Anxiety and mood swings are related, with chronic anxiety leading to negative moods and fatigue. Negative thought patterns can contribute to anxiety, and developing healthy cognitive patterns and getting enough rest can help control negative moods.
Feelings of anxiety and mood swings are related because, according to experts, anxiety that often burns the mind’s imagination fuel can contribute to bad moods, especially if a person is tired. Lasting over a period of time and having a physiological component, moods are underlying feelings that are less intense than emotions. The interplay between chronic anxiety and mood swings can create a negative cycle that affects mental well-being, so it’s important to analyze the ingrained thought patterns that influence anxiety and moods.
Unlike powerful emotional fear, which is a response to a real threat like job loss or physical assault, anxiety isn’t always closely tied to real-life experiences. Anxiety often results from negative thought patterns related to future, illusory events. People with chronic anxiety obsessively anticipate problems and imagine the worst outcomes for an event. Over time unrestrained negative thoughts and anxiety wear the body down, and a combination of tiredness and tension can lead to negative moods and mood swings.
Based in part on the body’s biological rhythms, moods such as anxiety are often non-specific and may not be based on real experiences. For example, because most people have higher energy levels in the morning, they are more likely to be in an upbeat mood and have a more hopeful outlook when considering a difficult problem. The same problem might be viewed in a more pessimistic light later in the day when a person’s body’s natural rhythms are relaxing and fatigue sets in.
The connection between anxiety and moods can be seen as a “Who came first, the chicken or the egg?” cycle. Feelings of constant or overwhelming worry can be tiring and can contribute to a bad mood. Of course, negative moods can contribute to tiredness or sleep problems and lead to even more anxiety.
Some experts believe that the way out of the anxiety and mood trap is to develop healthy thinking or cognitive patterns. They believe that all feelings are the result of thoughts and how we populate the world. Many times, these thought patterns have a limited basis in reality. Understanding the connection between anxiety and mood swings, and how negative thoughts can lead to unnecessary tension and even depression, may be the first step, according to some experts, to controlling negative moods.
Getting adequate rest is also key to overcoming chronic anxiety and mood swings. Sleep deprivation can lead to emotional irritability, poor concentration, and a compromised immune system. Avoiding excessive amounts of caffeine, especially later in the day, and practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation can also help you get a good night’s rest.
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