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Why do I wake up feeling sad sometimes?

167 Answers
Last Updated: 08/28/2022 at 1:02am
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Tracy-Kate Teleke, PsyD, M.A., LMFT

Marriage & Family Therapist

I assist adults and couples in CA experiencing relationship challenges and interpersonal struggles including anxiety, depression, and a myriad of other life challenges.

Top Rated Answers
ingeniousPeace79
April 26th, 2019 9:51am
I thought that too, for quite long time. I usually wake up a little on the sad side. But after observing closely, the process of awakening, there is a portion of time, between your wake up moment, and when the sadness installs itself. Sadness or any other feeling, or mental state. When we wake up, it is my experience that there is a blank state, at first, like you are a new born. Maybe you remember that, as soon as you wake up, you don't know here you are, when, position, orientation, nothing. It's a short time between this blank slate moment, and the mental rush, and emotional rush, that brain creates, to fill up that space. That's why they say that waking up and going to sleep moments are the most impactful when you want to change your life. The most dramatic changes, if you practice to visualize and instill whatever you like, whatever you want, in those clean slates moments, between worlds. Because that's the most precious state, in between. Not in that nightly dreamworld, and not in this daily dreamworld. So, back to sadness, that's the habit, memory, practice, that the brain sees more fit, in accordance with your beliefs, but also according to karma, cycles, time. It's a mix. Then after the brain decides (decides quite fast, split second), then it will flood you with all memories needed, all thoughts needed, all emotions needed. It's like a default state, if you don't intervene. So best route is to take over these 2 precious moments, and fill them up with all that you want, good images, good thoughts, smiles, meditation, loving good feelings, whatever you can.
CaptainA221
April 28th, 2019 7:43am
It could be a mixture of things. Usually negative emotions are tied to either our personal, love or professional life. When one of these pieces ends up out of wack we usually end up allowing the other two to also take a hit. When that happens it becomes a confusing mess because you end up on a spiral. The best way to counteract it is to sit down, breath and to isolate where the problems originally stemmed from. This is easier said than done but if done properly it will help you start the process of understanding your pain. Once you understand it you can start to put a game plan together to fix it. Good luck and reach out if you need help.
PositvityScarlet
July 17th, 2019 8:59am
I guess the reason why I wake up feeling sad sometimes is because I am worried about things and my anxiety gets me. I have learned that it is ok to wake up feeling sad sometimes. I have learned to not let sadness affect my activities, mood or the rest of my day. How do I accept that i woke up feeling sad? I acknowledged that I feel sad, I write down the things that might be contributing to my sadness and then do activities to try to alleviate my mood. Life is just like Ying and Yang. You have happiness, you have sadness . That is what make life interesting.
Anonymous
August 3rd, 2019 8:28am
For adults, a mood disorder or feeling overwhelmed emotionally can trigger tears while sleeping. It's mostly because the timing of your sleep .sleep happens in stages while waking up in between the stages one could feel overwhelmed or sad and we tend to even remember nightmare . You must time your sleep in a proper manner and sleep for a minimum of 6 hours. Correcting sleep would help you better your emotions and moodswings after waking up. It's just the wrong stage waking up. Getting timed and exercise would be beneficial. It's ok to be be sad when one wakes up. But regular occurrence of this needs to be dealt
MissLisa
August 18th, 2019 6:25pm
Everyone wakes up feeling sad from time to time and that is perfectly normal. After all we are human beings. Our emotions can be influenced by our hormones but they can also be effected by our lifestyle such as stress. For example if you have a lot on in your life, you may wake up feeling sad. However if that sadness become frequent or it begins to effect your daily life then you should seek help as early as possible. There is a lot of help and support out there from you doctor, to therapists, online groups and information and self help books.
SunnyDay87
December 18th, 2019 2:09pm
Our brain doesn’t shout off it keeps working at night, more intensely if we are stressed (anxious or sad) we might even dream about it and don’t remember it. I suggest you to try distracting activities before sleeping so you go to sleep in a better state of mind. What helped me was repeating a mantra. “Whatever happened we can’t fix it right now, let’s worry about it tomorrow”. Turn off all the devices so it won’t interrupt your sleep. Try coloring reading or watching a show that is really distracting. Have a warm bath and a comfort beverage and it’s easier.
ubuntu733
January 19th, 2020 10:16pm
As far I understand, emotions are not logical. One train of thought says that sometimes we wake up sad, sometimes we wake up joyful. At least for me, I take comfort in the experience that it is one emotion among many. Also, some questions I ask myself include "Did I have enough to eat the previous day?" or "Was there something that was really upsetting that I was thinking about yesterday, or in previous days?" Of course, if you feel that you're waking up sad most of the time, or almost all the time, perhaps seek a health professional to gauge your condition.
