Hi lovey 💕 Night time can be reeeeeally tough, especially for those suffering with mental illness. The rational parts of our brain are less active at night, and our emotional areas are elevated. It’s easy for our negative thoughts to get carried away, and there can be little to no social interaction to interrupt those thoughts without taking the initiative ourselves. Feeling isolated and unhappy at night is actually a very common issue, but there are some things you can do to improve your mood.

Are you hungry? Are you lacking sleep, or feeling dehydrated? Remember that your health comes first. If you’ve taken care of your basic needs and still find it difficult to cope at night, the key is simply to keep yourself busy. You can never go wrong with an act of self care. It’s understandable if you’re having difficulty getting up or even moving, but try to concentrate on the end result of your efforts: you will feel better, the sun will rise and the night will end.

• Move around. Take a walk in the neighborhood, dance naked or in your underwear to silly music, stretch, do some wall push-ups, practice yoga, play with a pet.
  
• Find inspiration. Visit Pinterest, watch a happy documentary, read blogs on topics that you can relate to, read quotes on TinyBuddha, reflect on your personal growth and progress.
  
• Educate yourself. Watch some TedTalks videos, sign up for an online course that you can work on anytime, check out this article on 10 educational Youtube channels, research a random topic or person you’re interested in, explore LifeHack.
  
• Relax and pamper yourself. Take an epsom salt or bubble bath, give yourself a pedicure, moisturize your skin, try aromatherapy, give yourself a gentle massage, practice deep breathing, wear your comfiest sleepwear, indulge in a treat, play with your hairstyle, try a new makeup look.
  
• Take yourself on a date. Go to your favourite restaurant or coffee shop, attend a concert (check BandsInTown), go to the movies, check out a comedy club, go to a museum, explore the nightlife.
  
• Be productive and get creative. Get something done off of your to-do list, start a gratitude journal, create a vision board, go over your personal goals, create a new blog, tidy your room, earn some extra cash with apps and doing surveys.
  
• Visit another world for a while. Read a novel, meditate, write a short story for fun, daydream, flip through an art book, watch your favorite fantasy movie, look through old photos, watch the stars, check out magical places in the world that actually exist ( 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ).
  
• Reach out and connect with others. Call someone you love such as a good friend or relative, send positive messages (anonymous or not) on Tumblr, Skype with someone who’s far away, join an online forum, chat with someone new but stay safe!
  

Extra Reads:
→ 5 things to remember when you’re sad at 3am
→ self soothing techniques for the senses
→ 26 self care activities
→ 26 more self care activities

Hang in there, darling. You’re going to get through this. 💝✨