Can depression make you sick?

Depression is a mood disorder that affects about 16 million adults in the United States. Depression is often associated with emotional symptoms like feeling worthless, guilty, hopeless, and sad, but it can also come with physical symptoms.

Among depression’s more physical symptoms are exhaustion, fatigue, disturbed sleep, headaches, stomach upset, and body pain. Research has shown a “gut-brain” connection, and this connection can be impacted by depression. Stomach upset is often associated with stress and anxiety but can occur in depression as well.

Sleep can become disrupted in depression. Some may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep when coping with depression. Disrupted sleep can cause feelings of exhaustion or low motivation that commonly occur with depression to worsen. When you’re tired, it’s hard to find the motivation to do things or the energy to do them.

Disrupted sleep can impact the immune system by interfering with the body’s ability to regenerate and produce certain chemicals involved in fighting infections. Depression is also linked with inflammation, just as stress is, and research indicates that inflammation plays a role in developing heart disease.

Weight issues are often a factor in depression. Depression often impacts appetite (that pesky gut-brain connection again!) and may result in either weight gain or weight loss for people with depression. Poor sleep quality and insomnia can also contribute to weight gain for people with depression. People with depression are at an increased risk of obesity as well.

Body pains like low backaches and muscle soreness often occur with depression, which is thought to result from the way the brain interprets pain signals in the body that may be impacted by depression. Exhaustion, poor sleep, and the lack of desire to be active can also contribute to muscle soreness.

Treating depression is an important first step in addressing the physical symptoms that come with it. Your doctor will want to rule out any underlying medical condition that may be causing depression or the accompanying physical symptoms. Treatment for depression often includes both therapy and medication, as well as certain lifestyle changes.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of depression that don’t resolve after a short time, or if you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts, contact your doctor or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.