Kindhearted
February 1st, 2020 7:05am
People wake up sad for many reasons and sometimes no reason at all. It could be you had a sad dream, or even a sad memory, you could even just be emotional and being sad. Emotions dont have to make sense and be logical. Some emotions are just a release of stress, fear, joy, etc.. So waking up sad could be so many reasons, so many factors and all are perfectly normal. It might feel not normal but sometimes waking up sad is just due to brain chemicals or life situations you are going through. Have hope that its just all part of being human and having strong feelings.
Anonymous
February 6th, 2020 5:28pm
i know that feeling you wake up and from the start of the day your just sad feel like you just want that day to end already. Its probably maybe of something that happened the day before maybe you even slept wrong or had a sad or bad dream. Just know whatever it is its okay sometimes its ok to be sad sometimes we need to be sad first in order to be happy being happy all the time won't work out. just fight threw the day and wake uo the next day with a smile. and if your still sad its maybe something bigger you need to talk about or solve clear
supportiveDreamer61
February 26th, 2020 8:07pm
It sounds like you could be depressed. How is your mood generally? Symptoms of depression include: fatigue, irritability, loss of interest or pleasure, self harm thoughts, sleep problems, and or eating too much or too little. If you have dangerous thoughts please reach out to someone. Did anything happen recently that could affect your mood? Please take care of yourself. We all have ups and downs. Stay strong. Keep positive. Depression also includes negative thinking. Remember there are people that care about you. What are some coping methods that you use? Are they helpful or harmful? Good luck friend.
Anonymous
March 18th, 2020 6:08pm
Your body is telling you something. It is missing something. What do you think could be missing? Do you want to listen to music? Dance? Itching to write a story? Study more? Study less? Relationship issues? Grief? Try some introspection on the things happening in your life and do the things you like. If the sadness is really persistent and impacting your ability to do regular activities, perhaps get a consultation from a therapist that can help explore your feelings better. Keeping a journal might be helpful. Each time you feel sad, you can log in the time/day and the things you have been doing that could be making you sad. Maybe patterns will emerge that will point you out in a specific direction. Maybe brainstorming will help.
Anonymous
April 8th, 2020 3:12pm
I go to sleep hoping for a better day to come, but then when I wake up I think about the things I have to face in the upcoming. I think about past days with similar challenges and I wonder if I will handle things better or worse. Many of the problems I face are out of my control. Will my daughter's rapist trial start soon (it's been three years). As I recover from corona virus, I wonder how bad my symptoms will be. I also feel helpless for other people. I am recovered and immune (hopefully). I want to do more, and I cannot right now.
hopefulEagle2471
April 9th, 2020 1:55pm
Waking up feeling sad can be a bit disconcerting - in youtube videos showing 'a day in the life', everybody seems to just bounce out of bed and make their way happily to the kitchen to make some kind of outrageously healthy green smoothie or similar. Sadly this is not the normal experience for most people, and I doubt if anyone goes through life without occasionally waking up feeling sad. Sometimes, the sadness is caused by a situation. Sometimes, something specific could have triggered the emotion; perhaps a perceived failure, or a broken relationship. Sometimes sadness follows a happy day, because we know that we have to leave it behind and go on with our lives. Whatever is the cause of the sadness, it is not what you feel but what you do with that feeling that counts. Sadness can be an opportunity to reflect and take things slowly for a short while. It could just be your body telling you/reminding you to take a rest. Whatever it may be, remember that, of course, it will pass. That being said, if you regularly (like, 5/7 mornings or so) wake up sad for a period of three weeks or more, or it is interfering with your day and your ability to get things done, it might be worth seeking a professional opinion.
