Morning blues: why does it happen?

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Feeling blue in the morning can be the result of poor habits or improper rest. However, it can also be the manifestation of a mood disorder. How to differentiate one circumstance from the other?

There are many people who They say they experience sadness in the morning more than any other time of the day.. Sometimes the feeling becomes really severe, even coinciding with a major depressive disorder. The point is that as the day progresses, the feeling dissipates. At night, there may even be none of that emotion left.

This sadness in the morning has been called “morning depression” or “morning depression.” It is specific and, therefore, differs from other types of depression. Its characteristic sign is that it only appears in the first hours of the day.

In some cases, morning sadness is not directly related to depression, but is the consequence of other causes. Likewise, sometimes it is not just a temporary morning blues, but is part of a more severe condition.

“Make your room a sanctuary and be at peace with yourself”.

-Antonio Sánchez-

Sadness in the morning, why?

According to what has been established, sadness in the morning is mainly due to three factors. The first is a depressive condition, as such; the second, inadequate rest; and the third, the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

We speak of morning depression or morning depression when Depression symptoms are exacerbated at the beginning of the day, right after waking up. There is reluctance, apathy and a feeling of emotional emptiness that does not fade. However, as the day goes by, the symptoms become milder, although they do not disappear completely.

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Another reason you may feel blue in the morning is a bad night’s sleep.. You have slept, but the sleep has not been restful. It is possible that the conditions of the room are not the most suitable or that you have a health problem that prevents you from sleeping well. The most likely thing, in any case, is that in the morning you will feel terrible.

Depression and sleep problems are closely linked. In fact, people with insomnia, for example, have a ten times higher risk of developing depression than people who get a good night’s sleep.

Finally, that feeling of sadness appears when you drank alcohol the night before before going to sleep. On the one hand, this compound sedates, but it also alters sleep cycles, interrupting it during the night. On the other hand, alcohol is a depressant of the nervous system and its effect can be felt the next morning.

Both alcohol abuse and dependence are considered a use disorder, and studies have found that alcohol dependence is most closely related to the persistence of depressive disorders.

The morning blues

Of all the reasons why you may experience blues in the morning, the most complex is morning depression. This is a condition that requires attention because it can be a sign of a disorder or the beginning of one. The main symptoms of morning depression are the following:

Difficulty waking up or getting out of bed. The eyelids are heavy and the body seems unable to make movements.
Sleeping problems or several awakenings in the night. It may be a sign that there is more cortisol at night, which is equivalent to saying more anxiety at night and greater difficulty resting.
Hypersomnia. Some people feel the need to sleep more than usual, for no reason. This can be a symptom of depression, although it is not always.
Improper eating patterns. Eating too much or too little, especially at night, can be a sign that your mood is out of balance.
Lack of concentration. You find it difficult to focus on your daily tasks and you do many things at the same time or you have difficulty finishing what you started, even if it is not something complex.
Irritability or feeling of frustration. These are most intense in the morning, but usually remain in force, to a lesser extent, throughout the day.
Loss of interest and feeling of emptiness.

what do in this situation?

If the feeling of sadness in the morning is very intense and frequent, It would be worth starting with a visit to the doctor. One in five people who suffer from depression also have sleep apnea. Likewise, there may be another health condition that is affecting good rest.

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Night work, especially if it involves a lot of stress, can result in morning blues. In these conditions, the body and mind are overworked and the result is an imbalance that can manifest as sadness in the morning.

In addition to the above, it can be helpful to make small changes to your sleep patterns. These changes could help you align your sleep/wake cycle with your body clock and reduce your morning blues symptoms. Try:

Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Eat at regular times. Refrain from taking long naps. Create an environment that promotes sleep, such as a dark, quiet, cool room. Avoid substances that can prevent a good night’s sleep. , such as caffeine or alcohol. Exercise frequently, but avoid doing so at least 4 hours before bedtime.

Following these steps can help you regulate your circadian rhythm, which has been linked to morning blues. so that your body produces the right hormones at the right time. And that should help improve your mood and other symptoms.

If there is something that worries you or you continually experience a feeling of disinterest and hopelessness, you may require psychological help. The sooner you look for it, the more effective it will be. For the rest, apply measures for good sleep hygiene, so that you can rest adequately.