Why Do I Get Depressed At Night And What Can I Do About It?
Do you sometimes experience emotional difficulties or increased depression symptoms at night and wonder, “Why do I get sad at night?” Perhaps you try to go to sleep, but your negative feelings get in the way. What is it that causes the phenomenon of being depressed at night, and what can you do about it once it starts? Below, you’ll find some of the reasons depressive symptoms might occur or worsen for you at night plus tips for managing them.
Is nighttime depression real?
Some people feel they’re only depressed at night and feel fine during the day. However, a mental health condition like depression isn’t usually something that happens just at night. Your feelings of depression might be worse at night, but if you have clinical depression, it’s likely affecting you in some way during daytime hours, too. If not, it’s possible that you have another condition or other emotional challenges besides major depressive disorder.
Here are some of the symptoms that could indicate that your feelings of sadness may actually be signs of clinical depression, a mental illness that can be treated:
Persistent feelings of sadness, worthlessness, and/or guilt
Changes in weight, appetite, and/or sleep patterns
Loss of pleasure in things you once enjoyed
Trouble concentrating
The feeling of being slowed down
Feelings of restlessness or agitation
Fatigue
If you notice any of these symptoms—especially if they’re interfering with work, school, daily functioning, relationships, or your overall sense of well-being—it may be time to seek professional support. A doctor or therapist can screen you for depression and suggest treatment strategies if you receive a diagnosis.
Why you might feel sad at night
There are many reasons you might experience evening sadness or increased nighttime depression symptoms. Below are some potential causes, plus a few suggestions and lifestyle changes that may help to alleviate them.
Exposure to light at night
Light exposure at night can increase feelings of sadness and symptoms of nighttime depression, a phenomenon increasingly studied by scientists.
For example, if you work at night, you’re likely in a brightly lit environment during that time. This illumination may influence the way your brain works, which may make you more prone to changes in mood or even mood disorders. This could be behind research findings suggesting that shift workers may be at a higher risk of depression.
Solutions for this problem might be easier for people who don’t work at night, as they involve making your bedroom as dark as possible when you’re ready to go to sleep. Here are a few tips:
Try not to use a nightlight all night. Putting a low light on a timer or not using a light at all could be beneficial.
Reduce artificial light from outside. If there’s light coming into your bedroom from outside, such as from streetlights, you may need to get blackout curtains or heavy drapes.
Avoid screen time before bed. At least an hour before bedtime, it might help to turn off your electronic devices—including tablets, TVs, and phones. Research suggests a relationship between melatonin levels and exposure to blue light, such as the kind that comes from screens.
Cover bright clocks. If you have a clock on your nightstand, you might make sure its illuminated face or numerals aren’t creating too much light. If you need to, you can cover up the face of the clock and any other points of light in your space with a dark cloth while you’re trying to sleep.
For people who work at night, nighttime light and sleep issues may be more difficult to manage. If you work nights, you might meet with a doctor and/or therapist to make positive decisions about managing your sleep habits.
Problems with circadian rhythm
Your circadian rhythm, which is mainly controlled by the hypothalamus of your brain, is like a 24-hour clock that tells your body when to be alert and when to rest. For most people, the middle of the night between 2 and 4 am and the afternoon between 1 and 3 pm are the times when they have the lowest energy due to their circadian rhythm. When your circadian rhythm is disrupted, you may be more likely to experience sadness and poor sleep quality.
Factors like light and darkness influence this rhythm and can cause it to be disrupted. As a result, you may feel sleepy during the times you used to feel the most alert and wide awake when you want to sleep. When the rhythm is off, the stress can affect your brain and contribute to symptoms of depression at night.
Not everyone has the exact same circadian rhythm. But for most people, it may be best to be active during the day, do restful things before bedtime, and sleep through the night. Getting outside during the day may help too.
If you can’t sleep at night, practicing good sleep hygiene can be useful. You might find that it helps to do something quiet and relaxing before bed and avoid using screens for a couple of hours before your scheduled bedtime. You may also find it helpful to establish a regular routine for rising and going to bed that can match your natural rhythms and help your brain recognize when it is appropriate to be energetic.
The chronotype disadvantage
Having a unique chronotype may put you at greater risk for depression, too. Your chronotype refers to your customary sleep patterns: when and how long you sleep. Your chronotype might be that of a night owl, an early bird, or something in the middle. One study found that older women with late chronotypes, such as the night owl, had a significantly higher risk of depression.
