Do you ever have “good hours” instead of good days?

[Guest_10343]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been thinking about something recently and wondered if anyone else experiences this.

People often talk about having good days or bad days when dealing with depression, but lately I’ve noticed mine feels more like good hours and bad hours instead.

For example, I might wake up feeling really heavy and unmotivated, then sometime in the afternoon there’s a short window where I feel a bit lighter and more like myself. I might get a few small things done, or just feel a bit more present. But then later in the evening the low feeling can come back again.

It sometimes makes it hard to understand my own mood because it changes within the same day.

I’ve started trying to use those “lighter hours” for small things like going for a short walk, tidying something small, or just stepping outside for a bit of fresh air.

I was curious if anyone else experiences something similar.

Do your moods shift throughout the day like that?

If you do get those small windows where things feel a bit lighter, what do you usually do with them?

Really appreciate having a place like this where people can talk openly.

Take care everyone.

[therising]

An incredibly warm welcome to you as you wonder about how and why you naturally tick the way you do throughout the day. 

I can relate to what you're saying about hours instead of days. While some triggers for upshifts and downshifts can be obvious, others definitely aren't all that obvious. For example, an upshift can sometimes obviously be felt and associated with the start of playing certain music at a particular volume or associated with something someone says to us that can be felt as thoroughly inspiring. What's less than obvious can involve chemical shifts within us, for one reason or another. A downshift can be obviously be felt at times when someone says something depressing to us or when our inner critic is chatting away up there in our head while getting the better of us. What's less than obvious can involve the chemical shifts within us that lead us to feel a sudden low. The ups and downs involved in all the chemical processes happening within us every second of the day can determine how we're feeling life and our connection to it. Besides chemical shifts, there can be other less obvious reasons for the shifts, such as being able to tap into other people's feelings (feeling their stress, sadness, excitement etc).

The upshift periods definitely present as windows or doorways of opportunity that suddenly open up. Personally, I'm a gal who runs for that doorway while it's there because I know it won't always be open to me. I might use it to get a whole stack of things done around the house while I have the energy and mindset. More often than not, if I've been facing a major downshift, I'll use the opportunity to make greater sense of what the downshift's really about (aka 'What the hell is that about?'). It's a window or doorway for greater clarity and, as I say, it won't always be open. I might also use that opportunity for some research. I find a lighthearted and exciting sense of wonder tends to come with an upshift. With this opportunity, I might wonder about a whole stack of stuff. I might wonder about and research how I physically work, how I mentally work or how I naturally work in some soulful sense. It's an opportunity for a greater level of self understanding. 

[Psychdiaries2]

Hi there,

A friendly welcome to the forums to you, thank you for being here!

I think you have perfectly articulated that feeling of having good hours and bad hours. I relate to that. Sometimes I wake up anxious and feel low, and then later on in the day I'll feel calmer and more like myself again. I think it happens a lot to us humans in that our emotions change constantly. 

When I get a small window where I feel lighter, I try to exercise as it always helps me to feel better and try to do be productive if I can. I enjoyed reading about what you like to do in your lighter window, I think it's such a good idea to go out and get some fresh air. 

Thanks for your post and take care as well 😊