Depression, anxiety may trigger more asthma flare-ups, study finds
A new UK study says adults dealing with ongoing depression or anxiety are more likely to have asthma attacks.
Other research suggests that depression and anxiety may also increase the risk of developing asthma in the first place.
Mental health and breathing issues seem to be more connected than we thought.
What did the researchers find?
By analyzing hundreds of thousands of primary care records, researchers found people with depression or anxiety had about a 46% higher risk of asthma flare-ups.
These mental health struggles can make asthma harder to manage.
Why does this happen?
The link isn't just in your head—stress hormones and inflammation from poor mental health can actually make airways more sensitive and swollen.
Plus, habits like poor sleep, less exercise, smoking, or irregular eating (all common with depression or anxiety) can make things worse.
What does this mean for you?
If you have both asthma and mental health challenges, it's extra important to look after both.
The study suggests that adding things like therapy, mindfulness practices, exercise, and better sleep into your routine could help keep those flare-ups under control.