Although chronotype is biological, it may change slowly and naturally as you age. What you can do is make the best choices within your chronotype. If you’re a night owl, you might try to accept that chronotype and not fight against it. One strategy might be to get up an hour or two later than an early bird does if you can. You can try opening the curtains and letting in the light when you wake up, perhaps even going outside and exercising. By the same token, if you can’t go to bed as early as an early bird, you might accept this but set boundaries with yourself and decide not to stay up all night.
Fatigue
Your day’s activities may make you very tired. This fatigue may help some people go to sleep more easily, but for others, it just heightens the symptoms of depression and makes them feel down at bedtime. If your waking hours are spent on stressful activities and a busy schedule, this could be a culprit of nighttime sadness.
During the day, you can try to pace yourself, take breaks, and eat healthy snacks so that you aren’t pushing yourself to exhaustion. If you’re feeling unusual fatigue, you might talk to your physician to make sure that you don’t have a medical condition that’s causing it, such as chronic fatigue syndrome.
Rumination
Rumination is the act of turning the day’s events or past conflicts over and over in your mind—or even focusing on heavy existential questions and feeling unable to rest until you come to conclusions about them. You may feel that if you think about your problems enough, you’ll find a solution. Rumination may also lead to thoughts like, “This always happens to me,” or “Why can’t I do things better?” Instead of dwelling on what you think your weaknesses are, you might think of one thing you can do to resolve the situation or handle it more appropriately. Then, you can try to let it go for the night, knowing that you’ll take care of it tomorrow.
Practicing journaling or meditation may also be effective ways to release such negative and circular thoughts and let your mind drift peacefully as you prepare for sleep. As an added bonus, these practices may also reduce stress.
Other factors and solutions
Feeling sad at night may have something to do with other factors as well. Those who live alone may feel acute loneliness during the overnight hours, so making sure to get quality social interaction during the day or even considering living with a roommate or friend could be useful.
Sound levels may also make a difference. If distractions in your sleep environment deprive you of a quiet atmosphere, you may have trouble going to sleep—but if it’s too quiet, you may tend to ruminate or feel anxious. Using a white noise machine, an audio recording of mixed frequencies, or an electric fan may help you fall asleep more easily if this is a problem for you.
Is it time to seek help?
Feeling sad at night once in a while may not cause excessive disturbances to your life. However, if you’ve tried to resolve these challenges on your own but are still feeling sad night after night, it may be time to look into mental health resources. This can be especially true if you notice worsening feelings, have insomnia, or use substances like alcohol to try to help yourself sleep or cope with depression symptoms.
If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.
If you’re experiencing signs of depression, it’s generally recommended that you seek the support of a therapist. Whether you end up having a diagnosable mental health condition or not, they can help you learn to challenge your thoughts and build healthy coping mechanisms for difficult feelings. A therapist experienced in treating depression may also guide you in developing healthier sleeping habits and encourage you as you get involved in positive daytime activities to help combat depression symptoms at night.
In many cases, you can decide between in-person and online therapy. That said, if you’re experiencing persistent sadness, trouble sleeping, and fatigue, you might find it hard to leave the house for regular in-person appointments. In cases like these, online therapy can be a more convenient alternative. With BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed therapist and meet with them remotely from home or anywhere you have an internet connection. Research suggests that online talk therapy can be “at least as effective” as in-person therapy for treating depression. See below for a review of a BetterHelp counselor from a client living with depression.
Counselor review
Catalina Leonard, LMHC
Catalina Leonard is a generous and kind therapist who helped me find a path out of my depression. She supported me, helped me find tools to better myself, Listened, and put in a lot of effort to know and understand me. I appreciate her help and am thankful to have gotten her as my therapist.”
Takeaway
If you’re experiencing feelings of sadness at night, know that you are not alone. This is a common experience, and there are licensed therapists with eIf you’re experiencing feelings of sadness at night, there are many potential causes, from depression to rumination to the chronotype disadvantage. Nighttime light exposure, such as is common for shift workers, could also be a culprit. If you’re experiencing nighttime sadness, it’s usually recommended that you meet with your doctor and/or a therapist for evaluation and support.xperience helping people address and manage nighttime depression. You may find that talking to a counselor can give you valuable insight and help you sleep better at night, which can lead to better overall health and well-being. Reach out to BetterHelp today.
