Depression at night: Does your mood switch off as you switch off the lights? Well, you’re not alone. Night time depression is one of the most common types of depression in the world. This unique phenomenon can not only affect your mood and behavior, it can also make you feel isolated, lonely, hopeless, and anxious.
“Night is the blotting paper for many sorrows.” – Unknown
According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), over 17.3 million adults in the U.S. experienced at least one major episode of depression in 2016 alone. It is a serious mood disorder that different people experience differently.
For some of us, the symptoms of depression increase significantly at night. Not only can it affect our mental and emotional health, but nighttime depression can also affect our sleep leading to insomnia and other physical health issues.
But why? Why do some of us feel intensely depressed at night? Why does the darkness outside engulf us completely and dim the lights in our hearts and minds?
Darkness Outside, Darkness Inside
Night time depression is one of those types of depression that creeps up on you when you least expect it. As the light starts to fade from the sky, you feel your heart getting heavier. As you head home after a long day, your gait becomes slower.
You feel your energy disappear & your mind feels clouded and lost. You try to tell yourself you’re fine. You try to feel as upbeat as you’ve been throughout the entire day. But you can’t. You try to distract yourself. Call someone close. Netflix and chill. But it seldom works.
As you lie alone in your bed, desperately trying to fall asleep, you feel the darkness outside seep into your body, mind, heart, and soul.
The harder you try to sleep, the more difficult it gets. You feel complete chaos inside your mind. You breathe warmly as tears stream down your eyes and end at the corner of your lips. You taste the salty heaviness of the pain inherent in your tears. It’s silent outside. Everyone is sleeping. You’re all alone with only your lonely thoughts to keep you company.
You want to talk to someone, but you don’t want to bother anyone at this hour with your depressive thoughts. You don’t know how to deal with it.
You feel hopeless. Tired. Exhausted. Drained. Sad. Confused. Frustrated. Lonely. And maybe even worthless. You feel overwhelmed with emotions you manage to keep at bay throughout the day. You feel sleepy. But you just can’t fall asleep. Being alone with your thoughts is hauntingly painful.
Related: Tips to Manage Sleep Anxiety and Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Why Are You Depressed Mostly At Night?
“Night is the mother of thoughts.” – JohnFlorio
The main reason we experience night time depression is because we are alone with our thoughts. There are no distractions. And all we can do is face ourselves. We reflect and ruminate on everything that haunts our minds and heart. Unlike the daytime, when we are usually busy with work, people, and various other things, night time is the period when we are forced to confront our emotions and thoughts.
Here are some of the most prominent reasons why you experience this devastating feeling of depression at night:
1. Reflection & rumination
Rumination is one of the major causes why most people experience depression in the evening. Rumination is a process where you think about past conflicts and events of the day repeatedly. As you are prone to ruminate when you’re alone, you start reflecting on issues trying to find multiple solutions and outcomes.
As depression compels us to think about negative events, our mind becomes entangled in arguments, fights, and disappointments & you rehearse how we could have done it better. Although it is normal, rumination usually leads to anxiety and depression.
2. Exposure to Light
When you are exposed to light during the nighttime, it can result in enhanced feelings of depression. As light exposure affects how our mind works, it makes us prone to various mood disorders, especially at night.
According to a recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, there’s a strong relationship between symptoms of nighttime depression and low-level light exposure while sleeping in elderly adults.
It is estimated that the risk could be even greater for younger individuals as their eyes tend to be more sensitive. The study claims that sleeping in total darkness can not only help you sleep better, but also boost your mental health.
In a statement to TIME, Kenji Obayashi, co-author and professor in the department of community health and epidemiology at Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Japan, stated: “Maintaining darkness in the bedroom at night may be a novel and viable option to prevent depression.”
3. Disrupted Circadian Rhythm
You are likely to feel depressed at night if your circadian rhythm is disordered and disrupted. Our circadian rhythm is a natural internal clock that informs our mind and body about when it should be active and when it should rest. Circadian rhythm affects our energy levels and this is the reason why we feel low on energy from 1 to 3 pm and 2 to 4 am.
Studies have found that when our internal sleep clock is disrupted, it can increase our chances of developing depression and may even worsen the symptoms of night time depression. Your circadian rhythm can be disorganized due to various reasons, like doing the night shift, jet lag, and excessive exposure to light at night.
Related: Studies Show How Yoga Will Help You Fight Depression
4. Wrong Chronotype
When you have a chronotype disadvantage, then you could be at a higher risk of nighttime depression. Chronotype is your tendency to sleep at a certain time every day. It determines when & how long an individual will sleep during a 24-hour period. This is what decides whether we are an early bird or night owl.
According to a study on the association between depression and chronotype, it was found that older women, 55 years of age on average, who identified as a night owl had a higher risk of developing depression.
