Are those storm clouds on the horizon? If we’re talking about the weather and you know your area pretty well, then you can probably tell when a little rain or maybe some thunder and lightning are coming. If we’re talking metaphorically, you may also be able to tell when life is about to batter you about with gale-force winds. People who have been a caretaker for a loved one with a dire illness know this all too well. If their loved one is in hospice they may experience this feeling as “anticipatory grief.” It’s not just an emotional drain — it’s physical, psychological, even spiritual.

But you don’t have to anticipate something as dreadful as the death of a loved one to experience something similar. There are all sorts of situations that might keep you up at night. If you see financial trouble ahead, or you’re worried about political events that are not unfolding the way you hoped, or you have a nagging feeling that your romantic relationship is in trouble, you may be feeling a range of emotions. This is known as “anticipatory anxiety,” and it’s not only natural but common.

Writing for the American Psychological Association (APA), Charlotte Huff says, “Anticipatory anxiety can be sparked by daily scenarios, such as anticipating a dental appointment or a preventive cancer screening. Or the symptoms may stem from more systemic sources of stress and uncertainty, whether worry about climate-related weather events or about anticipated changes emanating from the new administration.”

The problem arises when you don’t deal with anticipatory anxiety in healthy ways. It can, Huff writes, “fuel unhealthy behaviors. In an effort to reduce anticipatory anxiety, individuals coping with high levels of social anxiety report more drinking prior to a social event than those with nonclinical levels.”

Reactions To Anticipatory Anxiety

A person’s reaction to an upcoming event often involves a process. First, they recognize their fear. They then get anxious about what their fear will lead them to do – having an embarrassing panic attack boarding a flight, for example, if they’re afraid of flying. Then they may succumb to what’s known as the third level of fear — deciding to avoid the situation entirely: I’ll just take the train — no matter how impractical that might be.

Another reaction to anticipatory anxiety is to try to ignore the fear. “In scenarios in which people can’t physically avoid the source of their anxiety, such as a growing local risk of extreme weather events,” Huff says, “they may instead engage in cognitive avoidance, trying to distract themselves from their worries.” Repression, though, is rarely a good idea and may lead to other issues.

Dealing with Anticipatory Anxiety

A few effective ways to deal with anticipatory anxiety include both mental and physical tactics, including:

Get Real. There’s a lot to worry about in life. There are many what-if’s that make you toss and turn at night. The reality, though, is that most of them are not in your future. In a Penn State University study, researchers asked 29 people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) to keep a journal of their worries for 10 days. They found that 91.4% of their worries did not come true. If you find yourself overwhelmed with anxiety about the future, create a “worry journal.” Write down what you’re worried about and track what actually occurs. Ninety percent of what you’re worrying about may involve needless worrying, and your journal may help you internalize this.  

Develop An Action Plan. It’s often a good idea to acknowledge that your fears may be well-founded. In other words, you have every right to worry because the danger is real. For example, worrying about something like wildfires is not only a legitimate concern, it’s smart to do so. But it’s only smart if your worry prompts you to develop an action plan. Know which routes are safe to drive out of your area. Pack a “go bag” with the essentials you need to live for days in a hotel or at a friend’s home, and things that would break your heart to lose. Communicate your plan with your family.

Avoid Social Media. This is probably good advice for reasons other than reducing anticipatory anxiety. More and more research is revealing the insidious results of constant scrolling through social media.

Practice Mindfulness. Mindfulness techniques including meditation can help you stay grounded and in the moment. Focusing on the present helps you avoid undue worry about the future.

Get The Proper Amount Of Sleep. Getting a good night’s rest has been shown to help with anxiety overall. According to SleepFoundation.org, “Anxiety is frequently connected to sleeping problems. Excess worry and fear make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night. Sleep deprivation can worsen anxiety, spurring a negative cycle involving insomnia and anxiety disorders.”

Exercise. Aside from simply improving your overall health, recent research indicates it also effectively helps reduce stress. In fact, the more intense the physical activity is, the greater reduction in anxiety. Unfortunately, more intense exercise also leads to more people discontinuing it regularly. Which indicates you should probably strive for a level of exercise or activity that you can maintain without getting discouraged.