Worse in the morning, better in the evening. Morning depression ruins your life. How long and how often will I have to see a psychologist?


A consistently bad mood in the morning, day after day, is one of the symptoms of a depressive disorder. I don’t mean mild melancholy, but a condition in which a person does not want to get out of bed. No reason. The coming day looks empty and meaningless. Moreover, the same day looks better in the evening or during the day, but the morning is always gray. The very first thought that comes to the awakened consciousness is a thought from the series of how bad everything is. The crocodile will not be caught and the coconut will not grow. Definitely, no options.

A depressed brain is like a car that needs to get from point A to point B through traffic jams, but there is little gas left. And it’s not enough because the car works a lot at idle and in this mode it eats like crazy. The depressed brain lacks serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. There are few of them for a reason; they are wasted somewhere. A person continuously plays scenarios of failures and disasters in his flight simulator (prefrontax cortex), swims in a thick swamp of pessimism and beats himself up for everything. He does not clarify, does not specify details, does not take action. He constantly screws himself up, imagines how bad everything will be and sacredly believes in this one thing. possible result. It’s no wonder to burn up serotonin.

Stimulants - caffeine and nicotine, biologically have a temporary compensatory effect.

Remember Dovlatov about Brodsky, who was forbidden by doctors to smoke:
- Drink a cup of coffee in the morning and not smoke?! Then there is no need to wake up!

But the effect of stimulants works temporarily. Chronic and constant use of them reduces serotonin levels. When the body is forced to constantly work at high speeds, it is depleted of resources.

Statistically, a combined approach of therapy and pharmacology works better for acute depression than therapy alone or pills alone. For example, a person takes an SSRI and his serotonin levels have improved. Life is getting better. He drinks the course of this happiness, finishes it, and moves on with his life. And his favorite programs and patterns sit just as firmly in it. The flywheel spins up slowly but surely. The flight simulator begins to consume gasoline with gusto.

Therapy works with this process. When there is a fire, the fire must first be extinguished. A course of anti-depressants relieves the acute peak, then in therapy chronic things are worked out, some of which actually lead to a depressive state. Therapy helps resolve conflicts that have lasted for years, get out of an impasse, deal with an existential crisis, find meaning, raise self-esteem, learn new patterns, avoid falling deeply into depression, learn to get out of this condition faster, gain self-support and autonomy. If depression is chronic and has genetic factors, then therapy helps to learn how to cope with these phenomena and mature forms of defense. Therapy helps reduce the amplitude of idle speed, and, accordingly, the consumption of valuable resources.

In a state of Flow, a person has a reason to wake up in the morning. He jumps out of bed, enjoys breakfast and runs about his business.

Greg Murray's research suggests that negative mood shifts in the morning may, in principle, be due to... general violation sleep cycle (circadian function) for depression. Although there is no certainty on this issue. The same neurotransmitter, serotonin, is involved in regulating sleep. Depressed people often complain about different shapes sleep problems is another symptom.

There is another theory about the effect of cortisol on daily mood swings. Chronic stress increases cortisol levels, which negatively affects sleep. And in a depressed state high level cortisol levels are maintained long enough throughout the day. The car is actively idling.

“I wake up to the alarm at 6am and immediately feel extremely tired and hungover, even if I didn’t drink a drop of alcohol the night before and went to bed early,” Josie Rowlands, 38, from North Wales, told The Daily Mail. - I'm lying in bed and bad thoughts come over me. I worry about the day ahead, about the kids, about my personal life, about everything. I feel so bad that I don’t want to get up.”

Josie has suffered from morning sickness since she was 20 and believes it played a major role in the destruction of her marriage. "My ex-husband I never got used to how terrible I was in the morning,” Josie recalls. However, unlike any other form of depression, morning depression does not last long, only a few hours. By about 10 am, Josie's mood is lifted and she feels fine.

As Abby Laslegged explained, morning depression is associated with a disruption in the natural circadian hormonal rhythm. This rhythm regulates all body activity, from heart rate to body temperature, and affects energy and mood. Normally, at 7 o’clock in the morning there is a peak in the level of the hormone cortisol, which determines our activity in the morning. During the day, the level of the hormone gradually decreases, reaching a minimum at midnight, and at 2 a.m. it begins to rise again, preparing us for awakening.

However, in people with morning depression, morning cortisol goes through the roof. “If you are chronically stressed or have had poor sleep or less than seven hours of sleep, your adrenal glands produce too much cortisol, which leads to symptoms of depression. However, as the level of this hormone gradually drops throughout the day, the symptoms disappear,” Laslegged explained.

Despite the fact that antidepressants can also help cope with a bad mood in the morning, Laslegged advises it is better to try doing morning exercises or going for a run. During physical exercise“happiness hormones” endorphins are released, which helps to relax and calm down. “We don't know exactly how it works, whether it directly lowers cortisol levels, or whether it reduces stress, which lowers cortisol, but it definitely works,” says the specialist.

