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It’s not uncommon for our minds to unleash a torrent of difficult feelings under the cover of darkness: sadness and negative thoughts may surface at night, making sleep hard to come by.
On social media and elsewhere people often refer to this as “nighttime depression.” But is that really a thing? And if so, why do some people get blue at night?
Feeling down after dusk doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a mental health condition, experts said. Understanding why it happens can help you take steps to feel better.
What is nighttime depression?
Nighttime depression is a colloquial term for depressive symptoms that either appear or worsen late at night. It is not itself a diagnosis.
While anxiety can also ramp up at night, and tends to make people feel agitated, tense and restless, nighttime depression is best characterized as a low mood.
“It’s a sense of sadness,” said Dr. Theresa Miskimen Rivera, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Rutgers University and president-elect of the American Psychiatric Association. “It’s that feeling of: There’s no joy. My life is so blah.”
Nighttime depression can also feel uncomfortable — “not only in your mind, but in your body,” Dr. Rivera added, especially if these feelings interfere with getting enough sleep.
Why would nighttime affect your mood?
There are many factors that can tank your mood late at night, including insomnia, loneliness, alcohol or drugs. But our circadian rhythms, or body clock, also play a role.
Our body clock is what helps control when we feel alert in the morning, hungry at mealtimes and sleepy at night. It also helps regulate important processes like body temperature, hormone levels and the immune system. Circadian rhythms control the beginning of your “biological night,” telling your pineal gland to make melatonin, a hormone that helps induce sleep.
And if your body clock isn’t aligned with your sleep-wake cycle, it can have negative effects on mood.
Studies of night workers, for example, have found that working outside of regular business hours is associated with an increased risk of depression and anxiety, among other health problems.
Although nighttime depression can be a symptom of clinical depression, research suggests that most people, including those without mood disorders, will feel worse as a result of staying up too late or waking up too early.
One study of 21 healthy adults measured positive and negative emotions at four-hour intervals and found that negative feelings peaked in the middle of the night at around 3 a.m.
Another small study used a different type of measurement called a visual mood scale to assess how participants felt every hour and showed a connection between circadian rhythms and symptoms of a depressive-like mood. In the study, low mood rose throughout the night and peaked around 8 a.m.
These feelings may peak earlier for people who are naturally early risers.
What can you do to feel better at night?
To head off symptoms of depression at night, start with the basics of good sleep hygiene.
Dr. Sarah L. Chellappa, an associate professor at the University of Southampton who has studied the relationship between circadian rhythms and mood, recommended establishing consistent sleep and wake times, avoiding daytime naps and stashing electronic devices at least an hour before bedtime. Keeping your bedroom at a comfortable, cool temperature is also important.
If you are feeling low at night despite taking those steps, think about what might have led to your discomfort.
Is there a physical reason?
Did you, for example, have too much coffee today, drink alcohol or eat a heavy meal right before bed? These things can get in the way of a good night’s rest, which can in turn lead to depressive symptoms.
Is there something weighing on your mind?
Dr. Rivera advised keeping a pen and paper by your bedside to jot down any thoughts and then taking a fresh look during the day. This allows you to address your concerns later, because there is usually very little to be done about them at 2 a.m.
Try to avoid making any judgments or decisions when you’re awake at night and instead focus on less serious things, advised Dr. Alfred J. Lewy, a professor emeritus of psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University and an expert on melatonin and circadian rhythms.
“When you wake up in the morning, your mood should brighten, and you should have a less pessimistic outlook on what you were so distraught about a few hours earlier,” he said.
If you find that your low mood isn’t improving during the day and instead persists continually for weeks, then it’s important to seek help from a health care provider, the experts said.
And if your feelings at night become severe and include fear, paranoia, irritability, impulsivity or suicidal thoughts then it’s necessary to seek care quickly or call 988, the national suicide hotline, Dr. Rivera said.
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