Why Do I Wake Up Crying For No Reason?
It’s normal to experience feelings of sadness from time to time. In fact, some people say they feel better after crying. But if these feelings persist, it could mean something else is going on.
Sadness is a natural emotion that everyone experiences at times. When you’re feeling down, try talking to someone who cares about you.
If you don’t want to talk to anyone, then consider taking a break from social media. You can also try getting more exercise and eating healthier.
What Causes Adults And Children To Wake Up Crying?
Diurnal Mood Variation
The term diurnal means “throughout the day.” Moods change throughout the day as we go through our daily routines. For example, when we first wake up, we tend to be sleepy.
As the day progresses, we start to think more clearly and feel more energetic. We might even feel happy.
When we begin to feel tired, stressed, anxious, or depressed, this is called circadian rhythm disruption (CRD). CRD happens when our body clock gets out of sync with the outside world.
This can happen due to changes in light levels, jet lag, shift work, or irregular sleep schedules.
When your body clock doesn’t match up with the surrounding environment, you’ll find yourself experiencing mood swings throughout the day, and you may also wake up crying during the night.
Buried Grief & Sleep
One theory says that when we bury our emotions, we end waking up with negative thoughts and feelings.
One study found that people who buried their emotions were more likely to wake up crying than those who talked about their feelings. They also had higher rates of depression and anxiety.
Stress
Another theory suggests that stress causes us to cry more frequently. Stress hormones like cortisol make us feel tense and emotional. These hormones are released when we’re under pressure or facing stressful situations.
Stress can trigger physical reactions like sweating, increased heart rate, and muscle tension. All of these can leave us feeling exhausted and emotionally drained. Stress can also lead us to wake up crying.
Night Terrors
Some experts believe that nightmares can contribute to waking up crying. Nightmares occur when a person has an intense dream where he or she feels afraid or confused. The person wakes up feeling scared and upset.
Sleep Deprivation
People who don’t get enough sleep often wake up crying because they’re not getting the rest they need. When we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies produce less melatonin, which helps regulate our sleep cycles.
Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland. Melatonin plays an important role in regulating our sleep cycle. If we don’t get enough melatonin, it can affect our ability to fall asleep at night and stay asleep throughout the night.
Melatonin production decreases as we age. This makes it harder for older people to fall asleep and stay asleep.
If you wake up crying every morning, talk to your doctor about whether there could be another cause. You might want to consider taking steps to improve your sleeping habits.
How Can I Stop Waking Up Crying?
You can take some simple steps to help prevent waking up crying:
Set a bedtime routine. Make sure you have a consistent schedule each weeknight. Create a relaxing ritual before going to bed. Try reading a book, listening to music, or meditating.
Get plenty of sleep. Aim for 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night.
Avoid caffeine after noon. Caffeine stimulates your nervous system and keeps you awake. It’s best to avoid coffee, tea, soda, chocolate, and other caffeinated drinks after lunch.
Avoid alcohol. Alcohol affects your brain chemistry and can interfere with your sleep patterns.
Exercise regularly. Exercise releases endorphins, which calm you down and promote relaxation. Exercising several times each week will help keep you from being stressed out all day long.
Try eating healthy foods. Eating well-balanced meals rich in protein, fiber, and vitamins can help give you energy and support healthy weight loss.
Reduce stress. Learn how to manage your stress levels so you won’t wake up crying. Talk to a friend or family member about what’s stressing you out. Take deep breaths and try to relax.
Take care of yourself. Get regular checkups and screenings. Eat right, exercise, and get plenty of rest.
If these implemented lifestyle changes don’t prevent you from waking up crying then talk to your doctor if you wake up crying every day.
He or she may recommend additional tests to rule out medical conditions that could be causing your symptoms like depression.
What Are The Symptoms Of Depression?
Depression often goes undiagnosed because many of its symptoms overlap with other conditions such as anxiety, stress, grief, fatigue, and low self-esteem. Some common signs include:
- Feeling sad or hopeless
- Losing interest in things you used to enjoy
- Having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Being irritable or having little energy
- Not being able to concentrate
- Thoughts of death or suicide
If you notice any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor. He or she may be able to help.
How Does Depression Affect Children?
Children are just as likely to suffer from depression as adults. Depression in kids can cause them to have problems concentrating, behave aggressively, withdraw socially, and become angry or sullen.
It can also lead to sleep disorders, headaches, stomachaches, and weight loss.
In addition to talking to their parents, children should tell teachers, coaches, and friends what’s happening inside their heads, so they can get help if needed.
Summary
To conclude, waking up crying isn’t always due to anxiety. There are many reasons why someone would wake up crying. However, if you wake up crying frequently, talk to your doctor.
They can help you figure out what’s causing your problem.
ABOUT ME
Hi! I am Michelle Landeros, LMFT. I am a mother, wife, baker and foodie. Welcome to my blog Therapist Pages. Covering a wide range of topics from mental health, wellness, relationships and overall well-being. I am passionate about sharing information that improves your wellness journey.
