What is it about depression that makes people perpetually tired? Is it just a draining psychological experience?

Almost all the time the depression causes the disorder of sleeping. Sometimes you can sleep while in the depression but you can get up absolutely tired as if you did not sleep absolutely.

Depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain; so is insomnia in many cases. I'd be willing to venture that sleeping too much or being tired all the time can be linked to brain chemistry issues. I think there's just still a lot we don't know about the brain and how it functions...

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Jen
Your Source for Darkly Delighting Thoughts

In depression serotonin and two other acetcholines create an endorphin release. When that's out of whack the brain no longer gets trigger chemicals for the rest of the body. TSH levels drop, endorphins drop. So since the two often go hand in hand, lack of sleep does not creacharge teh brain and no chemicals are released and depression is a loop from insomnnia. both go hand in hand.
One thing that new research is finding is that diets low in green leafy veggies, B vitamins, A and D seem to have a connection to some insomnias and depressive illnessness.
They are beginning to classify one as a disease and another as an illness vitamin related. Which is great news. Not all depression has to be treated with antidepressives and not all insomnias have to be treated with sleep aids.

I agree that not all depression is something that needs to be treated. Chronic depression is something that can hit you without any reason, and that one needs help; but if there are reasons for grief, depression is a natural part of the grieving process.

Depression can be a quite serious one if left untouched. I guess there is a direct relationship between getting mentally tired and depression and it might even lead to sleepless nights.

Being depressed is physically draining. I believe that anyone with depression should get professional help.
It makes you tired because whatever you are depressed about is on your mind all the time, hence causing you to be totally exhausted.

I have bouts of depression which i find totally exhausting. My sleep is often very disturbed during these times, with bad dreams and constantly waking up.

Have you sought help for depression bubble or do you manage to handle it on your own?

I've had depression as well, but I refuse to go to the doctor and be put on meds. It will not change the facts that are causing the depression.

It's really a vicious cycle: depression triggers lack of sleep; lack of sleep causes tiredness; tiredness contributes to depression. Normaly a person seem to have the ability to stop this cycle. If that ability iis nonexistent for someone, then the depression can become severe and he needs professional help.