ChemistryLover
April 18th, 2020 11:46am
I think the beauty of emotions is that they change based on different factors. For me this quarentine has made me realize how much I miss my mom (she lives in a different country) and even when we video chat every day I still get sad sometimes because I really miss her. The thing is, the more that I think about how many milestones of my life she missed after the age of 12 because we lived in different countries the more upset I get. Sometimes I get sad for other reasons like my students (im a teacher) not giving it their all when I know they can/could/should. There are even times when I get sad because the sky looks sad yet I also think about the many things that make me smile and laugh and happy. I appreciate the sad because I also have the happy and while it may not be the case while I'm sad it its the case when I'm happy :)
BeingNow
April 29th, 2020 5:39pm
Waking up sad tells me that I've left an issue unresolved, either a loss or a conflict in my life. This could also mean I'm anticipating a conflict or loss in the day or days to come. Perhaps I'm not feeling prepared to engage the tasks I assume are pending in my near future, or I simply do not want deal with some issue. Another reason would be that I experienced a sad dream. If I've been distracted by life, a dream could manifest and indicate there are issues that are more unconscious. Or perhaps a dream would let me know I'm experiencing thoughts I'd rather not consciously acknowledge.
Anonymous
June 18th, 2020 3:40pm
I wake up feeling sad sometimes because I always have bad intentions. I feel like something bad is going to happen at the end of the day. I don’t know what’s going to happen but I know something bad is going to happen specifically. Like something doesn’t feel right during the day so I get sad sometimes. An other reason why I get sad sometimes is because I didn’t get that much sleep. I don’t sleep that much so I can see why I get sad when I wake up in the morning.
Anonymous
July 12th, 2020 8:12pm
Hmm it’s natural that we humans do feel like under the wheather sometimes getting up or sometime it’s just our mood swings or maybe we might not had a good sleep can be a reason but it’s okay u can stay in bed and it’s okay take an day off work on ur feelings try to figure out what’s making u feel this way talk to ur close ones or u can share here and trust me in the u ll be feeling better and normal so it’s fine all days are not good and bad days don’t last forever
nitinbais1988
July 16th, 2020 10:54am
Because sometimes I feel I am not up to mark or I should have woken up a little earlier so that I can finish my daily routine and be upto mark for the day but that does not happen on a daily basis and sometimes when I wake up I find myself occupied by several household responsibilities that moods gets off and things do not go the way I want. Sometimes it is even that when I have seen a terrible dream in my sleep and when I wake up I find myself confused and on the other hand I feel sad that something bad is going to happen.
RedSinner20
July 23rd, 2020 10:20pm
i suppose, life isn't always easy for each and everyone of us... dealing with struggles that appear daily, can make you very frustrated and sad. wishing you could skip this part. when im not on sleeping medication, i experience nightmares, revieling parts of my traumas. ptsd takes a toll now and then, and as much as you try to keep your chin up, enjoy little things, not let depression get it's hands around your throat, you can't avoid waking up sad sometimes. seeing my partner die over and over in my dreams. while trying to cope with his loss, just makes it hard sometimes.
hopebeyondpain
August 23rd, 2020 2:37am
because sometimes life is sad. because sometimes it's tough to just get out of bed and face a new day. because sometimes we doubt that it's ever going to get better, that we're ever going to be happy again. sometimes we need to be sad because it's normal, bandits a part of life. life isn't always perfect, or dreamy, sometimes life is sad. it's ok to feel sad but it will not always be that way. life won't stay sad. that's why we continue to get out of bed on days we wake up sad, why we make ourselves face each day, why we continue to fight through the sadness. maybe it won't be today, but one day, ice cream will taste good again, the feeling of sun on skin will feel nice, and talking to people will feel comfortable and warm. we continue to live for the days we feel a little closer to normal, and for the days we feel content and peaceful
beautifulFlower8404
October 29th, 2020 9:06pm
I also wake up sad sometimes. I think in some cases it can be depression, either from an imbalance of brain chemicals or situational, because of something going on in my life. It can be caused by a loss of some type or even a lack of light in the winter. Honestly the reasons can vary for everyone, since everyone is unique. Therapy can help and if you like you can even speak to a Therapist here on seven cups. I can say for myself personally Therapy has been very helpful along with making sure my Diet is healthy, getting enough exercise, talking to a friend or going out and doing something fun even if I dont really want to. These may or may not work for you, they are just what has helped me. You know yourself best, so I am happy to discuss ways and coping skills that may be more suitable for you.
Anonymous
December 27th, 2020 9:33am
It do happens with me sometimes. It sometimes happens when I had a bad dream but I can't really recall what exactly I saw in the dream. I sometimes realize some mistakes I did some time back and I do realize it in my sleep. Once I wake up I will be waking up with that guilt conscious this sort or spoils my day as we all want to wake up up fresh, happy and positive. Sometimes it happens when we are so tired and waking up itself takes a lot of effort from our side.
