Why Does The Morning Often Make You Happy, But Does The Night Trigger Anxiety?

JAKARTA - The feelings experienced by the body in the morning and at night turn out to have very significant differences. Many people feel that the morning is the happiest body time, while at night it is full of anxiety.

"My patients say that in the morning they often feel the best and at night, they struggle a lot with anxiety, difficulty sleeping," said psychologist Susan Albers, PsyD, quoted from Everyday Health, on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.

A study analyzing nearly 50 thousand adults in the UK also showed that participants looked better in the morning. Participants reported less depression and anxiety, and more happiness in the morning.

Susan Albers said happiness in the morning occurs due to the influence of the hormone cortisol. At that time, the hormone cortisol peaked and helped increase energy.

"Hormon cortisol peaks in the morning, which helps with vigilance and energy," he said.

Not only that, the sirkadian rhythm of a good sleep cycle also affects. If you get a good night's sleep, it can serve as a reset button for your body's emotional state and see the next day as a new beginning.

Ritme sirkadian from our sleep wake-up cycle can be a factor. Exposure to sunlight, especially in the morning, also makes us feel good," he explained.

Meanwhile, unstable anxiety or emotions are often felt at night because the body is tired of activities. This includes decisions made throughout the day that greatly affect the body's energy.

Towards night is when we are exhausted in the decision. The first thing in the morning, we haven't made many decisions, but by the end of the day, we have made hundreds of big and small choices. At that time, we really had mental and emotional fatigue," concluded Susan Albers.