The psychologist talked about the relationship between fatigue and depression

The feeling of constant fatigue is one of the most common manifestations of depression, which is associated with profound disorders in the nervous and hormonal systems of the body. Daria Yausheva, a psychologist at the Sberbank Health medical company, told Izvestia on September 5.

"Against the background of depressive disorders, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system, responsible for regulating stress and energy, is disrupted. This leads to an imbalance of cortisol, the stress hormone, as well as a change in the biological rhythms of the body, as a result of which even a full sleep does not give a feeling of recovery," she explained.

An additional factor is a decrease in the levels of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, neurotransmitters responsible for mood, motivation and a sense of cheerfulness.

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The expert listed the main symptoms of depression that should be considered in addition to fatigue. These include a depressed mood, a feeling of sadness and emptiness, which patients often describe as a "hole inside", loss of interest in familiar activities, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, and anhedonia — loss of the ability to have fun.

There may also be changes in sleep and appetite, difficulties with concentration and memory. In severe cases, depression can be accompanied by thoughts about the meaninglessness of life and psychotic manifestations.

Yausheva emphasized the importance of differential diagnosis between normal fatigue and fatigue caused by depression. The key difference is that depression fatigue does not go away after a good night's sleep, rest, or activity change and persists for more than two weeks. Additionally, the condition can be aggravated by somatic symptoms: headaches, a feeling of heaviness and soreness in the body, which also increase the feeling of exhaustion.

Expert Maria Molostvova spoke on July 21 about the impact of sleep quality on brain health. She noted that chronic sleep disorders can cause serious harm to brain function, including an increased risk of cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases.

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