If you’ve not noticed, this is a particularly bad year for allergies in Colorado.

If you’re struggling with a stuffy nose, fatigue, runny eyes, etc., it can be a factor in your mental health, especially if you’re already depressed or have a history of depression.

There are probably two factors:

  1. Lack of Sleep

    Depression almost always has a sleep issue as both a symptom and cause, usually insomnia. If your allergies are reducing the duration or quality of your sleep, it can affect your mood.

    The brain is very dependent on sleep for clear cognition; you get darker thoughts when you’re tired. Sleep is essential for emotional regulation.

  2. Less Activity

    If you’re feeling fatigued due to lack of sleep or medications you’re taking, your depression could increase if you’re opting out of activities.

    Recovering from depression should always incorporate more activity, not less, especially doing things that are meaningful, social, fun, or create a sense of accomplishment. If being tired is getting in the way, you’re going to you’re life is uninteresting, drab, and blah.

I always offer treatment for depression from a holistic angle. If you’re having allergies or other physical problems while experiencing depression, it’s always worth treating those problems in conjunction with therapy or medication. Contact me to learn more.

Here’s some more info:

Sad in the spring? Allergy-mood link is real