If you struggle with "night time depression" and find it difficult to sleep, our friend, then we think you'll find this little one minute story that we posted on social media helpful :)
A Little Story About Dealing With "Night Time Depression"
I've lost so many hours of sleep to depression and anxiety - just worrying and stressing and overthinking the night away.
So, I asked my new therapist what I can do about this, and they suggested that at some point in the day, I set aside time to journal.
To be honest, when they said this, I didn't really understand how it would help.
But, my therapist then explained three important things.
Firstly, that throughout the day, you're often too distracted by "life" in order to deal with the worry, stress, and whatever other unresolved emotions you have.
Secondly, that when you turn off the lights and get into bed - BANG! There's suddenly nothing left to "distract" you, which is why all of your thoughts and emotions bubble up and you can't fall asleep.
Thirdly, that if you can set aside time beforehand to address what's troubling you - e.g. by journalling - then by default, you won't have to do so at night when you're trying to fall asleep.
So, for the last 2 months, I've been dedicating the half-hour train journey home from work to writing down my thoughts and what I'm feeling.
And, while I wouldn't have guessed it, throughout this time I've been sleeping much better.
We hope you've found this little story helpful, our friend.
All our love,
The Depression Project Team.