Appreciate all the great info and tips. Want to raise a flag about casually suggesting that people with depression get a dog because it will want to go out for a walk. Depression can be way stronger than the needs of others, including pets. Having a dog is like having a child, think very hard about getting one. Perhaps volunteering to walk dogs at a local shelter first thing in the morning would be a better first step.
This is true. I have a dog I stopped being able to take on walks every day because of how bad my depression got. Thankfully I don’t live alone so I have someone that walks her when I’m physically not able to. But it makes me feel even more guilty about being depressed on the days my dog is not happy because of me :(
My dog does not help me get out of bed, he's happy to lay by me, haha. But once I get up, we both start to look forward to a walk, and getting out really helps me reset for the day.
I’ve had lifelong depression and my mornings are just as you describe! I can literally feel myself improve as the day progresses. So by the afternoon I feel much more ‘normal’ and able to function.
I had a coworker jokingly ask if I drank at lunchtime b/c I was a completely different person in the afternoon versus morning (mornings I'm quiet, avoidant/heopless, don't smile much; afternoons I'm engaging others, inquisitive, so much more positive). And I always hit my productivity phase late afternoon into evening. It's really hard to slow down at night as I feel like I'm finally hitting my stride and feel motivated. I've often said that when the alarm goes off in the AM there's a part of me that believes maybe I could just skip today. I feel so defeated in the AM. THANK YOU for talking sbout the biology. The tip about just starting with putting my feet on the floor is so simple but crazy powerful. I will totally be congratulating myslef on that one. 😃
This is 100% ME! I didn’t know this was a ‘thing’. I have never been a morning person & could never understand why I am so depressed when I get up. I always feel like there is no meaning to my life. I just feel so hopeless… It takes me ages to feel like I can function for the day. I am a night owl and this is when I am wide awake and happy; then it is difficult to go to sleep & the cycle starts again. Thanks, Emma, this was SO helpful - now that I know there is a reason I feel like this & I’m not going mad!😊
I used to cry every morning until my forties I began to look for strategies and when was to move the alarm clock to a different room and turn the light on really fast and tell myself it's just morning and I'll be okay in a little bit I had to work hard on this and I'm 60 now and I practice diet exercise and routine I loved your video I love that you are helping those of us overcome depression❤
I love that you tell yourself "it's just morning and I'll be okay in a little bit..." I am going to say this to myself every morning starting tmrw morng Thank you and God bless 🙏
Well my 25 year old was a little boy and made a playlist of music - one song for brushing his teeth one for getting dressed. Now here I am an adult and I've created my own playlist for getting myself ready in the morning. It pumps me up it keeps me focused and I stay on time
I remember telling my doctor about feeling this way every single day years ago and it was the first time she frowned at me like she wasn’t quite sure she believed me. As time has gone on, I have found more about it available online and appreciate this video!
Yes, the male the doctor I told many years ago said I was feeling depressed and anxious 1st thing in the morning because my husband wouldn’t be around. (So aggravating!) Granted, I was a stay at home mom with little ones and that’s fatiguing/ stressful but I said I felt like this in the mornings when he was home and helping me on the weekends. And now I don’t have little ones and still feel like a fog of depression slowly improving throughout the day.
@@i_dont_want_a_handleI was told around 2016 by a male doctor that the real reason I kept coming back for chronic severe stomach issues was bc I just needed a good man in my life. His words. "Women weren't made to do everything alone." While I didn't disagree with that statement, I went to a different doctor after six months of being patronized. Turns out, I had three different types of intestinal parasites that took a full year of treatment & I still do annual treatments for to this day. Thanks doc! Women's healthcare is a joke.
Super helpful. I’ve always said I do better with a 36 hour day than a 24 hour day. Mornings have always been painful… my skin literally hurts. My body wants to get up about 11 a.m. and go to bed about 3 am. My entire 51 years it’s been this way. I’m intrigued about your ideas!!! A side note-I have extremely vivid dreams and my sleep tracker device often says “too much REM”. I fall asleep and almost always feel awake in a tv show-like dream, participating and can recount the story lines. If I could recall everything I have no doubt I’d be a best selling author! The downside is, I wake up exhausted like I never slept. I have to be exhausted to go to bed and it never resets.
Same. I know that if I have a few nights of bad sleep, I get REM rebound, where my brain tries to catch up with the lost REM sleep. I begin dreaming very quickly during sleep, and my dreams are movie-vivid.
I've struggled with SAD most of my life... usually have to trick myself: "I'll just get up & go to the bathroom and go right back to bed... well might as well brush my teeth, comb my hair... well I'll just put on a robe and sit on the couch & meditate for a few minutes... might as well put these dishes away while I'm here... one thing leads to another and pretty soon I'm awake... but i couldn't PLAN or intend to do it! Thank you for this good info, didn't think this was a thing.
There's some irony in watching a video about depression with an ad for a charity working to support those suffering most in the world. I know my depression isn't just about my perspective but something about that did wake me up a bit. More gratitude could only help.
Rather than morning depression, what I am experiencing is morning anxiety. As soon as I start to wake up I get cramps and that feeling of fear caused by dissociation. I get the feeling that a bad day is waiting ahead and what’s the point in thriving and trying to work things out. Usually it gets better once I leave the house and start moving. Bed time is my favourite part of the day. I feel so victorious. But in the morning,again, anxiety awaits for me.
Changing my medication schedule made a huge difference for me. I'm taking an extended release anti-depressant. I found that taking it first thing in the morning, it took time to feel like it kicked in and I was just chasing the symptoms. But when I take it at bedtime, it's at its most effective as I'm waking up. This was a great episode. Thanks, Emma.
@@pd1824 I am on Venlafaxine, 150 mg I think. I need to start taking them earlier in the morning. My usual thing is to take it when I wake up but I am groggy for about three hours and slow to get moving. Need to start taking it around 5am.
