Millions of people around the world suffer from morning depression. This condition can make it difficult to get out of bed and start your day. In this blog post, we will discuss morning depression and what you need to know about it. We will also provide tips on how to manage this condition.
Contents
What Is Morning Depression?
Morning depression is a condition that affects some individuals with major depressive disorder. You may have more severe depression symptoms in the morning than in the afternoon or evening with morning sorrow. Morning sadness shows the fluctuation in depressive symptoms and mood throughout the day.
It differs from seasonal depression, which is triggered by changes in the seasons. This was previously considered a medical diagnosis alone, but it is now thought of as one of several possible symptoms of depression. Extreme sadness, irritation, anger, and tiredness are all possible responses.
Symptoms
Morning depression is a type of mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and negativity in the mornings. However, as the day progresses, they improve. Its symptoms may include:
- Difficulty waking up and getting out of bed in the morning
- When you begin your day, you’ll probably feel exhausted for several reasons.
- Unable to do simple things like showering or brewing coffee
- Delays in mental or physical functioning
- Inattentiveness or a lack of focus are common.
- Agitation or aggravation that is extreme
- Lack of enthusiasm for previously enjoyable activities
- Boredom
- Changes in hunger (usually eating more or less than usual)
- Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)
Causes
- Irregular Heart Beats: It has been discovered that individuals who suffer from depression frequently have disturbed circadian rhythms. This disruption is one of the most common causes of early morning sadness.
- Not getting enough sleep: morning depression is a real thing. It can be caused by many different things, but one of the most common culprits is sleep deprivation. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body doesn’t have time to properly rest and recharge. This can lead to all sorts of problems, including morning depression.
- Anxiety in the morning: morning anxiety can lead to morning depression in several ways. First, if you have morning anxiety, you may dread waking up and starting your day. This can lead to feelings of sadness and despair, which can then escalate into full-blown depression.
- Difficulty starting your day: Additionally, morning anxiety can make it difficult to get out of bed and start your day, which can further contribute to feelings of depression. Finally, morning anxiety can interfere with your ability to eat breakfast or get other important tasks done, which can also add to feelings of depression.
- Feeling isolated or alone: One of the most common causes is isolation. When you’re isolated, you don’t have anyone to talk to or interact with regularly. This can lead to feelings of loneliness and despair, which can eventually turn into morning depression.
- Having low energy levels: morning depression is a type of depression that typically occurs during the morning hours. It can cause low energy levels, difficulty waking up, and feelings of fatigue. People with morning depression may have low energy levels and feel fatigued when they wake up. They may find it difficult to get out of bed and may have trouble concentrating or focusing on tasks.
- Feeling hopeless or helpless: People who suffer from morning depression often feel hopeless and helpless. They may not want to get out of bed or face the day. Everything may seem insurmountable and they may feel like they are just going through the motions.
The above explained are some of the major causes of morning depression. One needs to keep an eye on any of these risk elements, if he/she is facing in life, to stay away from morning sadness.
Diagnosis
Because morning sadness is not a distinct illness, it has no own diagnostic criteria. That implies that there are no specific symptoms that your doctor will check for to determine if you have it. To see whether you have morning depression, your doctor or therapist will inquire about your sleep habits and mood changes throughout the day. They might ask you things like:
- Do you have a pattern to your symptoms, whether they’re better in the mornings or evenings?
- Whether you find yourself struggling to get out of bed or get started in the morning.
- If your feelings alter dramatically throughout the day.
- Do you have a tough time focusing for extended periods of time?
- Whether you derive enjoyment from the activities that you usually enjoy.
- Have you made any significant changes to your daily routine recently?
- What makes you happy?
Treatment Options
Here are some of the therapies that may help with early morning sadness.
Talk with your doctor
Morning depression is just like other symptoms of sadness, and it can be treated. If you believe you have morning depression, see your doctor. They may evaluate your symptoms and suggest a treatment strategy to assist you in overcoming them. Moreover, he can also offer tips on how to cope with morning depression.
How To Share Your Problem?
Because so many of the symptoms lessen as the day goes on, melancholy in the morning can be more challenging. You may wake up feeling horrible but fall asleep OK.
It’s all too easy to brush aside those emotions and believe you can handle them on your own. However, if your depression begins to interfere with your job or social life, or if it gets worse, it’s probably time to visit a healthcare professional.
Make a list of your symptoms ahead of time so that when you see your doctor, you’ll have everything ready to go. Also, let them know that you could be depressed and provide all the information you can about it.
Don’t be concerned that you’re being overly dramatic or that it’s a “minor problem.” Depression can be serious, and you need excellent treatment so that you may live a happy life without waking up to dread every day.
Medication
Morning sadness is not well-tolerated by SSRIs, unlike other symptoms of depression. SSRIs are antidepressants that may help relieve the symptoms of major depression.
However, Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) such as Venlafaxine (Effexor) can help those who suffer from morning sadness.
Therapies
You can avail the benefits of therapies also to cure morning sadness. If practiced incessantly, they will surely help you.
Talk Therapy
Talk therapy is a type of psychological treatment that involves talking to a therapist about your problems and feelings. It can be an effective treatment for morning depression. Talk therapy can help you understand your thoughts and feelings, and it can also help you find new ways to cope with morning depression. Talk therapy includes:
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: This type of therapy can help you identify and change negative thoughts and behaviors that contribute to morning depression.
- Interpersonal Therapy: This type of therapy can help you improve your relationships and communication skills.