Nutritionist Nikki Hill recommends that people with morning depression look at their diet to make it healthier and more balanced, and take a B supplement to help reduce cortisol levels. "Most main question The question you should ask yourself is: “Do I get morning depression on weekends and holidays?” If the answer is no, you need to change something in your life, Hill said.

: in the morning, after a person wakes up, he feels very bad, he feels hopeless, depressed, anxious, ashamed; in the evening these feelings subside slightly and he becomes more alert. Why is that? Depression is a state of mind that is based on the belief that I am bad, vicious, worthless and that I will not succeed. From this belief follows another: everything was bad and everything will be bad (after all, I am worthless and incapable of anything, I cannot correct, make better what now seems “bad” to me). Hence the constant anxiety and sadness generated by thoughts about the bad future that awaits me.

As soon as I wake up in the morning, all the dark thoughts about the future and about my depravity immediately roll over me in a wave, and there is a day ahead in which I need to do many things that require strength. But what strength if everything is bad and I’m a lost man? That’s when depression kicked in. Gradually, in the process of carrying out daily affairs, I somehow move into the “here now” mode of being, that is, into the most productive and only possible segment of my life, in this is a moment. And in it there are no fears only because they are all drawn by my imagination, which strives to predict the future. There is no future in the “here and now” simply because we have not created it yet! the future has not yet manifested itself in our own actions. Therefore, fear recedes, anxiety calms down, hopelessness fades.

By the time I go to bed, I painfully want to get rid of my depression completely and therefore I “take refuge” in sleep, hiding in it from the black thoughts that were with me to one degree or another during the day. If I manage to fall asleep, I seem to interrupt their flow and, again, during sleep, the depression recedes. And then the morning begins and everything repeats itself.

This vicious circle of feelings is especially noticeable when a person takes antidepressants. In this case, he completely refuses to deal with his feelings to even the slightest extent, he simply waits. And accordingly, he swings on a depressive swing of emotions without any restrictions.

What needs to be done to break this vicious circle? First of all, I need to admit my feelings to myself and others, to admit that I experience grief, pain, loneliness, anger and resentment towards myself due to specific reasons. Due to loss of work, property, loved ones, prospects, etc. Then you need to gradually begin to take care of yourself, do small or large pleasant things for yourself, that is, learn to love yourself, even one who may be sad, angry, or without a job, home or love. And start looking for what you can do to show yourself love, for example, find new friends, new job, a new sport, a new hobby. To do this, you need to set goals for yourself, break them down into small, achievable sub-goals in the near future, and move towards them. And thank yourself for achieving them.

Then the old, worn-out DVDs in my head, on which only one thing is written: I won’t succeed, I’m bad, everything will be even worse, will gradually fall silent. The way out of depression is to destroy the mechanism of how we create our own depression.

IN Lately Many people notice such a phenomenon as morning blues. And the problem is not only that it’s hard to wake up and get yourself into a working mood when life and work seem gray and boring, but also personal life leaves much to be desired. Such a negative state of mind is nothing more than sign of depression, which most often appears in spring and autumn. Morning depression should not be ignored, because morning blues, which others can join symptoms of depression: inhibition of movements and thinking, change eating behavior, sleep disturbances, decreased libido can significantly aggravate mental condition. To morning depression not become an everyday habit that can lead to suicide, you need to know how cope with melancholy and return yourself to a calm and active life?

  • How to cope with sadness?

Morning blues are a sign of depression!

TO signs of depression a triad of main symptoms should be included - low mood, emotional and motor retardation, manifesting for at least two weeks. Along with the main triad signs of depression there are additional symptoms of depression: difficulty making decisions, sleep disorders(difficulty falling asleep, waking up earlier in the morning, shallow or intermittent night sleep, self-doubt, decreased self-esteem, lack of optimism for the future, changes in eating behavior (loss of appetite or overeating), constant feeling guilt and self-destruction, suicidal thoughts and attempts.

Signs of Depression can also be expressed by somatic signs associated with autonomic dysfunction and a significant decrease in libido, impaired monthly cycle among women. If signs of depression become more pronounced, the first thing you should pay attention to is a change in the circadian rhythm. This pathological disorder is expressed morning melancholy, manifested by heaviness in the chest, depression and despair. Morning blues may disappear during the day, but will appear again the next morning. For morning depression also characteristic anxiety disorders , anhedonia, apathy, dysphoria, lack of a sense of self-preservation and loss of emotions.

To restore peace and joy in life you need to know how cope with melancholy in the morning!

How to cope with sadness?

Morning depression often becomes the reason for joining bad habits , first of all, to alcohol or energy drinks, which not only do not help in the current situation, but also aggravate the mental state. To cope with melancholy- one of signs of depression, it is important to recognize the cause and make an attempt to deal with it, especially if it is caused by family conflicts, personal failures or stress at work. Take control of your feelings and regain your self-confidence, try to think positively and look for positive sides, even in negative situations.

Do not forget about general strengthening procedures, such as swimming, cold and hot shower, sports or physical education, just hiking being in the fresh air will significantly improve your emotional state.

To reduce the occurrence symptoms of depression, pay attention to nutrition and sleep!