@@pd1824, I'm having success with Effexor (Venlafaxine). I've had the best results with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation though. It literally saved my life. LMK if you have any questions about it. I wish you well. 🙏🏼
Oh my goodness, I feel so seen and validated. I've struggled with mornings all of my adult life. I would even describe to doctors that it felt like I had a daily bipolar mood swing cycle: ultra depressed, unmotivated, no energy in the morning; finally productive in the afternoon; and completely wired and manic at night. This was my life for at least 20 years. I had so much I wanted to do when I woke up, but was paralyzed to do any of it. My doctors had no answers except to tell me that's not how bipolar depression works, that and to test my thyroid. It was never my thyroid. I don't know if it's simply aging, or possibly my newish vitamin D routine, but it hasn't been as bad these past 5 years. Mornings are still slow-going though, but not dreadful.
I don't have depression, and I'm not a morning person, but I despise early mornings. Between 3:00 and 7:00 am is my best sleep and I have to wake up between 5:30 and 6:00. This makes me feel depressed & upset, but once I get going, say after 9:00 a.m. I'm perfectly fine. If I was able to start work later, therefore waking up later, I'd be fine. On my days off when I'm able to sleep in and start slow, I'm fine. I'm still slightly tired, but I'm happy.
my way to describe is is basically "Contrast" sleeping is an escape from a painful reality. Suddenly returning to reality shows the contrast. That contrast is painful, and then you get used to it again.
Finally I know why I feel the way I do. I always feel depressed when I ought to wake up so I sleep again BUT waking late makes it SO MUCH WORSE that I regret it lol.
Not me looking through UA-cam to find something happy to listen to because waking up this morning made me just feel so scared and the strong desire to not live. Good timing. 🤗
Well that explains it! I couldn’t figure out WHY I kept waking up feeling the dread of the day. It also explains why feeding the ducks, and walking my dogs always lifted the dread! Thanks Emma! ❤ I’m not cured, but atleast most days I’m functional!
This was really good! I am in therapy for anxiety and those waves of depression. What I’ve found that helps when I’m sliding into a depressive slump is before I even open my eyes I say one thing I am grateful for then sit at the edge of my bed and let my feet touch the floor and start my day intentionally. It helps when I wake up anxious and when I wake up in a slump. It’s not 100% fool proof but on those really bad days, I give myself grace and try to remember that I’m not like this every day and it’s okay to wake up and just have a really bad day.
My morning cortisol is much higher with perimenopause & SAD. I bought a rebounder & after going on that for 10 minutes in the morning, I'm feeling much better.
@ i know there is not one thing that works for everybody, but I had heard a podcast where the person said it helps with draining lymph and keeping toxins from settling in organs. I have no idea if its true but I was intrigued so I decided to get one. Turns out I love bouncing on it! Makes me feel alive again. Blessings to you 🙏❤️
I thought about that too, but I have organ prolapse from connective tissue laxity and figured that might not be right for me. If it’s not one thing, its another. ☹️
My hypothalamus was damaged by lupron depot for endometriosis. no psych EVER keeps up with research. Each morning I’m paralyzed in my bed, I try to get up. Sleep is so rare. You have the only info that gives me self respect. I’m tired of psych blaming me as lazy and not trying hard
Finally I understand that others feel this way.my WHOLE life ..I never feel good in the morning.thank you for explaing this so simply... another thing I have rheumatic fever as a child and was given high doses of antibiotics. Doing some research it seems that maybe the hypothalamus was damaged IE maybe it's inflamed I have had chronic insomnia since the age of eight. Maybe it's the hypothalamus
Thank you. It was good to know that some of this is normal for people who struggle. It made me feel less anxious about my sleep and the way I feel. It's not just in my head. Thank you !
One major reason why depression is linked to sleep and worse in the morning is that, while we sleep, our emotional and sub-conscious thoughts come to the forefront of issues we are healing. Pay attention to what you are feeling when you awake. Those are the feelings that we are not dealing with during waking hours. Address, identify and deal with them. Don't medicate and try to deny them. It will only cause a vicious circle. ⭕ This coincides with what Emma is saying. Our minds and bodies are interconnected. Our feeling fluctuate our hormones and circadian rhythms.
I’m so glad you mentioned this. I’ve been struggling this really recently and I thought it had something to do with the darkness. I found that listening to more cheery and calm music that’s more motivating than sad and solemn music. The bus rides to work have been a lot better so far.
TIL this is a thing. thank you for helping me understand why i feel terrible in the morning and dont want to get out of bed. im a total night owl, up till 5am and asleep for about 10 hours waking up feeling exhausted and overwhlemed. of course my brain automatically rejected every solution but im gonna try to gently go against that. thank you!
Words can express how God uses you to help me, I have been following you for though the pandemic, and my marriage with my now exspouse who is an emergency doctor, throughout our marriage, he was mentally physically and sexually abusive to me. It's through your teachings that I was able to find my inner strength in god, yoga and myself to leave that situation. 2 days ago I had a severe panic attack. All I wanted to do was find a safe place to to hide your work. Help me to find within myself. The ability to go forward with my day and seek help. Thank you. Your work has saved my life. Many times when I wanted to give up the contents that you share It's powerful and spiritually healing thank you.
Thank you so much… this video has already helped me. I also think that my nightmares rise my cortisol when I’m sleeping and lots of times the nightmares are just ones that focus on sad depressing feelings and thoughts and situations. Like I’m lonely or lost and unloved in my nightmares. This definitely adds to the morning part of depression I think too
I got stuck in first morning depression after a long period of high stress. Finally tried a cold a.m. shower and the depression immediately lifted! I know it sounds painful but your body can adapt to it overtime if you lower shower temp and extend the exposure time to 1-3 minutes over several days or even weeks. And i don’t freeze my head. The goal is to bring down core temperature.
Thank you Emma, this video has really helped me. You have given me the confidence to bring my concerns up with my Doctor again. Knowing that my condition is Not laziness has given me hope for change😊🙏🏽🦋🌻
Thank you. Not eating after 6:30, so that my gut can make neurotransmitters, makes a huge difference for me. Still overwhelmed in the a.m. from intense dreams.
