Anxiety isnt picky. It can creep in at any time of the day even first thing in the morning. And before you know it, youre fretting about the future when your present day hasnt even started yet.

Although there can be an almost infinite number of reasons why some people wake up anxious, at some point the mind starts traveling out into the future, whether thats a few minutes into the future or decades, Mark W. Driscoll , licensed clinical psychologist at The Family Institute at Northwestern University , told HuffPost. Although that can seem productive like were just trying to work something out or solve a problem it has the consequences of feeding and amplifying an already difficult to experience emotion.

Luckily, there are several techniques you can practice to help you better deal with whatever it is thats causing you worry. Below are some research and expert-backed tips to try if you wake up feeling anxious:

Before Bed