Healthy night's sleep – The best way getting rid of morning melancholy, because during sleep it is produced hormone of happiness and youth– melatonin. Significant benefits for restoring sleep and reducing signs of depression will bring antidepressant herbs, including motherwort, hawthorn, chamomile, hops, thyme, oregano, St. John's wort, lemon balm, mint, fireweed (fireweed), valerian officinalis, mint, blue cyanosis.
Herbal preparations based on sedative herbs are convenient to take and do not require additional time for preparing decoctions or infusions, and innovative technology manufacturing has a number of significant advantages and will convey all the medicinal advantages of sedative herbs. The preparations Valerian P, Motherwort P, Ivan-tea P (fireweed), St. John's wort P, the biologically active complex Nervo-Vit, which is based on a collection of the best sedative herbs, will help relieve anxiety and melancholy and restore healthy sleep.
Helps you cope with morning melancholy, improve your mood and overall body tone herbal preparations: Eleutherococcus P or biologically active complex Elton P (based on Eleutherococcus senticosus) and Levzeya P biologically active complex Leveton P (based on Leuzea safflower), which can be taken only in the first half of the day, so as not to provoke insomnia.

Vitamins Apitonus P and tonic herbal preparations will help in short term cope with melancholy, morning depression and drowsiness, but will also become best helpers with increased mental and physical stress.

Fight with morning depression, thereby you will significantly change your life and restore an optimistic mood for the future!

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There are many types of depression. Some types of depression exhibit diurnal variations, associated with worsening symptoms at certain times of the day.

Depression in the morning - causes

Doctors don't know the exact cause of morning depression, but there are many factors. Because morning depression occurs around the same time every day, doctors often attribute it to an imbalance in a person's circadian rhythm. Hormonal changes can affect the circadian rhythm. One of these hormones is melatonin, which causes sleepiness.

Some people who do not have symptoms of clinical depression often experience mood changes throughout the day.

Research shows that imbalances in the circadian rhythm, sleep quality and light exposure can lead to mood changes, especially in patients with depression.

In addition to changes in the body's natural rhythms, several other factors may contribute to morning depression and depressive disorder. These factors include:

  • a family history of depression;
  • drug or alcohol addiction;
  • medical conditions such as sleep disorders, chronic pain, anxiety and ADHD;
  • recent changes life circumstances, such as divorce or loss of a loved one;
  • injury.

Symptoms of morning depression

Symptoms of depression may include feelings of helplessness, sadness and hopelessness, and these may get worse in the morning. The general term for this diurnal variation is morning depression.

Daytime depression means that symptoms appear around the same time every day. For some, these symptoms appear in the evening.

Symptoms of depression may include decreased or lack of enjoyment in activities. Symptoms may subside within a day.

Other symptoms include:

  • depressed mood that lasts most of the day;
  • significant weight loss or decreased appetite;
  • drowsiness during the day;
  • anxiety;
  • tiredness or feeling of lack of energy;
  • feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt;
  • difficulty concentrating, thinking, or making decisions;
  • recurrent thoughts of death, suicide or self-harm.

Additionally, a person with morning depression may notice the following symptoms:

  • he finds it difficult to wake up in the morning;
  • physically difficult to get out of bed;
  • difficulty thinking, especially in the morning;
  • difficulty completing normal morning tasks, such as getting dressed and brushing your teeth.

For a person with morning depression, these symptoms decrease or disappear throughout the day.

Depression in the morning -diagnostics

To diagnose depression, a doctor must ask a person about their symptoms. He may ask questions about changes in mood, sleep, weight, and appetite. The doctor will try to determine how long these symptoms last and whether they are getting better or worse.

The doctor will also try to rule out other possible reasons, such as a health condition that may cause similar symptoms. Hypothyroidism is one example of this.

Some medications may also cause mood changes and symptoms of depression, so your doctor will ask you about your medications.

Depression in the morning -treatment

There are many treatments for depression, such as:

Psychotherapy

This treatment helps a person recognize negative thinking patterns and learn positive behavior.

Drug treatment

Antidepressants, mood stabilizers and antipsychotics.

Exercises

Regular exercise, especially outdoors, can reduce mild symptoms and moderate depression.

Transcranial brain stimulation

Brain stimulation techniques such as electroconvulsive therapy and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation may reduce symptoms of severe depression.

Some people also use alternative therapies, including acupuncture, meditation and yoga. Although they can help people feel better and maintain good mental health, they should not replace treatment for major depressive disorders.

When undergoing treatment, a person must change habits that will help cope with symptoms.

Prevention of morning depression

Positive changes may include:

Improving sleep hygiene

A person can improve their sleep quality by darkening the bedroom, keeping the temperature cool, and eliminating distractions such as cell phones, computers, and televisions.

Preparing for the next morning in the evening

Preparing clothes and items for work or school, as well as preliminary preparation Eating breakfast can make your morning easier.

Sufficient rest

Going to bed and waking up at the same time can help relieve symptoms.

It's important to wake up earlier or adjust your work schedule to reduce stress in the morning.

Using Light Signals

Light can tell the body that it is morning and time to wake up.