To me, morning cortisol can cause a lot of anxiety, but it will always motivate me to get out of bed, and to get started with my day. It's the evening boost in cortisol that kills me, the feelings of something not being right, feeling like I should be resting but I can't, laying awake in bed, waiting to feel sleepy. Taking an ashwaghanda supplement, like 3 times per week, has changed all that tremendously. I still have a lot of energy in the morning, but it's so much easier for me to find calm in the evening. Would recommend taking it to anyone!
Getting out of bed at 4 AM (to go to the toilet), no problem, but then going back to bed because a) it's too early to get up and b) (it's winter) it's nice and cozy under the covers. Then having the alarm at 7 AM, no way that I'm able to take that first step out (unless I have an appointment to go to). But now I can blame my hormones, let's see if this knowledge helps me this weekend 🙂
Through the combination of scary world news and my Mother receiving end of life care at the moment, my morning depression is at an all time high. Thanks so much for posting this video when I needed it most! It's a terrible thing to go through but I'm reminded that I'm not the only one who feels this way and that I can do things to get help and help myself.
It sounds like you're encouraging all the right thoughts upon waking. I had to go through this with my mum last year and it is extremely stressful. I felt the same when waking. You are not alone. I'm sharing these experiences with a therapist now. It is helping. I did not show myself compassion in that period of time. Please try to do that yourself. You are facing a tough time and carrying a heavy load. Take care and my best wishes to you and your mum🤗
I find it helpful to prepare breakfast the night before so it is all ready for me. Having two cats to feed removes any possibility of staying in bed and brings me some joy, and then I take things gently for an hour.
Thank you!I so much! I appreciate your insight about the body and mind connection when so many think it's only in "one's head". Both my daughter and myself have mild to severe depression on and off depending on a number of factors and also 2 for my siblings. One thing that helps me in the morning is to open the curtains in my living room and observe the creatures outside,bunnies,squirells,birds...they make me laugh!I'm lucky to live in a place where I can do that😊
Cool video, My relationship of 5 years ended a month ago. The love of my life decided to leave me, I really love her so much I can’t stop thinking about her, I’ve tried my very best to get her back in my life, but to no avail, I’m frustrated, I don’t see my life with anyone else. I’ve done my best to get rid of the thoughts of her, but I can’t, I don’t know why I’m saying this here, I really miss her and just can’t stop thinking about her
its difficult to let go of someone you love, i was in a similar situation, my relationship of 12 years ended, but i couldnt just let him go i did all i could to get him back, i had to seek the help of a spiritual counselor who helped me bring him back
Positive morning routine: coffee! Get’s me out of bed. Thank you for this video. Knowing that my feeling of dread when i wake up is not uncommon and not a moral failing, is already helping
Thanks so much for this video (and all of your videos)! My mom has been experiencing this for nearly two years (due to medication management changes and issues) and many doctors have been just treating depression generally but overlooking it when she specifically says she feels much, much worse in the morning. This makes everything crystal clear not to mention it makes the patient who is experiencing this feel validated. I appreciate you!
Me too. I often wake up around 3am and start a loop of problem solving that stops me from going back to sleep, or catastrophising over things that wouldn't concern me later in the day.
Diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression 21 years ago. Have done well until 6 months ago when I had to put my dog to sleep. I am retired and the last year and half my dog and I were together almost 24 hours a day. We did everything almost together. Had dog total of 12 years. I have cried almost every day for 6 months now. Why am I having such a hard time with this?
Perhaps if you can be mobile you could get out more and check out going to a support group for bereaved pet parents? Or try a local soup kitchen, just somewhere where people might listen to you and understand. Talk therapy is really good for working through feelings of grief. Have you thought about getting a small pet like a bird, gerbil, or a hamster? They can take your focus off of yourself and keep you occupied. It would make you feel good to care for a little creature. God Bless.
I don’t want to minimize this, but it sounds to me like you are perfectly normal. You have suffered a catastrophic loss of relationship and grief of this type is not unusual.
Thank you. Yes, have thought about another pet. Also looking at visiting people in nursing home and hospitals just to help others who have no family to visit with them.@@kelterskelter4
The death of a pet often brings up other past griefs and losses. We're pretty complicated creatures, we humans. A support group for pet loss could help. I believe CSU has had some. You have a BIG heart, that's why you're feeling this! Pets are unconditional love! Be well, my friend.
Thank you for all the tips. I came across your channel yesterday and so far your videos are the only ones that have helped me. That says a lot being that I’ve been suffering from anxiety and depression for about 7 years now. Thank you!
I love your videos! You’ve been a great help to me as I try to heal from depression and anxiety. You provide an invaluable resource to people like me. Thank you! ❤
This is great. This happened to me after tapering antidepressants and my psychiatrist had no idea what the CAR was. SMH. Had to figure it out myself. Everything you mentioned I have tried and is very helpful for me. Thanks for this video
You are such a blessing! This is bringing so much clarity to what I was dealing with last year and it is eye opening! Thank you so much for this information :)
Thank God for this!! All of a sudden I started waking up with this horrible dread , I felt fear and thought why am I alive. I started taking Vit D and melatonin at night it has helped a little. I know it has to be a chemical thing
So glad to hear you mention sleep apnea. I had it for years before being diagnosed because we just assumed that I was tired due to depression. After a sleep test and CPAP therapy, I'm much better. I still have depression, but the meds and therapy work much better when you're sleeping well.
My mother was always yelling at me in the morning to get up and at night to go to bed. The trauma has been hard for me. I even find myself trying to stay in bed, trying to hold back the pee in the morning. I never knew what to expect. My dad was an alcoholic and my mom a narcissist. Thanks for addressing this.
Managing Your Cortisol Awakening Response...get someone to call you...simply brilliant. But, If you (i )don't have that friend?...focus on one task!! A daily schedule might help too!
This was really good. Thank you so very much. I’m also going to check out the other links you mentioned. You inspired me to take my light box out of the closet too. The light box has definitely helped me in the past. I appreciate you. Bless you and thank you for the work you do. You make a difference. 🙏❤️
Its nice to understand some of the biological underpinnings. One thing I do is lay out my clothes for the AM, this small step makes it easy in the AM, and momentum starts. I am working on getting up earlier so I can ease into the day. I almost wish there was a shock alarm of some sort. Also, to other big dreamers out there, dreams can often not help the cause of chronic AM depression and anxiety.
