When I’ve been depressed and I (being a person who is constantly mixed-state bipolar) am depressed a fair deal, I sometimes find myself sleeping more. It’s never really because I’m tired, at least in the physical sense. It’s more, in all honesty, a way to escape. It seems like artist JTE has dealt with similar scenarios. His song “Melatonin,” named after the hormone essentially in charge of sleep, finds the rapper discussing his life and how, well, he wants to sleep it away.

In his pitch, he said that “the closest thing to not being aware of your surroundings, completely and peacefully, is sleep. The song is pretty drowsy (in a good way) in that it makes you feel like saying “screw it, I’m going back to bed today.” It’s also an effective examination of, as JTE mentioned, “how it feels to be sick of everyday life and [of] yourself.” It’s not a good feeling, but it’s a feeling many of us have felt at least once in our lives. It’s part of dealing with negativity, trauma and so on. Sometimes, and this is perfectly fine, you just need to take that rest and say “screw everything else.” Sometimes, though, you may overdo it and end up having your life pass you by because you can’t get out the bed. I get it, truly I do. But you’ve got to try to reach out to someone, talk out your concerns, and keep it moving. You’ve got to keep it moving (not necessarily because you, at that time, want to but because you at that time need to).

This song appears on his Take My Hand EP, which is a combination of mental health awareness music and just musings from a young man still trying to find a place in the world. If you’re intrigued, you should definitely check out the project below (“Melatonin” is track two) and support dope music in all of its forms. Also, be sure to check in on your friends and family. We may say we’re okay…but we’re not (always) okay.