What does it mean when you're only sad at night?
If you’ve ever asked yourself, why do I get sad at night? you’re not alone. Often, people ruminate at night when there are fewer distractions. You might worry about the future, think about past events, or experience a cycle of specific negative thoughts. Additionally, for some, sadness at night is a sign that they’re developing depression symptoms. Depression symptoms can worsen at night, when there may be fewer distractions or loneliness might seem more pronounced.
If you’d like to address nighttime depression or similar concerns, consider working with a mental health professional. Psychotherapy is one method of working through the emotional challenges of depression. Medications can also help with symptom management. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are common medications for depression.
Why do I suddenly want to cry at night?
Many people experience sadness at night. This could be because they feel lonely, or because they’re no longer occupied with tasks that might provide distractions from their sadness. Crying could also be the result of excess stress throughout the day and nervousness or worry about tomorrow’s challenges. If you have similar experiences, you may cry more often at night than other times.
To address night crying, consider writing down your feelings in a journal. Journaling can help you express your emotions and practice gratitude. Taking note of the positive things that happened throughout your day may help you feel less sad at night.
How do sleep patterns affect mood?
There is an established connection between irregular sleep patterns and mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder. Studies show that people who perform shift work, which can be at odds with the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, experience a greater incidence of depression. And, in a 2008 study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, researchers concluded that sleep disruptions are a risk factor for recurrent depression. More research is being conducted to examine the links between mood and sleep cycles.
Why do I feel the worst at night?
There are several reasons you may experience mental or emotional health concerns at night. You may experience increased feelings of loneliness at night, when you are no longer around coworkers, friends, or other companions. Many people experience stress during the day, which causes them to feel fatigued at night.
Additionally, the blue light emitted from screens can affect your mood. Research suggests that blue light can worsen symptoms of depression. Consider limiting your blue light exposure by avoiding your phone, computer, and tv screens during the hour before you go to sleep.
Is it OK to stay in bed all day once in a while?
It can be OK to rest in bed all day occasionally, especially if you’re experiencing an illness, feeling rundown, or are otherwise low on energy. However, too much time spent resting can have a negative effect on your mental and physical health. Excessive sleep can weaken the immune system, exacerbate symptoms of depression, and impact heart health. It is generally recommended that adults sleep 7-9 hours each night.
What is poor mental health?
Poor mental health can refer to a variety of cognitive and emotional challenges that arise in our lives. The stressors of everyday life can cause us to feel overwhelmed, experience tension, and struggle to focus. Additionally, a mental health condition like depression or anxiety can lead to difficult emotions and negative thought patterns. If you believe you’re experiencing poor mental health, consider working with a healthcare professional who can provide you with screenings and determine whether further testing, a diagnosis, and treatment are necessary.
Why do people wake up angry?
There are several reasons people may wake up angry. Often, anger is a secondary emotion that arises only after an individual has first experienced a different emotion. For example, a lack of sleep can contribute to emotional challenges like stress, which may then lead to anger. Getting better sleep, then, might improve feelings of anger in the morning. You can do this by developing a consistent bedtime routine, maintaining a restful sleep environment, and limiting caffeine late in the day.
Why shouldn't you cry at night?
In general, it is healthy to cry, even at night. Crying is thought to help rid the body of stress hormones and release oxytocin and endorphins, which are feel-good hormones. However, crying at night can be a sign that you’re living with mental health concerns that may need to be addressed. Crying at night can be an indicator of developing depression. It is also a common symptom of disorders like complicated grief, anxiety, and chronic stress.
What is anxiety crying?
Anxiety can lead to serious distress and nervousness—feelings which may require an outlet. In some cases, crying serve as that outlet. For example, you might experience intense worry due to an upcoming deadline, causing you to become overwhelmed and start crying. Here, crying can be a way of releasing stress and expressing your emotions.
What happens if you cry too much?
Though crying is generally considered a healthy way of expressing your emotions, it can be concerning if it becomes persistent or excessive. Crying too much can be draining as it typically expends energy. Excessive crying can also be a symptom of a mental health challenge like depression or anxiety. It is also a primary characteristic of pseudobulbar affect, a neurological condition that can cause outbursts of laughing or crying.
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