Adrenaline & Anxiety

I used to say "I deal with anxiety." 

I don't say that anymore. 

Being married to a doctor has a lot of advantages, and John has helped me learn a LOT about this frustrating part of my life. 

I have learned that I am actually dealing with ADRENALINE that CAN cause anxiety. 

Here is a very helpful article which has helped me learn how about what I'm dealing with and how to deal with it:

 

Adrenaline rush at night

While the fight-or-flight response is very useful when it comes to avoiding a car accident or running away from a rabid dog, it can be a problem when it’s activated in response to everyday stress.

A mind full of thoughts, anxiety, and worry also stimulates your body to release adrenaline and other stress-related hormones, like cortisol (known as the stress hormone).

This is especially true at night when you lie in bed. In a quiet and dark room, some people can’t stop focusing about a conflict that happened that day or worrying about what’s going to happen tomorrow.

While your brain perceives this as stress, real danger isn’t actually present. So this extra boost of energy you get from the adrenaline rush has no use. This can leave you feeling restless and irritable and make it impossible to fall asleep.

How to control adrenaline

It’s important to learn techniques to counter your body’s stress response. Experiencing some stress is normal, and sometimes even beneficial for your health.

But over time, persistent surges of adrenaline can damage your blood vessels, increase your blood pressure, and elevate your risk of heart attacks or stroke. It can also result in anxiety, weight gain, headaches, and insomnia.

To help control adrenaline, you’ll need to activate your parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the “rest-and-digest system.” The rest-and-digest response is the opposite of the fight-or-flight response. It helps promote equilibrium in the body, and allows your body to rest and repair itself.
Try the following:

• deep breathing exercises
• meditation
• yoga or tai chi exercises, which combine movements with deep breathing
• talk to friends or family about stressful situations so you’re less likely to dwell on them at night; similarly, you can keep a diary of your feelings or thoughts
• eat a balanced, healthy diet
• exercise regularly
• limit caffeine and alcohol consumption
• avoid cellphones, bright lights, computers, loud music, and TV right before bedtime