Anonymous
January 8th, 2021 2:17am
I wake up a feel sad sometimes after I wake up from a nightmare that feels so real that when I wake up I think I'm still there. Other times I feel like it's just happened and I've just gotten through it. But then, I remember that I'm here and alive today, and know that I am strong for surviving what happened to me. I know that I overcame what happened in my life and that I'm here today trying to improve every day to make myself a better and better person. I know that my trauma doesn't define me, so I feel better.
miraculousParadise25
January 24th, 2021 10:25am
Faith is being challenged. The question of everyday is how will I manage my issue. Sadness comes from not knowing the answer. Ask yourself, what is your faith in? God? Yourself? Friends,family? What brings you out of your sadness? Sadness is created in your mind and eats away at your spirit. Its like a leech. How do we get rid of leeches? We inspect our bodies and remove the thing that is clinging to us. This is his you deal with sadness. You need to identify what it is, and why it is there. Then remove it. Find something to do or someone to seek help from and use it as your ammunition to fight it. Eventually you will be stronger and realize you can use that experience to help the next person
Anonymous
March 4th, 2021 5:32am
Sadness is not a state of being but rather just a section on a spectrum of a wide range of emotions. There is no concrete way to know or understand why we wake up in certain areas of that emotional spectrum. Take a breath and take a moment to address your emotions and understand them. Remember that sadness is not a negative emotion. It is necessary to feel sadness in order to fully appreciate our happiness. Take a breath and get out of bed. Find something you can do right now whether that be make your bed or grab your morning cup of coffee. Reasses how you're feeling then. Are you still feeling the same way?
Anonymous
March 6th, 2021 12:29pm
First of all its completely ok to feel sad sometimes. All of us do that at least once in a while. Because we are humans we have good memory. It let's us think more and more about what already happened in our life and how it would impact our future. And in that process we end up feeling sad in the present. It's a vicious circle but one has got to understand that one's action today can not change the past, it can only help to create a better tomorrow. So it's ok to feel sad, think about it but ultimately one has to carry on with life ❤
Anonymous
March 21st, 2021 6:54pm
Sometimes we wake up feeling sad because of things we remembered or dreams we had while we slept. Those who struggle with depression sometimes wake up feeling sad when they fall into a funk. People who struggle with PTSD/Trauma can wake up feeling sad when they have been having flashbacks more. Those with anxiety can wake up feeling sad or hopeless when their fears become stronger. Please know that you have people that are here for you always when you are feeling down. You are loved and cared for. And it's ok to be sad sometimes, it's ok not to be ok sometimes. But don't forget to look for the good in life too. You can always pm me for support if you like. *offers hugs to anyone that wants them* Y'all're amazing. Love ya
PrincessJasmine26
March 25th, 2021 2:06pm
It's understandable to feel a range of emotions, when you first wake up! Maybe consider how you feel in the morning in regards to the rest of your day? Is there any sort of pattern it follows etc. Are you having any sort of bad dreams, nightmares etc which are affecting your mood? Low blood sugar is also a cause of alot of people waking up feeling distressed. Some people are more sensitive to low blood sugar that others and having a snack before bed could help. It's normal to have mood fluctuations and I wouldn't worry unless it's relentless and recurring repeatedly which could be a source of your body reacting to day-to-day stress or depression.
organticBlueberry5504
March 25th, 2021 8:56pm
i wake up feeling sad and anxious because i am on my phone late at night and early in the morning on social media. that has a big effect on my mental health and it sets the tone for my day. i have found that meditation and yoga helps a lot when it comes to anxiety and feeling sad. other times when i wake up feeling sad, i realize it is because i ruminate on conversations and other topics that subconsciously bother me from the day before. although i do not think that it would bother me, it affects my mood and thoughts, which make me feel anxious and sad in the morning.
Anonymous
April 30th, 2021 3:08pm
Hey! Sometimes I too wake up being sad and trust me that's normal to normal human being These things may happen because of daily stress or anxiety or maybe because of overthinking If you want to get up being happy follow these thing below 1) avoid phone or any other screen before 1 hour going to bed 2) release your whole day stress before going to sleep 3) manage everything that you feel must be managed for tomorrow 4) manage your today's work too 5) sit peacefully turn off the lights and think about what you have done wrong today and what have done right today Forgive yourself for whatever you have done wrong and be grateful of wht you have done right 6) release out your all day negativity and greif by tears Don't try hard if you can't release it out 7) avoid overthinking 8) be positive about tomorrow and sleep with a smile 9) wake with smile and hope 10) avoid screens when you wake up It may destroy your day 11) remember sometimes being sad is an human nature Thank you May this help you and have a nice day orr sleep☺