I have that most mornings. I get a cup of coffee and relax my mind while I drink it. It is a ritual that signals my mind to relax. Then I take my morning drugs which include Klonopin so that helps.

Yes! And on top of the forest fire of anxiety that I deal with 24/7, my father was diagnosed with cancer 2 months ago so I added that to the mix. He has scans, dr appts, etc. Having a high level of anxiety has eroded my emotional shell and made me very empathetic so I feel the pain of my dad and others.

I try to stay grounded tho it is very difficult as the anxiety never, ever goes away. But I listen to The Anxiety Guy podcasts and am reading his book right now.

I play upbeat music and have created my own playlist.

I watch TV shows that do not cause an adrenalin spike. Shows like Barnwood Builders, DIY shows, old sitcoms like Leave It to Beaver, I Dream of Jeannie, Hazel, Green Acres. I stay away from the news.

And the thing about being awake for 16 hrs and coming up with things to do....I don't know that it's so much that but it's knowing that I have to put up with the anxiety for 16 hours that's so overwhelming.

As far as coming up with things to do....I am a list maker. If it's not on paper, then it doesn't exist. I try to make a list each morning of things to do no matter how incidental even if it's watering plants, organizing a closet, cleaning the kitchen sink. Then I find that one thing leads to another once I get started. I spend some afternoons baking banana bread, zuchinni bread and freeze them after I slice them.

These distractions and diversions from anxiety are not a cure but they do help to deal with it. The cure is within if only we could get to it!

I have several flavors of hyper-vigilant awakenings where my systems are up and running ahead of my command center. The over-full days and the nearly empty days are the two extremes with many shades in between.

A vigorous physical workout is my usual first step in calming. Venting the extraneous energies helps me get a clearer read on what I am dealing with and how to remediate.

All good stuff!

I have been working to build a morning ritual of journaling, coffee, sketching and meditation to help try and ground myself and centered for the day. I also make lists of things I'd try to do throughout the day, and I've learned to make space on those lists for things like naps, or laying on the couch and reading, as well as exercise and more "doing" types things.

That said, I do always like hearing what other people do and what new things I can learn.

Try making a list the night before of things you can do the next day. Leave periods for rest and fun but schedule as much as you can. Take a walk, garden, organize, paint, color, chores. That’s what has helped me in the past.

I felt this for the first "major" time this morning. I woke up at 4 AM to use the bathroom, then when I laid back down I started feeling pressure in my chest and fixated on it. I checked my smart watch and my HR was 60. It took me a while to get back to sleep. I think a routine would help me- even on the weekends.