Thing that works for me is doing everything in the evening - showering, packing my bag for work, preparing breakfast, cutting fruit for my lunch box, even picking up clothes for the next day, etc. It makes waking up much easier.
Thank you thank you thank you so much for this video! It was very validating but also helpful. Morning existential crises is something I struggle with all the time 🌄
Omg I was really struggling this morning and I opened you tube and you were right there with this explanation. This happens a lot to me esp morning but sometimes very suddenly anytime. I actually get very active - walking in circles mainly. Thanks for info.
I took SSRIs for about 15 years with no improvement. Then just before covid I was put on a SNRI and it actually made a difference in reducing the vicious depression I felt getting up every day! Probably by at least 60% of the time.
Mornings are tough. I have started taking the Fly Lady's advice "get dressed to lace up shoes" and for some reason that really helps get me out of bed and ready to start the day. I still start slow because I have fibromyalgia and everything hurts in the morning, but there's something about lacing up those shoes that says "I'm ready for the day".
noooope i go to bed when i get tired and try to keep it at the same time! i wake up when i wake up! IM FULLY RETIRED so dont hate me in a couple of years it will be 15 years good info as always!!!!
Thank you SO MUCH for giving good advices on how to heal this. ❤ Many psychology youtubers seem to lecture about the symptom, but not offer any solutions. Or ask money for doing so.
You're onto something. I think a lot of it has to do with what you're making out of your life. If you start the day off late, going on your phone immediately, eating poorly, making bad choices, don't like your job, surrounding yourself with not so great people, etc, yes, you'll likely feel depressed in the mornings. Environment is everything, starting days off early, with meditation, journaling, exercise, hot/cold exposure, have made a huge difference for me. If you're not able to do those first thing, gratitude is a huge one. Baby steps, life doesn't get easier, you just get better. ❤
❤ I love these and send them to my mom who is bipolar. I tried to encourage her to sign up for your course when it was on sale, but she missed it and then beat herself up about it😢. Thanks for your beautiful channel!!
This is a topic that I didnt know I needed. My morning depression has been so bad recently that I thought it was just work related but that might be a part of the issue and not the whole (or hole).
Morning anxiety is my thing and pre menopause ruined my sleep. Morning anxiety sometimes makes me paralise and is way worse, so i stretch and try to move and clean up or something and have sun exposure in my window
There are some great pre menopause and menopausal supplements available out there you might want to try that to help with the lack of sleep. I had a heck of a time too but sleep like a champ now.
being single, being ugly, being lonely, not being able to change that, working at a job that isnt my passion....yup having depression is normal in this circmstance
You are NOT ugly; you're having a tough time with life & you feel shitty. It's NOT you. How do I know this? Because my sitn is just like yours. I have managed to pop into a good space & I know I'm NOT ugly even though I was bullied with taunts of 'uugggllly' it ruined me. But sometimes, when I'm in a good space, I know it's not true. So... Back at you! ❤❤❤erin
Changing your thoughts will change your life. First be aware of your thoughts, and then try to replace each negative thought with a positive thought. This has helped me.
Appreciate all the great info and tips. Want to raise a flag about casually suggesting that people with depression get a dog because it will want to go out for a walk. Depression can be way stronger than the needs of others, including pets. Having a dog is like having a child, think very hard about getting one. Perhaps volunteering to walk dogs at a local shelter first thing in the morning would be a better first step.
yeah, good point, I tried to make that point gently as each person needs to find what will help them and be within their growth zone
This is true. I have a dog I stopped being able to take on walks every day because of how bad my depression got. Thankfully I don’t live alone so I have someone that walks her when I’m physically not able to. But it makes me feel even more guilty about being depressed on the days my dog is not happy because of me :(
My dog does not help me get out of bed, he's happy to lay by me, haha. But once I get up, we both start to look forward to a walk, and getting out really helps me reset for the day.
My cats wake me up by climbing on my head because they want more food!!😂😂😂😂
You are right. I can't take care of myself and I have no interest in taking care of something else right now.
I’ve had lifelong depression and my mornings are just as you describe! I can literally feel myself improve as the day progresses. So by the afternoon I feel much more ‘normal’ and able to function.
exactly this
Same here
Yes! Me too.
Same
Do you drink coffee
I had a coworker jokingly ask if I drank at lunchtime b/c I was a completely different person in the afternoon versus morning (mornings I'm quiet, avoidant/heopless, don't smile much; afternoons I'm engaging others, inquisitive, so much more positive). And I always hit my productivity phase late afternoon into evening. It's really hard to slow down at night as I feel like I'm finally hitting my stride and feel motivated. I've often said that when the alarm goes off in the AM there's a part of me that believes maybe I could just skip today. I feel so defeated in the AM. THANK YOU for talking sbout the biology. The tip about just starting with putting my feet on the floor is so simple but crazy powerful. I will totally be congratulating myslef on that one. 😃
I hope you said yes
That's a good way to put it...I do feel defeated in the morning...but then go on to have great days
I have severe anxiety disorder agoraphobia. Ive just been dignoised with severe adhd. Have u ever been tested for adhd?
Yes this is me too. Thank you❤
Me too! Th k you for aharing!
This is 100% ME! I didn’t know this was a ‘thing’. I have never been a morning person & could never understand why I am so depressed when I get up. I always feel like there is no meaning to my life. I just feel so hopeless… It takes me ages to feel like I can function for the day. I am a night owl and this is when I am wide awake and happy; then it is difficult to go to sleep & the cycle starts again. Thanks, Emma, this was SO helpful - now that I know there is a reason I feel like this & I’m not going mad!😊
I used to cry every morning until my forties I began to look for strategies and when was to move the alarm clock to a different room and turn the light on really fast and tell myself it's just morning and I'll be okay in a little bit I had to work hard on this and I'm 60 now and I practice diet exercise and routine I loved your video I love that you are helping those of us overcome depression❤
God Bless.
