Have you checked your cortisol evening levels? It’s a 24-hour saliva test, you can ask your GP or endocrinologist about it. Normally, Cortisol will go down in the evening. But if it’s too high, it will explain your increasing anxiety. Do you have sleep problems?
It’s not uncommon for anxiety to increase in the evening. It’s the time when you aren’t distracted by work or daily chores, when you may feel more lonely and vulnerable, and as a result, your mind focuses more on its worries. I suggest you consult a therapist. Medications are one way of handling anxiety, and a good therapist will be a helpful addition. He’ll help you identify the triggers and show you some relaxation techniques. In the long run, you might be able to get off your medications.
Interesting! My panic attacks happen in the early mornings, I haven't found out why so far. I can only guess that whenever the brain finds an opportunity to turn inward, it starts ruminating, and that provokes a response from the body.
I don’t think modern medications are addictive, but if you’re worried about it, ask your doctor whether you can switch to more natural stuff, like taking Magnesium or drinking herbal teas in the evening.
You are not alone. Every other night, I experience the same thing. My anxiety is caused by my health issues, and it’s late at night when I have more time to hyperfocus on everything my body is doing.
My neurologist advised me to exclude coffee. I mean completely, I don’t drink it in the morning either. And I sometimes have to take melatonin a couple of hours before bedtime to cope with my erratic sleep patterns. It doesn’t reduce anxiety. I think the only thing that slightly helps is taking a hot shower.
Are you feeling anxious at the same time each day? I was thinking that perhaps you are following the same evening routines, and you could change your activities to see how it will affect your mental state. For example, if you tend to be less active in the evening and scroll your timeline on social networks or read the news, that alone may make you nervous. You can try doing something physical instead - just a set of simple exercises - but make it at least 20 minutes long. You’ll have increased dopamine levels as a result, which may counter your anxiety.
If you eat supper earlier in the evening, does it help? Perhaps if you try doing something engaging when the anxiety kicks in, it will keep it at bay. In the evening you could read a book or listen to a podcast. Also, most meds are not habit forming, so you shouldn’t worry about it.
Happens to me too. I’ve been told that GAD can mess up your circadian rhythm. So while most people feel sleepy and unstimulated in the evening, for people with anxiety this mechanism may not work properly. Talk to your psychiatrist about it, they should choose medications that balance all the chemicals in the brain and eliminate anxiety.
If your medication is not helping you with anxiety anymore, that may be a sign you'vealready got used to it and it’s time to change it. Addiction works kind of the other way round. It should decrease your symptoms and thus make you dependent on it. But, as you’re saying, even with meds you feel anxious. So you probably lose nothing if you stop taking them. I’m not a specialist, so take my words with a grain of salt :)
I had the same problem before my doctor increased my dosage. I tried all other things first (like meditation, listening to calming music, talking to my partner on the phone). Nothing was as helpful as a higher dose. I’m not afraid of pills, so I can’t advise you anything on how to replace them. I got used to the idea they’re making my life better and are there to stay...
Remember about psychosomatics, try to shift your attention
There are many possible reasons for increased anxiety in the evening. The most common one is that in the evening we tend to have fewer distractions compared to during the day (like work and studies), so anxious thoughts and feelings become more active. However, there can be a combination of factors, including built-up tension from daily stress, negative associations with the evening or nighttime, worries about the next day.
Some people also tend to experience more unpleasant physical symptoms in the evening, like aches and pains, which can trigger anxiety. Activities done in the evening, diet choices, and coping mechanisms (e.g. intense exercise, excessive social media use, reading news, too much caffeine) may also raise anxiety levels.
I recommend observing your thought patterns and daily activities to identify potential triggers. Take note if certain activities seem to increase your anxiety. When you feel anxious, write down your thoughts to understand where they may be coming from. Continue recording your thoughts for at least a week to see how they change throughout the day.
There are various ways to reduce evening anxiety based on the likely causes:
- Plan things you enjoy for the evening. For example, meeting a friend, reading a book, watching a movie. This will reduce time spent alone with anxious thoughts.
It can also help to create an evening routine as routines are something predictable and give us a sense of comfort. You will always know what to do after you finish work or studies.
- Practice to be more present whatever you do. For example, listen to your friends and loved ones closely when you're with them, really focus on the taste of a meal you're having, noticing things around you - what you can see, hear, smell.
- Try breathing excercising when you feel anxiety increasing. For example, breath in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 6 seconds and breath out through your mouth for 8 seconds. Pay full attention to your breathing, keep breathing like this until you feel more calm. You can also think of a mantra that you can repeat to yourself during this time. Like: "Everything's okay" or "This is temporary".
- If you worry about the next day, make a plan to reduce uncertainty - list tasks, break them down into steps, estimate time needed.
- Create a relaxing routine you can do before bed - like journaling, reading a book, taking a shower, brushing your teeth, meditating, stretching your body, listening to calming music.
Overcoming anxiety is a personal journey and depends on your specific causes. If it stems from certain events, you can challenge anxious thoughts by asking "What evidence supports/refutes this thought?", "How likely is this outcome?", "Is there a more positive perspective?", "What can be an alternative, more realistic and supportive thought?". Imagining a worst case scenario and thinking of steps you can do in case it happens, or what you can do in order to prevent it, can remove some uncertainty and reduce anxiety as well. If it's hard to identify the root of your anxiety on your own or if it becomes too overwhelming, I recommend to reach out to a therapist.
Anxiety that gets worse in the evenings may be caused by several issues, including the association of bedtime with stress, a lack of distraction forcing you to think about your anxiety or just that you are drained from the day. Possible causes could include:
There are various coping techniques: