Why am I feeling flat? What is making me feel blue? If you’re like most of us, there will be times in your life that you just don’t feel as bright as you usually do. You are not your usual self, and chances are, you don’t know why. You might feel unwilling to bounce out of bed and dive into the day with enthusiasm as you have in the past. Perhaps you feel lonely, socially excluded, or don’t want to make conversation.
While some of us prefer not to know, having some insight into what is wrong is often the first step to feeling better. When we know what the problem is or the possible reasons that we are feeling flat, we can start addressing the cause of the blues or at least experience some peace of mind. We all have down days, but what causes them? Is there anything we can do about them?
Feeling Flat is Different to Depression
Having the blues is different to full-blown clinical depression, which can be so severe that sufferers have difficulty functioning in everyday life. Feeling flat is usually a temporary state that may last a few days; if it lasts more than a couple of weeks, experts consider that the risk of clinical depression is much higher.
The high-profile culprits for being depressed or feeling blue include major life events such as divorce, grief, trauma and relationship difficulties. Also included in this list are side-effects from medication and long-term health issues. But are there any other reasons that you might be feeling flat? Is it possible that you will never know the reason?
The Complexity of Feeling Down
The reasons for feeling down can be complex, and often there is more than one cause. Sometimes you might just feel blue and never know why. It could be as simple as the weather, or a tiring or emotional phase of life. Regardless, there are some surprising reasons that you can feel down. These lesser-known triggers are more common than we think, so it’s worth knowing what they are.
Exercise
Experts have recommended exercise to combat depression for many years, but it seems that you can overdo it. Overtraining can be just as detrimental as not getting enough exercise and may even lead to depression. Overtraining occurs when you train intensely or over a prolonged period without allowing sufficient recovery time. You can suffer from overuse injuries, changes to your blood chemistry, and lowered immunity. You may also experience depression.
Experts believe that this is because the body is not being given a chance to recover and repair itself. Overtraining can cause inflammation, which studies show is a factor in depression. The best option for exercise-induced depression is to cut back your training schedule and see if it helps. When you are feeling better, you can try increasing it gradually rather than going back to your full training schedule right away.
Social Media Overload
The world is not a nice place sometimes. And at times it turns up on your social media pages. It can be easy to get into an online argument with someone who has an opposing view. Or you might feel down because someone has been rude or abusive to you or someone you know. You try to tell yourself that it doesn’t matter and that you don’t care what people think … but inside, there is still this nagging feeling of tension. And it can make you feel flat.
It’s easy to say that the solution is to simply avoid social media. But the reality for many people is that a large proportion of their social life is conducted on various social media platforms. Cutting back on social media time is one answer, but also being selective about what you see can help. Most sites enable you to customise your viewing preferences so that you can eliminate some of the content that makes you feel down, and some sites also offer the option to avoid seeing comments or content from other people if you find them disturbing.
Falling Asleep with the TV On
Scientists believe that falling asleep with the TV or any other light source can lead to depression. Studies show that we enjoy better sleep if we sleep in total darkness. Any source of light interferes with the production of melatonin, the brain chemical that is responsible for making us feel sleepy. Light hits certain cells at the back of the retina and signals the brain to stop producing melatonin. Poor sleep over a few days can lead to us feeling flat, but if it is a long-term problem, it can cause depression and other health conditions that become chronic.
The Low After Sex
Some people, women in particular, can feel down after a passionate encounter. The intense high of great sex can lead to a period of feeling flat afterwards. Although experts are not sure why this is, some speculate that post-coital sadness is caused by a sudden increase in feel-good hormones, followed by a return to their normal levels.
Not much is known about the reasons for this condition, but psychologists believe that for women, sex is more than just a physical act. It is also associated with a whole range of emotions and needs that go beyond the moment, such as the need for intimacy, partnership, and the desire for exclusivity. If these other needs are not addressed, or the sex is just a quick fling or a one-night stand, women may experience feelings of sadness, regret, and other negative emotions that lead to feeling down. Upbringing, expectations and religious beliefs also play a part, and if the relationship (or lack thereof) is not in harmony with these, a woman can experience feelings of sadness or depression.
Stress Buildup
Sometimes stress piles up gradually around us and we hardly even notice it because we are accustomed to functioning under pressure for long periods of time. But over time, an overload of stress can cause us to feel flat, and if it persists long-term, it can cause depression.
It can be helpful to analyse how you feel about facing each day and why. Feelings of anxiety, dread, or lack of enthusiasm for the day might be linked to an overload of stress. Take some time out to recharge your batteries and see if you feel energized when you return to your normal workload. If you find that you are feeling significantly better after a break, a buildup of stress could be the culprit.
Feeling flat should be a temporary condition. If you take steps to manage stress and address some of the other possible causes and you are still feeling down, it’s important to seek professional help.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3435910/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/446961-teenage-depression-5-htp/