4 Signs That Your Depression Is Affecting Your Health

Good Mental health is essential for overall health and well-being. When you’re depressed, it can affect more than just your mental health.

Depression can lead to physical health issues ranging from insomnia to heart disease. Depression doesn’t just cause physical symptoms but can also increase your likelihood of developing a health condition or worsen one that you already have. And needless to say, some illnesses can also trigger depression, in turn. Continue reading to find out what physical health conditions are caused by depression.

1. Insomnia

Individuals with chronic depression suffer from insomnia and other sleep-related problems. Both these conditions go hand-in-hand. Insomnia is not only considered as an important symptom of depression but also as a useful warning sign. A worsening of insomnia might actually signal that you are suffering from depression. Although it is typically believed that people with depression might have trouble falling asleep, recent research emphasizes that treating sleep issues can help ease depression symptoms and also prevent relapses.

2. Heart diseases

Depression and heart diseases are related to each other. Individuals with depression find it hard to follow heart-healthy routines and might suffer from hormonal imbalances, which can put them at risk for heart diseases. Also, depressed individuals might have unusually sticky platelets (cells that are needed for blood clotting). This can lead to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and increase their risk for heart attack.

3.Diabetes

Individuals who are depressed might find it hard to follow a diet or exercise regularly. This itself can increase their risk of diabetes. Also, those who are already diagnosed with diabetes are twice as likely to face depression. Though the relationship between the two isn’t yet fully understood, it is known that one can make the other worse. Depressed individuals have a high amount of cortisol, which can elevate their blood sugar levels.

4.Substance abuse

Depressed people who might feel miserable are likely to seek drugs in order to alleviate their symptoms. Tobacco and alcohol are the most common and easily accessible ones that have been abused by individuals with chronic depression. Depression also increases the chance of relapse after treating addiction. Thus, it might be necessary to treat both depression and addiction to reduce the risk of relapses.