Why Do I Get Depressed at Night?

Feeling sad at night can be a symptom of major depression. You might also feel depressed at night because you are dwelling on past events, or because of something simple like too much nighttime light exposure or a disruption in your sleep-wake cycle.

As one of the most common mood disorders, major depression can develop in anyone, at any age, at any time. Feelings of sadness or depression that occur at night can lead to insomnia, anxiety, and feelings of isolation and hopelessness.

Learn more about why you may feel sad or depressed at night, and what you can do to feel better.

Causes of Feeling Depressed at Night

There are several factors that can cause your mood to change at night. Some of them you may be able to adjust, while others are more challenging to manage.

Rumination

People with depression often ruminate, or repeatedly mull over past events and issues that concern them. You may spend hours trying to make sense of past events or imagine them having a different outcome. Since depression makes you likely to focus on negative events, rumination can fuel feelings of depression and anxiety. It's usually a major cause of nighttime depression symptoms.

Not surprisingly, you tend to be more prone to rumination when you're alone and free from distractions, which for many of us tends to be at night.

Though rumination is normal, it can be extremely unhealthy, particularly if it's causing or worsening depression or anxiety.

It may be helpful to take note of the specific things you're ruminating about before you go to bed. For instance, some people get sad or depressed the night before work because their workplace is a negative environment or they don't get any satisfaction from their job. Dreading waking up in the morning because you know you have to work can take a mental and emotional toll.

Nighttime Light Exposure

There have been numerous studies on the link between exposure to light at night and depression. One study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology showed a correlation between low-level bedroom light exposure during sleep and developing depression symptoms in older adults, though light exposure was more than likely not the only cause.

The risk could be even higher for younger people, since their eyes are more sensitive. It's still unclear how exactly light and depression are related, but it's possible that being exposed to even a tiny amount of light during the night interferes with your sleep cycles, which in turn interferes with your mood.

Circadian Rhythm Disruption

Multiple studies have shown that when your circadian rhythm, or internal sleep clock, is disrupted, your risk of developing depression or worsening symptoms is higher. Circadian rhythm disruption can occur as a result of jet lag, working the night shift, and increased light exposure at night, among other factors.

In general, it's best to be awake and active during the day and make sure you get the best quality of sleep you can at night.

Chronotype

Do you consider yourself an early bird, a night owl, or somewhere in between? How long and when you sleep at night is called a chronotype. One study on the link between chronotype and depression looked at 32,470 females who were, on average, 55 years old and did not experience depression. They each categorized their chronotype: early, intermediate, or late.

Of these women, 2,581 ended up with diagnosed depression across a follow-up period of four years. The women who identified as early birds had a 12% lower risk of developing depression than the intermediate women, while the night owls had a 6% higher risk. The results showed that the more strongly a woman identified as being a night owl, the higher her likelihood of developing depression.

This study doesn't show that being a night owl causes depression. But the fact that there are multiple studies indicating a link between chronotypes and depression means that more research is warranted, especially regarding genetic and environmental influences.

Loneliness

Feelings of loneliness can cause sadness at night. You may feel more lonely at night if you lack social companionship outside of work or school. Spending evenings alone can cause worsening feelings of loneliness.

Loneliness is a risk factor for major depression. People with depression may self-isolate, which can increase feelings of loneliness. It is even possible to feel lonely when you are with friends and family.

Symptoms of Major Depression

Major depression causes severe symptoms that interfere with your mood and daily activities. Nighttime feelings of sadness aren't always associated with major depression, but they can be.

Major depression usually involves other symptoms besides just feeling sad at night. If you've experienced some or all of these symptoms for the majority of the day, almost every day, for the past two weeks or more, and they aren't getting better, you should see a healthcare provider.

