Why getting dressed in the morning helps my depression

I’m lying in bed in my pajamas, day-old makeup under my eyes. I’ve got smudged glasses on instead of the contacts I normally wear. My hair is unwashed and unbrushed. It’s 5 p.m., and I’ve worked an entire day looking like this.

There is nothing to eat in the house. I’m running dangerously low on shampoo. Yet I can’t make myself get out of bed, much less go to the store and pick up groceries and the essentials. I convince myself I don’t really need these basic human necessities and go back to bed where I don’t have to face the rest of the world.

This is the day I realized I had depression. I’ve known I have anxiety for awhile now; it’s always been there with me as I continually try to do it all and push myself beyond my limits. But depression was a new beast for me. I didn’t want to admit I had it nor did I know how to deal with it.

For me personally, anxiety is easier to deal with because it hits me in short spurts. I have a panic attack as the result of a specific situation and then once that situation is over, the anxiety eventually subsides. (This is for me personally; I know anxiety affects people differently). I can pinpoint the specific cause of my anxiety, and it’s usually short-lived.

But with my depression, I couldn’t understand it. There was no specific cause. I just couldn’t get out of bed that day. I couldn’t do the things I loved, and there was no explaining why. I felt hopeless and helpless. I didn’t know what was causing it, but I knew I didn’t want to feel that way anymore. So that’s why I decided to pursue counseling again.

I had been to counseling last fall for my anxiety, which helped me a lot, so I knew talking to someone could only benefit me. We talked about how I wanted to be able to get out of the house more and what kinds of things could help with that. For example, I could make plans with my friends and family, so I had a reason to get out of bed. I could treat myself to something I enjoyed, such as shopping or taking the dog for a hike. But the most meaningful and impactful change I’ve made to combat my depression is getting dressed in the morning.

Now this solution seems overly simplistic, yet it has changed my life. I have worked from home for the past two years, so I have developed a terrible habit of rolling out of bed and immediately starting work. Leftover makeup still on my face, pajamas still on, my hair unbrushed. What would happen was I would work a full day looking like this and once work was over, if I wanted to go anywhere, it would be a whole process in order to do so.

I would need to shower. I would need to take off my makeup. I would need to put in my contacts. I would need to brush my hair. I would need to get dressed. All so I could leave the house. The list became so long, it was easier to just stay home, so that’s what I would do. But once I decided to make a habit of getting dressed in the morning, it became much easier to leave the house. I was already ready for the day, so all I had to do was put on some shoes and walk out the door.

While the solution seems so simple, it took me two years to figure out and implement. Since I started getting dressed in the morning, I can say with confidence that it has made a huge difference in my life. I have been so much more likely to leave the house. Even when I don’t end up leaving the house that evening, I’m so much more productive and happy with myself. I can enjoy a night in watching The Bachelorette with a glass of wine, rather than feeling like I’m a prisoner in my own home.

This does take some time to get used to, as it does take more time in the morning than just rolling out of bed and starting work. But it becomes easier if you use some of your evening time the night before to prepare. For example, I shower the night before, and I try to set out my outfit for the next day as well. And even though I rarely put makeup on, just having my contacts in, my hair brushed, my signature flower in my hair and actually getting dressed makes all the difference in the world for me.

Now I’m not saying this is going to magically cure your depression. Perhaps you already get dressed in the morning because you have to be in an office. But especially if you work from home or find yourself stuck in bed in the evenings or on the weekends, I highly encourage getting dressed in the morning.

It’s been a few weeks now that I’ve implemented this new “getting dressed in the morning” thing, and I have to say, I’m truly more productive and much happier overall. I don’t plan on going back to my pajamas anytime soon. Every morning, I wake up, get dressed and actually look presentable to the outside world. So if you want to schedule a video call with me, bring it on. I’m ready.