anyone else feel their ocd intrusive thoughts get worse at night during the night and then when they first wake up?

Me. Maybe because I experienced some bad things happening during the night.

Mine wake me up each morning, it is a daunting way to start the day. I’ve found that it helps to just get up and start the day.

Same here

Yes! First wake up, when I change activities throughout the day and before bed... The spaces in between is were we get to live... I work for those spaces to become longer and longer.

I’ve been experiencing a lot during the morning and waking up

Yes, and I’ve heard there’s a biological reason for this. When we first wake up, our chortisol levels are at their peak. Chortisol being a stress hormone, it kicks our OCD into gear.

Oh interesting, I hadn’t heard that before. But it makes a lot of sense.

Are there any ways to address the elevated cortisol level?

Yes! Drink a lot of water as soon as you get up out of bed. It will help flush out the cortisol!

It happens to a log of people with mental illnesses, and not, because nighttime = wind down for bed. That causes people to slow down and start thinking.