• Sleep issues, such as sleeping more than normal or difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep
• Eating more or less than you normally do
• Weight loss or gain
• Losing interest and/or pleasure in activities you once enjoyed
• Lack of energy
• Difficulty engaging in normal tasks of daily living such as brushing your teeth or bathing
• Headaches, stomachaches, or other pain that doesn't respond to treatment and has no obvious cause
• Irritability
• Feeling sad and/or anxious
• Feeling hopeless
• Crying
• Restlessness
• Feeling isolated or lonely
• Feeling worthless, guilty, or helpless
• Difficulty concentrating
• Suicidal thoughts or attempts, or thinking about death

Depression and Sleep

Insomnia is a risk factor for depression. People who have difficulty sleeping are more likely to have depression, and people who have both depression and insomnia are more likely to have severe depression that is more difficult to treat. 

Trouble sleeping can affect your mood and cause increased feelings of sadness even when you are not depressed. When you feel sad at night, that can even lead to worsening insomnia. 

Coping With Nighttime Sadness

These strategies may help you break the cycle of nightly negative thoughts and curb nighttime depression symptoms.

Create Positive Thoughts

Participating in a hobby that you enjoy, such as writing, playing an instrument, drawing or painting, and meditation or prayer, can help create positive thoughts. Try to fill your mind with positive things so there's no room for the negative thoughts to creep in and occupy space.

Problem-Solve Negative Events

People who ruminate tend to not only replay events but also engage in thoughts such as, "Why does this always happen to me?" and "What's wrong with me that I can't cope?" These types of thoughts lead to feelings of helplessness.

Instead of letting your mind go to those places, wait until you're thinking clearly and identify at least one step you can take to overcome your problems. This can even be something as simple as calling a friend to try and brainstorm a solution. This mental interruption and proactive action can help you regain power over the situation and feel less helpless.

Build Self-Esteem

What are you good at? What do you enjoy? Think of some ways to build up your sense of self-worth, such as trying a new type of exercise, starting a new hobby, picking up that musical instrument you used to play, or taking a night or online class in a subject that fascinates you. Feeling good about yourself and what you're accomplishing helps keep rumination at bay.

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

Set yourself up for sleep success as much as you can.

• Don't go to bed until you're really tired. This gives you less time to start thinking about your problems and the negative events in your life. If you aren't sleepy, try reading a book or magazine until you are.
• Keep your room dark. Make your bedroom as dark as possible to help prevent disruption to your sleep during the night. Try room darkening shades or blinds and don't leave the TV on at night.
• Minimize your exposure to screens before bed. Turn off screens and electronics a minimum of two hours before bed to help maximize your sleep time. Exposure to the blue light emitted from screens right before bed can interrupt your sleep and lead to a poorer quality of sleep as well.

How Depression at Night Is Treated

There are many different routes you can take to address nighttime depression. Most likely, you'll benefit from finding a combination of strategies that fit you and your lifestyle. Start by visiting a doctor or mental health professional.

They will advise you on next steps and come up with a treatment plan, which will likely involve therapy and lifestyle changes. If you have a diagnosis of depression, a doctor may also prescribe medication to help.

Therapy

A popular therapy method for treating depression is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). With CBT, a therapist helps you address things like rumination and negative thoughts with self-help strategies. Rumination-focused CBT is specifically geared toward helping patients with rumination, though studies are still being done on its effectiveness.

For instance, if each night you're dreading the next day at work, you could set a goal to research other jobs you might like better. Sometimes taking small steps to solve the big problems that are weighing you down can improve the sadness that you feel at night.

Medication

If you are diagnosed with depression, a doctor may recommend taking medication alongside attending therapy to treat your symptoms. Common medications for depression include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Celexa (citalopram) and Lexapro (escitalopram). SSRIs work by increasing serotonin in the brain, which helps regulate mood.

Lifestyle Changes

There are some changes you can make to your everyday routine to help decrease the sadness you feel at night and even improve your sleep quality. For instance, regular physical exercise can boost feelings of well-being, reduce stress, and lead to better sleep.

Eating a well-balanced diet can also help improve depressive symptoms, combined with other lifestyle choices like exercising and following a sleep schedule.