For some anxiety sufferers, the darkest hours are just after dawn. But there is hope for a sunnier start to each day.
AT NIGHT I DRIFT OFF to sleep with blissful ease. But come 6 a.m., I’m a wreck. Unanswered emails and a reminder of an upcoming dental appointment (inflamed pocket?!) escalate to existential terrors: What wrong turn did I take to make such a mess of my life? All before my feet hit the floor.
Although “morning anxiety” isn’t listed in the psychologist’s bible, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, it’s a relatively common complaint, says Ellen Hendriksen, PhD, a clinical psychologist at Boston University’s Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders. The anxiety-prone frequently open their eyes to a looming gauntlet of perceived must-dos. Meanwhile, levels of the body’s main stress hormone, which have been rising during the wee hours, surge to a crescendo about a half hour after wakeup time, says Ashley Kendall, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Chicago. This “cortisol awakening response” is thought to have evolved, at least in part, to energize us for the day’s challenges, but it may make some people feel more panicky than plucky.
The good news: There are steps you can take to ease a.m. anxiety ASAP. Start with these tonight (but if morning stress persists, consult a professional).
HEED AN EARLY LAST CALL FOR ALCOHOL
Denne historien er fra September 2019-utgaven av The Oprah Magazine.
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Denne historien er fra September 2019-utgaven av The Oprah Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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The BEST BOOKS of 2024
We all loved Oprah's Book Club selections this year (did you read them all?), but here are our editors' favorite standouts on the shelves-from the thoughtprovoking to the heartwarming to the hilarious.
The Summer I TOOK My Mom "HOME"
Whenever I tell people about the Last Trip Home I took to Italy with my 87-year-old mother and my older son last summer, everyone has the same response (\"Awwww...\"), which makes me feel like a fraud because I know they're imagining some gauzy scene. And to be fair, I'd tried to plan it that way.
PARIS Made ME DO IT
Travel maybe shouldn't be any different than \"regular\" life, but it is.
LOST And Found IN AMERICA
When I was 21, I spent the summer driving around the United States with my boyfriend. It amazes me, looking back, that I let myself go on that eight-week trip.
I WENT I Saw, HATE
Ten years ago, I went to Tokyo on a lark. I was invited to the opening of the 38-story Aman Tokyo hotel, a beautiful example of urban minimalism and a destination unto itself.
Trips That Changed US All Forever
Me, MOM, And A Thousand SEABIRDS
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The Menopause Makeover: For When "Aging Gracefully" Gets Old
Because literally everything-from eyelids to neck skin to boobs to butt-falls off a cliff. Here, a dozen interventions women in this life stage are embracing.
Why I Cut Off All My Hair
The author of City of Girls and Big Magic talks about how she made the bold decision to break out the clippers in order to find her own version of beauty.
The Perfect Gift Book for Everyone on Your List
Sumptuous reads that look as lovely on your coffee table as they do on your bedside table.