I love that you tell yourself "it's just morning and I'll be okay in a little bit..."
I am going to say this to myself every morning starting tmrw morng
Thank you and God bless 🙏
Well my 25 year old was a little boy and made a playlist of music - one song for brushing his teeth one for getting dressed. Now here I am an adult and I've created my own playlist for getting myself ready in the morning. It pumps me up it keeps me focused and I stay on time
I remember telling my doctor about feeling this way every single day years ago and it was the first time she frowned at me like she wasn’t quite sure she believed me. As time has gone on, I have found more about it available online and appreciate this video!
Yes, the male the doctor I told many years ago said I was feeling depressed and anxious 1st thing in the morning because my husband wouldn’t be around. (So aggravating!) Granted, I was a stay at home mom with little ones and that’s fatiguing/ stressful but I said I felt like this in the mornings when he was home and helping me on the weekends. And now I don’t have little ones and still feel like a fog of depression slowly improving throughout the day.
@@katharine5606 many years ago - sounds like in 1950s?
@@i_dont_want_a_handle It was around 2001.
@@i_dont_want_a_handleI was told around 2016 by a male doctor that the real reason I kept coming back for chronic severe stomach issues was bc I just needed a good man in my life. His words.
"Women weren't made to do everything alone."
While I didn't disagree with that statement, I went to a different doctor after six months of being patronized. Turns out, I had three different types of intestinal parasites that took a full year of treatment & I still do annual treatments for to this day.
Thanks doc!
Women's healthcare is a joke.
Super helpful. I’ve always said I do better with a 36 hour day than a 24 hour day. Mornings have always been painful… my skin literally hurts. My body wants to get up about 11 a.m. and go to bed about 3 am. My entire 51 years it’s been this way. I’m intrigued about your ideas!!!
A side note-I have extremely vivid dreams and my sleep tracker device often says “too much REM”. I fall asleep and almost always feel awake in a tv show-like dream, participating and can recount the story lines. If I could recall everything I have no doubt I’d be a best selling author! The downside is, I wake up exhausted like I never slept. I have to be exhausted to go to bed and it never resets.
Same here
Might be worth getting a sleep study. If you have sleep apnea or some other sleep situations there is really good help. It changed my life.
Same. I know that if I have a few nights of bad sleep, I get REM rebound, where my brain tries to catch up with the lost REM sleep. I begin dreaming very quickly during sleep, and my dreams are movie-vivid.
@@hilaryb8807 I get REM every bloody night!
Sounds like delayed sleep phase disorder, which is a genetic condition and not a choice.
I've struggled with SAD most of my life... usually have to trick myself: "I'll just get up & go to the bathroom and go right back to bed... well might as well brush my teeth, comb my hair... well I'll just put on a robe and sit on the couch & meditate for a few minutes... might as well put these dishes away while I'm here... one thing leads to another and pretty soon I'm awake... but i couldn't PLAN or intend to do it! Thank you for this good info, didn't think this was a thing.
There's some irony in watching a video about depression with an ad for a charity working to support those suffering most in the world. I know my depression isn't just about my perspective but something about that did wake me up a bit. More gratitude could only help.
Rather than morning depression, what I am experiencing is morning anxiety. As soon as I start to wake up I get cramps and that feeling of fear caused by dissociation. I get the feeling that a bad day is waiting ahead and what’s the point in thriving and trying to work things out. Usually it gets better once I leave the house and start moving. Bed time is my favourite part of the day. I feel so victorious. But in the morning,again, anxiety awaits for me.
Me too!
The exact same happens to me!
Changing my medication schedule made a huge difference for me. I'm taking an extended release anti-depressant. I found that taking it first thing in the morning, it took time to feel like it kicked in and I was just chasing the symptoms. But when I take it at bedtime, it's at its most effective as I'm waking up. This was a great episode. Thanks, Emma.
Glad this was helpful for you!
What antidepressant works for you?
@@pd1824 I am on Venlafaxine, 150 mg I think. I need to start taking them earlier in the morning. My usual thing is to take it when I wake up but I am groggy for about three hours and slow to get moving. Need to start taking it around 5am.
@@pd1824, I'm having success with Effexor (Venlafaxine). I've had the best results with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation though. It literally saved my life. LMK if you have any questions about it. I wish you well. 🙏🏼
Oh my goodness, I feel so seen and validated. I've struggled with mornings all of my adult life. I would even describe to doctors that it felt like I had a daily bipolar mood swing cycle: ultra depressed, unmotivated, no energy in the morning; finally productive in the afternoon; and completely wired and manic at night. This was my life for at least 20 years. I had so much I wanted to do when I woke up, but was paralyzed to do any of it. My doctors had no answers except to tell me that's not how bipolar depression works, that and to test my thyroid. It was never my thyroid.
I don't know if it's simply aging, or possibly my newish vitamin D routine, but it hasn't been as bad these past 5 years. Mornings are still slow-going though, but not dreadful.
I don't have depression, and I'm not a morning person, but I despise early mornings. Between 3:00 and 7:00 am is my best sleep and I have to wake up between 5:30 and 6:00. This makes me feel depressed & upset, but once I get going, say after 9:00 a.m. I'm perfectly fine. If I was able to start work later, therefore waking up later, I'd be fine. On my days off when I'm able to sleep in and start slow, I'm fine. I'm still slightly tired, but I'm happy.
my way to describe is is basically "Contrast" sleeping is an escape from a painful reality. Suddenly returning to reality shows the contrast. That contrast is painful, and then you get used to it again.
Finally I know why I feel the way I do. I always feel depressed when I ought to wake up so I sleep again BUT waking late makes it SO MUCH WORSE that I regret it lol.
Me too
Not me looking through UA-cam to find something happy to listen to because waking up this morning made me just feel so scared and the strong desire to not live. Good timing. 🤗
💝🫂
Well that explains it! I couldn’t figure out WHY I kept waking up feeling the dread of the day. It also explains why feeding the ducks, and walking my dogs always lifted the dread! Thanks Emma! ❤ I’m not cured, but atleast most days I’m functional!
