Depression may be making you hotter, literally, study finds

A study published in Scientific Reports has found that people with depression have higher body temperature.

The recognition of major depressive disorder has risen significantly over the years. People are not only recognizing the value of acknowledging their symptoms but also seeking necessary help.

Mental health issues are often considered to be difficulties of the mind. However, it was debunked many years ago that mental health issues can alter the brain and body chemistry.

Researchers from UC San Diego and UC San Francisco looked at data from participants and measured their body temperature. They predicted that individuals with depressive symptoms are likely to experience heightened body temperature.

They believe that their research contributes to furthering our understanding of depression.

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How does depression impact body temperature?

It's important to know how MDD affects your body. (Image via Freepik)

Much research has been done to understand the signs of major depressive disorder.

While studies have been conducted on the relationship between MDD and body temperatures, they have been done on a small scale. It means that the sample of people included in studies is small. The aforementioned study tried to take a step higher and included 20,000 international participants.

As it had a large number of participants, its findings became relatively more valid for the general population. The study measured body temperature through self-reported measures and body sensors. They particularly noted that as individuals went through their day, the body temperature was higher for those with MDD.

While it's unclear what leads to the changes in body temperature, the study plays an important role in understanding the physical symptoms of MDD. It appears that individuals with MDD may have difficulty regulating their body temperature and may also sweat less, suggesting that their cooling responses became less active.

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Is there a potential solution?

There may be solutions for depression that often go unnoticed. (Image via Unsplash/Kaylee Garrett)

Researchers suggest that it may be helpful to use artificial means to reduce depressive symptoms. Counterintuitively, they suggest increasing the body temperature even further to activate the cooling response.

They note that a reduction in symptoms of depression has been noticed when individuals engage in hot yoga, take hyperthermic baths and expose themselves to sauna lamps.

No study is without limitations, but the aforementioned study points at potentially less-discovered treatment methods for depression. By understanding alternative methods, we encourage more people to open up about their concerns.

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Studies like the one mentioned above enhance our understanding of a complex condition like MDD.

As much focus is given to psychological symptoms, we must also take care of physical symptoms. The body often expresses its distress in various forms, so it's important to pay attention to them.

While we have come a long way in our understanding and treatment of depression, researchers continue to find alternatives to anti-depressants.

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Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.

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