Why Do We Feel Better In The Evening When We Have Depression?

Inability to get out of bed: Why is depression worse in the morning?

Depression, whether severe, episodic or chronic, reactive, or post-partum, can vary according to periods, the season, and even the time of day. Thus, we can almost all notice that our mood varies from one season to another. For example, we often speak of summer depression, winter depression, etc.

Depression and altered circadian rhythm

Studies have shown that in depressed people, the circadian rhythm is altered. As a reminder, the circadian rhythm is our internal clock 🕰️. It’s a biological rhythm that reacts to certain physiological processes, such as sleep and food. During episodes of depression, we can notice a bad mood in the morning, which returns to normal in the evening. Hormones such as melatonin or cortisol are released less well. This is why depression makes you sleepy. Indeed, depressive disorders make you sleepy during the day or can lead to sleep disorders, mainly insomnia.

And yet another day to face

In addition to circadian rhythms and hormones, feeling better in the evening than in the morning during a period of depression is simply related to the rhythm of life. Many depressed people report morning anxieties, apathy, a lack of energy, and an inability to get up because they don’t feel up to the day ahead🪫. At the thought of having to bear a whole day with its planning, responsibilities, obligations, and constraints, the despondency and pain are stronger. All the more so this inability to cope with our obligations reinforces the feeling of loss of control, lack of self-esteem, as well as feelings of guilt and failure.

At the end of the day, things calm down. This is when you go back home, the daily hassles begin to cease, and you can finally disconnect. In the evening, there’s no longer a day to fill, and the stress and anxiety fade away. Some people even speak of a depression that has subsided and almost died.

How to get up in the morning when you’re depressed?

Firstly, if you’re suffering from symptoms of depression, you should consult a psychiatrist who will be able to accompany you and, if necessary, prescribe drug treatment adapted to your case.

8 tips for coping with your day if you’re suffering from depression

• 1. A dawn simulator will be particularly effective, especially in the case of seasonal affective disorder
• 2. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day
• 3. Stretch or do some yoga exercises for about 10 minutes when you get up
• 4. Whatever you’re doing for the rest of the day, force yourself to shower and get dressed
• 5. Have breakfast calmly. Even if you don’t feel like it, you should have a small snack because your brain and body need energy to function.
• 6. Call a go-to person every morning: to give yourself a boost and courage, choose a reference person, someone close to you to call every morning, and someone you can rely on to give you strength and energy for the day ahead.
• 7. Take a moment to reconnect with yourself. To deal with negative thoughts, it’s important to give yourself a moment of peace and inner calm. This can be done through meditation, writing, self-massage, etc.
• 8. Finally, in order not to disrupt your rhythm too much, you shouldn’t take naps that are too long naps. A nap of 10 to 20 minutes is ideal to regain energy, but go up to an hour maximum. ⚠️ Be careful, you should avoid 30-minute naps, which are more likely to cause sleep inertia (bad moods, feelings of unease, disorientation) when you wake up. Discover how to talk to your doctor about depression.

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