Thank you! I've struggled with low mood and feeling paralysed in the morning for a long time. I had no idea so many people experience this.
It helps already to know that I am not alone with this problem. Thank you so much for posting this video!🙏
This was really good! I am in therapy for anxiety and those waves of depression. What I’ve found that helps when I’m sliding into a depressive slump is before I even open my eyes I say one thing I am grateful for then sit at the edge of my bed and let my feet touch the floor and start my day intentionally. It helps when I wake up anxious and when I wake up in a slump. It’s not 100% fool proof but on those really bad days, I give myself grace and try to remember that I’m not like this every day and it’s okay to wake up and just have a really bad day.
My morning cortisol is much higher with perimenopause & SAD. I bought a rebounder & after going on that for 10 minutes in the morning, I'm feeling much better.
Same! I love my rebounder 💥
Do they really help? I’ve been thinking about buying one. The depression is awful.
@ i know there is not one thing that works for everybody, but I had heard a podcast where the person said it helps with draining lymph and keeping toxins from settling in organs. I have no idea if its true but I was intrigued so I decided to get one. Turns out I love bouncing on it! Makes me feel alive again. Blessings to you 🙏❤️
@@CalmLisa Thank you!
I thought about that too, but I have organ prolapse from connective tissue laxity and figured that might not be right for me. If it’s not one thing, its another. ☹️
My hypothalamus was damaged by lupron depot for endometriosis. no psych EVER keeps up with research. Each morning I’m paralyzed in my bed, I try to get up. Sleep is so rare. You have the only info that gives me self respect. I’m tired of psych blaming me as lazy and not trying hard
Hugs. Endo sucks. And a lot of the commonly used treatments suck more. 💛
Sounds like we see the same dr
I’m so sorry that your doctor behaves like that!! I feel your frustration!
Finally I understand that others feel this way.my WHOLE life ..I never feel good in the morning.thank you for explaing this so simply... another thing I have rheumatic fever as a child and was given high doses of antibiotics. Doing some research it seems that maybe the hypothalamus was damaged IE maybe it's inflamed I have had chronic insomnia since the age of eight. Maybe it's the hypothalamus
Same
Thank you. I do feel so depressed in the morning. I feel so numb and not like myself. Like my soul has vacated the building, but my body woke up.
Thank you. It was good to know that some of this is normal for people who struggle. It made me feel less anxious about my sleep and the way I feel. It's not just in my head. Thank you !
its hard to put into words, but the book Feminine Ancient Blessings completely changed my life and it's not new age bs
One major reason why depression is linked to sleep and worse in the morning is that, while we sleep, our emotional and sub-conscious thoughts come to the forefront of issues we are healing. Pay attention to what you are feeling when you awake. Those are the feelings that we are not dealing with during waking hours. Address, identify and deal with them. Don't medicate and try to deny them. It will only cause a vicious circle. ⭕ This coincides with what Emma is saying. Our minds and bodies are interconnected. Our feeling fluctuate our hormones and circadian rhythms.
I’m so glad you mentioned this. I’ve been struggling this really recently and I thought it had something to do with the darkness. I found that listening to more cheery and calm music that’s more motivating than sad and solemn music. The bus rides to work have been a lot better so far.
TIL this is a thing. thank you for helping me understand why i feel terrible in the morning and dont want to get out of bed. im a total night owl, up till 5am and asleep for about 10 hours waking up feeling exhausted and overwhlemed. of course my brain automatically rejected every solution but im gonna try to gently go against that. thank you!
Words can express how God uses you to help me, I have been following you for though the pandemic, and my marriage with my now exspouse who is an emergency doctor, throughout our marriage, he was mentally physically and sexually abusive to me. It's through your teachings that I was able to find my inner strength in god, yoga and myself to leave that situation. 2 days ago I had a severe panic attack. All I wanted to do was find a safe place to to hide your work. Help me to find within myself. The ability to go forward with my day and seek help. Thank you. Your work has saved my life. Many times when I wanted to give up the contents that you share It's powerful and spiritually healing thank you.
Thank you so much… this video has already helped me. I also think that my nightmares rise my cortisol when I’m sleeping and lots of times the nightmares are just ones that focus on sad depressing feelings and thoughts and situations. Like I’m lonely or lost and unloved in my nightmares. This definitely adds to the morning part of depression I think too
Same 🛶
I've been struggling with this my entire life. Thank you so much for posting this.
I got stuck in first morning depression after a long period of high stress. Finally tried a cold a.m. shower and the depression immediately lifted! I know it sounds painful but your body can adapt to it overtime if you lower shower temp and extend the exposure time to 1-3 minutes over several days or even weeks. And i don’t freeze my head. The goal is to bring down core temperature.
Great advice. I haven't been able to reset mayor stress consecuenses.
People in warm climates can't really do this...our "cold" water temps in our pipes are tepid most of the year lol...yes I've tried😂
Thank you Emma, this video has really helped me. You have given me the confidence to bring my concerns up with my Doctor again. Knowing that my condition is Not laziness has given me hope for change😊🙏🏽🦋🌻
Thank you. Not eating after 6:30, so that my gut can make neurotransmitters, makes a huge difference for me. Still overwhelmed in the a.m. from intense dreams.
To me, morning cortisol can cause a lot of anxiety, but it will always motivate me to get out of bed, and to get started with my day. It's the evening boost in cortisol that kills me, the feelings of something not being right, feeling like I should be resting but I can't, laying awake in bed, waiting to feel sleepy.
Taking an ashwaghanda supplement, like 3 times per week, has changed all that tremendously. I still have a lot of energy in the morning, but it's so much easier for me to find calm in the evening. Would recommend taking it to anyone!
