Depression why is it worse in the morning

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Charles St. Louis St. Louis Ellendale St. Once in your room, make sure everything is dark and quiet. Lastly, avoid caffeine or alcohol. If you need that coffee, try to have your last cup in the early afternoon. Just a text can help. Having someone to talk to when things get bad can be a great comfort. First, try not to think about the whole day and all the worries it might bring.

Just sit up. Give yourself something to look forward to at the start of the day. You know, anything that brings joy. A tiny incentive can make the process of getting up a little easier. If you feel completely overwhelmed and need to rest, physically and emotionally, do it. A day in bed every once in a while can help you in the long run. Morning depression can be extra-tricky because so many of the symptoms lessen as the day goes on. You might wake up feeling awful but go to bed OK.

Instead, go in prepared. Make a list of your symptoms ahead of time. Then, tell your healthcare provider you may be depressed and give them all the details you can. Look at the list of depression symptoms above and see which ones apply to you. Then, clearly explain that to your healthcare provider.

Research has suggested that a specific atypical antidepressant called agomelatine, a synthetic form of melatonin, could be an effective treatment for depression with diurnal mood variation. If you or a loved one are struggling with diurnal mood or morning depression, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration SAMHSA National Helpline at for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. If you experience morning depression, you may also find it helpful to try making some lifestyle changes to see if your symptoms improve, such as:.

If you have depression, you may notice your symptoms seem worse at certain times of the day. While diurnal mood variation or morning depression isn't a diagnosis in and of itself, it can be a symptom of major depression specifically melancholic depression.

Certain medications, therapies, and lifestyle changes may be able to help you cope with the fluctuations in your mood throughout the day. Together with your doctor, you can find what works best for you. Everything feels more challenging when you're dealing with depression. Get our free guide when you sign up for our newsletter. Major Depressive Disorder. Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. Johns Hopkins Medicine Website. Updated December 5, Wirz-justice A.

Diurnal variation of depressive symptoms. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. Wefelmeyer T, Kuhs H. Diurnal mood variation in melancholic patients and healthy controls. Wirz-Justice A.

Monteleone P, Maj M. The circadian basis of mood disorders: Recent developments and treatment implications. European Neuropsychopharmacology. Diurnal variation in the direction of mood switches in patients with rapid-cycling bipolar disorder.

J Clin Psychiatry. Clinical differences between bipolar and unipolar depression. British Journal of Psychiatry. Murray G. Diurnal mood variation in depression: A signal of disturbed circadian function? J Affect Disord. Diurnal mood variation in outpatients with major depressive disorder. Doctors diagnose depression based on the following criteria. For a diagnosis of depression, a person must experience five or more of the symptoms below for 2 weeks or more. In a person with morning depression, these symptoms will reduce or disappear as the day progresses.

Anyone having thoughts of suicide or self-harm should seek emergency medical attention. A doctor can help to provide immediate and continuing care. Doctors have not identified a specific cause of morning depression, but there are various reasons why depression occurs, and hormonal factors may affect the timing of symptoms.

Many people experience mood changes throughout the day. However, according to an older article , people with morning depression may experience more variable highs and lows than most people.

The circadian rhythm, or body clock, is a process that signals the sleep-wake cycle, among other things. Hormonal changes that occur throughout the day have links to this process.

The British Journal of Pharmacology BJP explain that when darkness falls, for example, the body produces more melatonin, a hormone that makes a person sleepy. According to a article , the hormone cortisol plays a role in the stress response.

The body clock plays a role in regulating this response. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , other factors may contribute to morning depression and major depressive disorder, such as:. They will also try to rule out other possible causes, such as a medical condition that can cause similar symptoms.

Hypothyroidism , or an underactive thyroid, is one example.