A study from the University of California, San Francisco, published in Scientific Reports, aimed to demonstrate the relationship between body temperature and suffering from depression. The study included a sample of 20,880 people who were analyzed over 7 months and confirmed that there is a relationship between having depression and exhibiting higher body temperature levels. Although the study has a good and varied sample, with participants from 106 countries, the results require further investigation to be entirely conclusive. It can be stated that a connection exists, but more research is necessary. According to psychiatrist Ashley Mason from the University of California, this is one of the largest and geographically broadest studies, but more data is still needed. Theories about this relationship have already been put on the table.
Some researchers believe it has to do with the fact that depression is related to metabolic processes that generate extra heat. Others believe it is due to biological cooling functions that are not working properly. But the one that connects them all is the one that argues that mental stress or inflammation experienced can increase body temperature and depressive symptoms separately. This may make some sense when considering previous studies that have shown that both hot tubs and saunas have positive effects on depressive symptoms, reducing them. We will have to wait for these studies to be a bit more precise in order to draw clearer and more conclusive conclusions.
Depression
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is a common mental disorder characterized by a depressed mood or the persistent loss of pleasure or interest in usual activities. This condition is distinct from transient mood changes and manifests through symptoms such as sadness, lack of energy, changes in appetite or sleep, difficulties concentrating, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and in severe cases, suicidal thoughts. Some of the symptoms that may be experienced with this disorder, as noted by the WHO, are:
- Persistent sadness or discouragement.
- Loss of interest or enjoyment in activities that were once pleasurable.
- Feeling of fatigue or lack of energy.
- Changes in appetite and/or weight.
- Sleep disorders (insomnia or sleeping too much).
- Difficulty concentrating, making decisions, or remembering things.
- Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or hopelessness.
- Restlessness, anxiety, or irritability.
- In severe cases, thoughts of death or suicide.
What is the relationship between depression and body temperature?
A team of researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), has conducted a study to establish the relationship between depression and body temperature. They had a sample of 20,880 people from 106 different countries, which were analyzed over 7 months. Despite the geographical variety and the size of the sample, the results are not definitive enough to demonstrate that high temperature is what is causing depression.
However, it is undeniable that there is a relationship between the two, and that is what remains to be investigated. According to UCSF psychiatrist Ashley Mason, “As far as we know, this is the largest study to date to examine the association between body temperature – assessed using self-report methods and wearable sensors – and depressive symptoms in a geographically broad sample”.
Different theories
Although it has not yet been possible to determine exactly the relationship between body temperature and depression, experts are already evaluating several theories. Some believe it may be related to the extra value generated by metabolic processes, while others think it may be due to a malfunction of the body’s cooling biological functions. However, there is one that represents a shared cause: mental stress and/or inflammation could affect body temperature and the symptoms of depression separately.
These theories may make sense considering the studies that have demonstrated the benefits that hot tubs and saunas offer for the symptoms of depression. We will have to wait for these studies and others related to mental health to be further explored in order to reach more accurate conclusions. However, Mason is pleased and declares, “Given the rising rates of depression in the United States, we are excited about the possibilities of a new avenue for treatment”