Why Does Depression Make You So Tired?

It’s no surprise that those suffering from mental illness feel more tired than most, but why is that? To many, the idea that depression can cause fatigue is difficult to understand.

That’s why Twitter user PJ Palits, an art director and mental health advocate, decided to explain why mental illness, like depression, can make people so tired.

“Allow me to explain Why Mental Illnesses Can Make People So Tired,” the Twitter user began. “Chances are, if you know someone with a mental disorder or disability, you might have asked them or thought, ‘Why are you tired?’”

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Allow me to explain Why Mental Illnesses Can Make People So Tired.

Chances are, if you know someone with a mental disorder or disability, you might have asked them or thought, “Why are you tired?” pic.twitter.com/1U9vFJfC4M

— ??????™ (@PJ_Palits) January 20, 2018

“Not many people ask me if I’m OK, but when they do my answer is always the same “I’m fine, just tired” — and people seem to accept that reply,” Palits added. “For me, “I’m tired” is not a complaint or pessimistic. It’s merely a fact of life.”

Not many people ask me if I’m OK, but when they do my answer is always the same “I’m fine, just tired” — and people seem to accept that reply.
For me, “I’m tired” is not a complaint or pessimistic. It’s merely a fact of life.

— ??????™ (@PJ_Palits) January 20, 2018

Above all else, somebody battling depression is constantly stuck in overdrive trying to focus on everyday tasks, which can quickly lead to other problems, like insomnia.

“Allow me to explain why a person who is constantly battling their own brain and societal expectations may feel so drained,” Palits wrote. “These are ppl whose brains are stuck in overdrive and have a great amount of difficulty unwinding to fall asleep at night.”

Because it’s so difficult for somebody with depression to unwind and relax, their sleep schedules typically differentiate from those who don’t suffer from mental illness.

“For the ‘average’ person, it takes seven minutes to fall asleep. Imagine crawling into bed exhausted and it takes the average of an hour to fall asleep, instead of seven minutes. Every nap and bathroom break and the brain relaxation delay begins again,” Paltis wrote.

For the “average” person, it takes seven minutes to fall asleep.
Imagine crawling into bed exhausted and it takes the average of an hour to fall asleep, instead of seven minutes. Every nap and bathroom break and the brain relaxation delay begins again.

— ??????™ (@PJ_Palits) January 20, 2018

“These are people whose sleep is frequently disturbed and who spend their nights tossing and turning instead of resting. Sometimes they’re awoken by noises, pain, an inability to keep body parts still, by loud noises inside of their heads, vivid dreams and many other reasons,” they added.

These are people who wake up feeling, at best, slightly more rested than they were when they crawled into bed in the first place — like a battery that has been damaged that never seems to recharge properly.

These are people who for decades don’t feel rested after their slumber.

— ??????™ (@PJ_Palits) January 20, 2018

Palits then goes on to explain how sleeping with depression is almost like trying to charge a damaged battery.

“These are people who wake up feeling, at best, slightly more rested than they were when they crawled into bed in the first place — like a battery that has been damaged that never seems to recharge properly,” the mental health advocate wrote. “These are people who for decades don’t feel rested after their slumber.”

These are people who expel a large amount of energy trying to understand body language and emotions. It would be like showing you a picture of my cat and expecting you to identify what he’s feeling based on his facial expression and pose within minutes, multiple times a day

— ??????™ (@PJ_Palits) January 20, 2018

“These are people who put an immense amount of effort into focusing on the task they’re supposed to do or perform, while their minds are trying to carry them down other paths or while they are struggling to remember just what those tasks are,” they added.

So, the next time somebody with depression tells you they feel tired, Palits is urging you to look beyond their answer.

When someone tells you they’re tired, sometimes you need to look beyond their answer. Are they tired? Are they physically tired and need some sleep? Or do they in fact need you.

— ??????™ (@PJ_Palits) January 20, 2018

“When someone tells you they’re tired, sometimes you need to look beyond their answer. Are they tired? Are they physically tired and need some sleep? Or do they in fact need you,” they said. “Do they need somebody to look them in the eyes and tell them they’re not fine but that you’re there for them? Do they need someone to realize they’re not OK and to offer them a hug? Because I know when I say I’m tired, that’s what I need.”

“So please, the next time someone with an invisible disability says that they’re tired, please don’t treat them as if they’re lazy or irrational,” Palits added.

So please, the next time someone with an invisible disability says that they’re tired, please don’t treat them as if they’re lazy or irrational.

— ??????™ (@PJ_Palits) January 20, 2018