Getting out of bed at 4 AM (to go to the toilet), no problem, but then going back to bed because a) it's too early to get up and b) (it's winter) it's nice and cozy under the covers. Then having the alarm at 7 AM, no way that I'm able to take that first step out (unless I have an appointment to go to). But now I can blame my hormones, let's see if this knowledge helps me this weekend 🙂
Wow, couldn't get over this, it's so me😮. Thank you so much. Feel like I'm not going mad after all. X
Through the combination of scary world news and my Mother receiving end of life care at the moment, my morning depression is at an all time high. Thanks so much for posting this video when I needed it most! It's a terrible thing to go through but I'm reminded that I'm not the only one who feels this way and that I can do things to get help and help myself.
God Bless.
It sounds like you're encouraging all the right thoughts upon waking. I had to go through this with my mum last year and it is extremely stressful. I felt the same when waking. You are not alone. I'm sharing these experiences with a therapist now. It is helping. I did not show myself compassion in that period of time. Please try to do that yourself. You are facing a tough time and carrying a heavy load. Take care and my best wishes to you and your mum🤗
You got this!
I always feel better as the day goes on
I find it helpful to prepare breakfast the night before so it is all ready for me. Having two cats to feed removes any possibility of staying in bed and brings me some joy, and then I take things gently for an hour.
Get up and do the right things you know. Everything will follow !!
Thank you!I so much! I appreciate your insight about the body and mind connection when so many think it's only in "one's head". Both my daughter and myself have mild to severe depression on and off depending on a number of factors and also 2 for my siblings. One thing that helps me in the morning is to open the curtains in my living room and observe the creatures outside,bunnies,squirells,birds...they make me laugh!I'm lucky to live in a place where I can do that😊
Cool video, My relationship of 5 years ended a month ago. The love of my life decided to leave me, I really love her so much I can’t stop thinking about her, I’ve tried my very best to get her back in my life, but to no avail, I’m frustrated, I don’t see my life with anyone else. I’ve done my best to get rid of the thoughts of her, but I can’t, I don’t know why I’m saying this here, I really miss her and just can’t stop thinking about her
its difficult to let go of someone you love, i was in a similar situation, my relationship of 12 years ended, but i couldnt just let him go i did all i could to get him back, i had to seek the help of a spiritual counselor who helped me bring him back
Amazing, how did you get a spiritual counselor, and how do i reach him or her?
Her name is Shelly renee white , and she is a great spiritual counselor who can bring back your ex.
Thank you for this valuable information, i just looked her up now online. impressive
It's been 2 years for me and I still miss her and cry, wish I never falled in love.
Positive morning routine: coffee! Get’s me out of bed. Thank you for this video. Knowing that my feeling of dread when i wake up is not uncommon and not a moral failing, is already helping
You are so cool. I absolutely love your videos. They are so helpful. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your wisdom with us!
Thanks so much for this video (and all of your videos)! My mom has been experiencing this for nearly two years (due to medication management changes and issues) and many doctors have been just treating depression generally but overlooking it when she specifically says she feels much, much worse in the morning. This makes everything crystal clear not to mention it makes the patient who is experiencing this feel validated. I appreciate you!
Thank you so much, I've been struggling with this for the longest time🥺🙏
There is also morning anxiety.
yep, absolutely
Yes I agree. I suffer from morning anxiety more than depression.
Me too. I often wake up around 3am and start a loop of problem solving that stops me from going back to sleep, or catastrophising over things that wouldn't concern me later in the day.
For sure!
Break down the overwhelming parts of your life into manageable problems that you can solve one at a time. ❤ it!
Thank you for this. It's always helpful, no matter what the issue, to know that we're not alone. God bless you! This channel is so helpful.
Diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression 21 years ago. Have done well until 6 months ago when I had to put my dog to sleep. I am retired and the last year and half my dog and I were together almost 24 hours a day. We did everything almost together. Had dog total of 12 years. I have cried almost every day for 6 months now. Why am I having such a hard time with this?
Perhaps if you can be mobile you could get out more and check out going to a support group for bereaved pet parents? Or try a local soup kitchen, just somewhere where people might listen to you and understand. Talk therapy is really good for working through feelings of grief. Have you thought about getting a small pet like a bird, gerbil, or a hamster? They can take your focus off of yourself and keep you occupied. It would make you feel good to care for a little creature. God Bless.
I don’t want to minimize this, but it sounds to me like you are perfectly normal. You have suffered a catastrophic loss of relationship and grief of this type is not unusual.
Thank you. How do I made the pain.
Thank you. Yes, have thought about another pet. Also looking at visiting people in nursing home and hospitals just to help others who have no family to visit with them.@@kelterskelter4
The death of a pet often brings up other past griefs and losses. We're pretty complicated creatures, we humans. A support group for pet loss could help. I believe CSU has had some. You have a BIG heart, that's why you're feeling this! Pets are unconditional love! Be well, my friend.
Thank you for all the tips. I came across your channel yesterday and so far your videos are the only ones that have helped me. That says a lot being that I’ve been suffering from anxiety and depression for about 7 years now. Thank you!
Before starting my antidepressants I'd noticed i feel more depressed in the morning now i know it's not in my imagination
Thank you
I love your videos! You’ve been a great help to me as I try to heal from depression and anxiety. You provide an invaluable resource to people like me. Thank you! ❤
I’m so glad I found this video. I’ve been really struggling in the morning. Thank you so so much for posting this video.
This is great. This happened to me after tapering antidepressants and my psychiatrist had no idea what the CAR was. SMH. Had to figure it out myself. Everything you mentioned I have tried and is very helpful for me. Thanks for this video
I so needed to see this today! You're the best, Emma, thank you!!
The supportive work you share is such a gift to me and so many others. Thank you!!❤
You are such a blessing! This is bringing so much clarity to what I was dealing with last year and it is eye opening! Thank you so much for this information :)
Thank God for this!! All of a sudden I started waking up with this horrible dread , I felt fear and thought why am I alive. I started taking Vit D and melatonin at night it has helped a little. I know it has to be a chemical thing
So glad to hear you mention sleep apnea. I had it for years before being diagnosed because we just assumed that I was tired due to depression. After a sleep test and CPAP therapy, I'm much better. I still have depression, but the meds and therapy work much better when you're sleeping well.