5. Loneliness
Another underlying factor for feeling depressed at night is loneliness. If you live by yourself, then you are probably completely alone at night and this can leave you feeling isolated and abandoned. The long duration of the night can make you feel acutely lonely as you lack any interaction or companionship with another person.
6. Exhaustion & fatigue
When you feel excessively tired and fatigued after the activities of a long day, it can leave you feeling depressed, sad, and empty. As your body runs out of energy, you try harder to sleep but this makes falling asleep even more difficult. Being unable to sleep, you may feel increasingly frustrated, angry, upset, and stressed.
Coping With Night Time Depression
“Depression is useful. It signals that you need to make changes in your life, it challenges your tendency to withdraw, it reminds you to take action.” – Gloria Anzaldua
As devastating as night time depression can be, there are several ways you can cope with it and build better mental health. Whenever you realize you’re depressed, whether, at night or any time of the day, the first thing you need to do is consult a specialist.
Therapy and treatment, including medications, can bring a huge difference in your life and enable you to experience life in a more positive and happier way.
However, if you are not currently undergoing treatment and have yet to book an appointment with a therapist, then you may consider the following tips to help you cope with depression symptoms in mind. Keep in mind, these are not alternatives to medical treatment and therapy. These are only to help you find some balance & you should seek professional help as soon as possible.
Related: Situational Depression: 5 Symptoms You Should Inform Your Doctor
1. Relax yourself two hours before sleeping
When you relax your mind and body a couple of hours before bed, your body begins to prepare for rest and sleep by slowing itself down. Good and relaxing sleep can do wonders for our physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
2. Go to bed only when you’re tired
Make sure you don’t go to sleep unless you’re really tired and exhausted. If you don’t feel sleepy, read a book and practice meditation for 10-15 minutes instead of hitting the hay. This will ensure that you don’t lie motionlessly on your bed and unnecessarily ruminate about negative events and problems in life.
3. Practice calming activities
Stress is an unavoidable part of life. This is why it’s crucial that you eliminate stress by engaging in some stress-relieving activities. Activities like gardening, exercising, painting, cooking, meditation, and yoga can help you greatly in coping with your nightly depression.
4. Leave stress outside the bedroom
Do you often work on your laptop while on your bed? Then you need to stop it immediately. Make sure to keep any and all things that may cause stress, including work, away from your bedroom. Your bedroom should be your safe haven and the most comforting and peaceful place.
5. Limit caffeine & alcohol consumption
Managing the levels of your alcohol and caffeine intake can bring about a lot of change in your mood and how you feel about yourself. Caffeine and alcohol can certainly boost the risk of increased symptoms of depression and affect your sleep.
6. Limit your exposure to lights & screens
Before bedtime, make sure you avoid bright lights and stay away from electronic devices and screens like your smartphone and laptop. Studies have found that exposure to ‘blue light’ emanating from screens before bed can adversely affect the quality of sleep and lead to insomnia. Keep your lights dim and stay away from bright screens two hours before bed.
Related: How to Get Rid of Job Search Depression (Useful Tips for You)
Build Better Mental Health
Depression is the most common mental health condition which can easily get worse at night. Due to fewer distractions, our feelings of depression get heavier and often lead to insomnia, anxiety, and further depressive thoughts.
Getting a good night’s sleep can often help you treat nighttime depression and experience better overall well-being by practicing a lifestyle that supports better emotional and mental health. Following the tips mentioned above can be of great help if you are trying to cope with depression at night.
However, if you are unable to resolve your depression on your own, then it is best to seek professional help immediately.
Related: How Screen Time Affects Quality Of Sleep And Overall Health of Young Adults
“The darker the night, the brighter the stars, the deeper the grief, the closer is God!” – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Frequently Asked Questions
Is crying yourself to sleep a sign of depression?
Stress, anxiety, or depression can affect you in many ways, including nighttime crying. If you are crying yourself to sleep on a regular basis, see a medical health expert for a diagnosis.
What are the chances of your child getting clinical depression when you had clinical depression?
Mental disorders including clinical depression occur due to both genetic and environmental factors. It cannot be said with certainty whether they can be passed on to children.
What are empathy exercises for major depression?
Think about how you will help someone else with the same problem that you’re facing, be kind, disagree peacefully, use technology to connect meaningfully, and praise others.
Should you be left alone when having a major depressive cycle?
Isolating yourself during a major depressive cycle can prove to be counterproductive. People suffering from depression need medical attention and support from loved ones.
What’s the difference between having MDD (Major Depressive Disorder) and an Exhausted brain?
When your brain is tired due to stress you feel drained out and fatigued but MDD is a mood disorder that leads to a persistent feeling of loss of interest and sadness.
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