Why do you get tired/ no energy when you’re depressed?

Question

Why do you get tired/ no energy when you’re depressed?

In: Biology

Answer 1

It’s a common belief that “depressed” means “really sad”. This is incorrect.

It’s “depression” as in “pushed down”, like how that little wooden stick that a doctor pushes your tongue down with is a “tongue depressor”. When you have depression, *everything* is “pushed down”.

Your energy? Pushed down. Ability to do even simple tasks? Pushed down. Emotions? Pushed down. Your brain’s “processing power”? Pushed down.

So “you get tired when you’re depressed” because tiredness is part of what depression *is*.