If you find you’re already stressed in the morning, it may be time to examine your daily routine. Bad habits can throw off what experts say is called the “awakening response,” and that imbalance can lead to a stressful, anxious day.

Cortisol levels rise in the morning, which triggers the awakening response. In fact, this stress hormone spikes by 70%, says Elizabeth Shirtcliff, a research professor at the Center for Translational Neuroscience at the University of Oregon. So even if you have the healthiest morning habits, you are naturally up against some stress first thing in the morning.

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Certain habits can upset a smooth awakening response, says HuffPost , and you might not even realize you are doing them.

• Waking up and going to bed at different times each day. According to Shirtcliff, getting up at different times each day is hard on the body because the cortisol awakening response will be out of whack. “And that leads to a huge feeling of fatigue and burnout because your body is not prepared,” says Shirtcliff. “So, you end up feeling stressed out because you don’t have the protection of that awakening response.”

• Rushing to get out the door. According to HuffPost, if you keep pressing the snooze button and don’t allow yourself sufficient time to transition from bed to breakfast at a leisurely rate, you will likely start your morning with anxiety that will affect the rest of the day.

• Checking messages and social media. Avoid bombarding yourself with loads of information first thing in the morning. Not only will this habit distract you from morning chores, but also the news you are ingesting may be disturbing and cause anxiety.

• Not getting enough sleep. Shirtcliff says that getting a good night’s sleep is important to combat anxiety. “If you get that good night’s sleep, then you are going to have a really nice cortisol awakening response. And that can be its own physical jumpstart for the day,” she says.

• Drinking too much caffeine. Excessive caffeine can provoke anxiety, say experts. According to the Mayo Clinic, up to 400 milligrams of caffeine appears to be safe for most adults. That’s roughly the amount of four cups of coffee, 10 cans of cola, or two “energy shot” drinks. Very often we use caffeine to cope with other imbalances in our lives, like too little sleep or too much stress, rather than get to the bottom of our anxiety.

• Beginning your day with negative self-talk. According to HuffPost, starting your day with negative self-talk or self-criticism can contribute to feelings of anxiety. Try to catch yourself when you slip into negative patterns and think about how these thoughts contribute to your stress and anxiety.

Shirtcliff says that the best way to combat morning anxiety is to establish routines.

“Routine is the secret to good stress hormones,” she says. This incudes eating at the same time of day, going to bed around the same time and waking up around the same time. “Those are all going to be ways that help your body predict the day and therefore not have to overdo it,” Shirtcliff added.

Other tips include getting your clothes ready the night before, eating a nutritious diet and drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated. Getting regular exercise is another way to combat stress and anxiety.

By thinking and planning ahead, you can reduce morning stressors that could escalate throughout the day.