good result - write it down so you remember it.
Journalling helps embed our attempts at self-improvement. It preserves what we've learned, and encourages us to keep trying.
Set a time buffer in the mornings
Allow a grace period where you do not make a decision about your day.
For example, 9am to give you chance to get through your morning routine and permission to say “if I still don’t feel good when 9 o’clock comes around I can cancel what I need to then.”
Or set a timer for two hours when you get up and allow them to be your “getting yourself together” hours and include one or two things that you know help you feel calm and confident for the day ahead.
Try EFT Tapping try some
Take a Short Morning Walk
Since you’ve mentioned that walking helps you, try allowing a few minutes for a short morning walk to help you feel grounded before you move into the day ahead.
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