My mother was always yelling at me in the morning to get up and at night to go to bed. The trauma has been hard for me. I even find myself trying to stay in bed, trying to hold back the pee in the morning. I never knew what to expect. My dad was an alcoholic and my mom a narcissist. Thanks for addressing this.
This. Is. Me!!. The reason I actually get up most days is because my dogs need me to let them out and feed them.
Same, otherwise I’d be in bed half of the day.
Me to for my cats who can you talk to when your in your own thoughts but yourself
I love this!!!❤ Thankyou so much Emma! You have brought so much peace into my life. I am so grateful for your channel. ❤❤
Managing Your Cortisol Awakening Response...get someone to call you...simply brilliant. But,
If you (i )don't have that friend?...focus on one task!! A daily schedule might help too!
This was really good. Thank you so very much. I’m also going to check out the other links you mentioned. You inspired me to take my light box out of the closet too. The light box has definitely helped me in the past. I appreciate you. Bless you and thank you for the work you do. You make a difference. 🙏❤️
Thank You for putting out information that is understandable, useful and informative. ❤
Thanks!
Wow this video was incredibly illuminating and validating. Thank you for making it!!!
Its nice to understand some of the biological underpinnings. One thing I do is lay out my clothes for the AM, this small step makes it easy in the AM, and momentum starts. I am working on getting up earlier so I can ease into the day. I almost wish there was a shock alarm of some sort. Also, to other big dreamers out there, dreams can often not help the cause of chronic AM depression and anxiety.
Thank you! I just watched Bryan Johnson's night routine video. I'm ready to take this all seriously.
Thing that works for me is doing everything in the evening - showering, packing my bag for work, preparing breakfast, cutting fruit for my lunch box, even picking up clothes for the next day, etc. It makes waking up much easier.
Thank you thank you thank you so much for this video! It was very validating but also helpful. Morning existential crises is something I struggle with all the time 🌄
Thank you for making this video. There are simple things I just did not think of. Others I also learned from you, Dr. Tracey Marks and Dr. Huberman
One of the best videos ever. So educational and useful.
A great Video.Very Helpful.Very Well Explained.
This is a great, helpful video! Thank you!
Omg I was really struggling this morning and I opened you tube and you were right there with this explanation. This happens a lot to me esp morning but sometimes very suddenly anytime. I actually get very active - walking in circles mainly. Thanks for info.
You are amazing, keep everything as is!
I took SSRIs for about 15 years with no improvement. Then just before covid I was put on a SNRI and it actually made a difference in reducing the vicious depression I felt getting up every day! Probably by at least 60% of the time.
Mornings are tough. I have started taking the Fly Lady's advice "get dressed to lace up shoes" and for some reason that really helps get me out of bed and ready to start the day. I still start slow because I have fibromyalgia and everything hurts in the morning, but there's something about lacing up those shoes that says "I'm ready for the day".
noooope i go to bed when i get tired and try to keep it at the same time! i wake up when i wake up! IM FULLY RETIRED so dont hate me in a couple of years it will be 15 years good info as always!!!!
Thank you SO MUCH for giving good advices on how to heal this. ❤ Many psychology youtubers seem to lecture about the symptom, but not offer any solutions. Or ask money for doing so.
You're onto something. I think a lot of it has to do with what you're making out of your life. If you start the day off late, going on your phone immediately, eating poorly, making bad choices, don't like your job, surrounding yourself with not so great people, etc, yes, you'll likely feel depressed in the mornings.
Environment is everything, starting days off early, with meditation, journaling, exercise, hot/cold exposure, have made a huge difference for me. If you're not able to do those first thing, gratitude is a huge one. Baby steps, life doesn't get easier, you just get better. ❤
Thank you, this was really helpful to understand why I feel in the morning exactly as you describe ✨
I stumble around in the morning mumbling “Everything’s just terrible“ over and over again… until the coffee takes effect.
That’s weird…same here. 🤷♀️
You're the BEST❤❤❤
Thank you this was very validating 💙
Thanks for really useful steps to take in order to help alleviate this debilitating condition. So helpful too in aiding understanding.
Nice office Emma, I love the studio! Adorable
❤ I love these and send them to my mom who is bipolar. I tried to encourage her to sign up for your course when it was on sale, but she missed it and then beat herself up about it😢. Thanks for your beautiful channel!!
Thanks for a super upload ❤❤❤, it helps understand what's going on.
This is a topic that I didnt know I needed. My morning depression has been so bad recently that I thought it was just work related but that might be a part of the issue and not the whole (or hole).
The supplements I use to the best effect are: 1) Melatonin, 2) L-Theanine, or 3) GABA. The last two help best with brain fog and anxiety.
Morning anxiety is my thing and pre menopause ruined my sleep. Morning anxiety sometimes makes me paralise and is way worse, so i stretch and try to move and clean up or something and have sun exposure in my window
There are some great pre menopause and menopausal supplements available out there you might want to try that to help with the lack of sleep. I had a heck of a time too but sleep like a champ now.
@@kelterskelter4which do you use?
@@kelterskelter4 yeah! What do you take? I do magnesium the one good for sleep. And melatonin
I feel worse in the morning it at night there's nobody to talk to
being single, being ugly, being lonely, not being able to change that, working at a job that isnt my passion....yup having depression is normal in this circmstance
You are NOT ugly; you're having a tough time with life & you feel shitty. It's NOT you.
How do I know this? Because my sitn is just like yours. I have managed to pop into a good space & I know I'm NOT ugly even though I was bullied with taunts of 'uugggllly' it ruined me. But sometimes, when I'm in a good space, I know it's not true.
So...
Back at you! ❤❤❤erin
I'm single & much happier for it. Telling yourself you're ugly every day & you'll start to believe it.
Changing your thoughts will change your life. First be aware of your thoughts, and then try to replace each negative thought with a positive thought. This has helped me.
The beauty of your heart is what counts and is what will heal you! Sending you love
Really informative thanks 👍👍👍
Thank you sooo much for this video . this is very helpful
Thank you so much 🥹❤️✨️