- Psychodynamic Therapy: This type of therapy can help you understand the root causes of your morning depression.
Talk therapy is a safe, effective treatment for morning depression. If you’re struggling with morning depression, talk to your doctor about whether talk therapy may be right for you.
Light Therapy
People with morning depression can also benefit from bright light treatment, commonly known as phototherapy or sunshine therapy. You may use a light therapy box to get this type of treatment. A strong light is emitted by the box, which resembles natural outdoor light.
Light is said to alter brain chemicals involved in mood. Although light therapy is usually thought of as a treatment for seasonal depression, it may be beneficial to some people with morning depression as well.
The light must be sat in front of for a few moments to obtain your “dose,” which means there’s no need to jump out of bed right away. You can lean over, and turn on the little box of sunshine in the room to make it difficult to shut your eyes again after that.
Self Help Tips
Not every person wants or needs antidepressants, but there are plenty of other things you can do to improve your mood.
Improve Your Night Sleep
Apart from these procedures, making minor modifications to your sleep habits may also help. These adjustments might assist you in synchronizing your sleep/wake cycle with your body clock, which could reduce the manifestations of early sadness. You might try:
- going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time daily.
- eating meals at regular intervals.
- avoiding long naps.
- creating an atmosphere that encourages sleep, such as a dark, quiet, and cool room.
- avoiding things that might keep you from getting a good night’s sleep, such as caffeine, alcohol, and cigarettes.
Exercise
Increasing activity early in the day may aid you in falling asleep faster and improving the quality of your sleep. That will make you feel more refreshed, lowering your risk of depression during the morning. Try doing a little walk (or whatever sort of activity you like). A modest exercise session may go a long way, and as a result, you might notice your depression lift as you keep active.
Start Slow: Get Up And Sit Down
Begin with the fundamentals: Simply attempt to sit up. Push your pillows up and maybe have a spare pillow on hand to support you up. It’s as simple as getting up and standing to your feet. Even just sitting up can help you feel more prepared for the day ahead.
Think Of Delicious Food
Consider how wonderful it will be to eat a delicious meal or drink your favorite cup of coffee. Food and beverage cravings are powerful motivations. If you find yourself daydreaming about eggs, bacon, and French toast while you’re trying to concentrate on something else, you’ll be more inclined to get up off the sofa.
Experiment With The Classics
Instead of modern technology, go back to the original ways. Set a wake-up call or a multitude of irritating alarms and hide your phone or clock away. You’ll have to get out of bed in order to turn it off. If you have a lot of alarms set, by the third one you’ll be like, “Fine, I am up!” You will not want to shut all of them off at once because that will trigger the final alarm and wake up your partner (unless they’re planning on being lazy as well).
Express Your Gratitude
It may seem old-fashioned to some, but the effect they have is undeniable. Every day, write down something you’re grateful for. Alternatively, do this at night and reread your gratitude in the morning. Reminding yourself about the good things in your life might brighten your spirits before you start your day
Spend Time With Your Loved Ones
Depression may cause you to want to seclude yourself, but it is more essential than ever to spend time with those who matter most. A simple text might make all the difference.
Having someone to talk to when things are tough may be quite beneficial. Reminding yourself that people care about you can always make you feel a bit better, even if you don’t discuss your feelings or depression.
Show Affection To Your Pet
Another alternative is to concentrate on your pets. It has shown a variety of advantages. They may be a powerful incentive to get out of bed in the morning, whether it’s feeding, walking, or snuggling with them. Spending an hour or so being unconditionally adored by your pet may have a beneficial influence on your state of mind.
Feel Joy In Regular Routine
Don’t take the joy out of your morning by pushing yourself to get up and ready. You may also try utilizing different types of motivation to rouse yourself, such as your phone.
To begin your day, allow yourself to check your email or watch a cute animal video. Set a timer simply to make sure you don’t spend the entire morning in bed checking social media. For phone time, keep it at 15 minutes. Another alternative is to put your phone out of reach so you’ll have to get up to use it. Make time for yourself to create a routine you’ll enjoy.
Inculcate New Habits In The Morning
Make a morning routine that you can’t wait to get out of bed for. Many people find themselves trapped in a cycle of getting out of bed and going to work, that’s all they do. The morning is a unique opportunity to create new habits and routines. You have to get up and do this if you want to begin your day in a more pleasant and optimistic light. If you start your day with a strong routine, you may have a different perspective on it. It can include the following practices:
- taking some time after getting up. In our daily lives, we simply don’t have enough time for ourselves. We’re just attempting to get out the door as quickly as possible. Try to avoid it.
- some light yoga stretches.
- beginning of your day in a more peaceful and attentive manner with some mindfulness meditation in the morning.
- having breakfast while listening to music makes you feel better, more alert, or less restless.
- to love your morning rituals. It’s just another thing you can do to help manage your depression and get through the day.
- Spending time in nature for some time, might refresh you with new thoughts and give a new hope.
Conclusion
At the end of this blog, it is included that morning depression is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a real thing that many people go through. If you are someone who struggles with morning depression, know that you are not alone and there are ways to manage it. Talk to your doctor about your options and find what works best for you. There is nothing that can’t be treated so, don’t be discouraged. Seek help and start living a better life, morning depression-free.
For more information, please contact MantraCare. Depression is a mental illness characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in daily activities. If you have any queries regarding Online Depression Counseling experienced therapists at MantraCare can help: Book a trial Depression Therapy session
