Living high in the mountains can make you feel depressed. Here’s why

What is the relationship between depression and altitude?

Tests showed that rapidly climbing to high altitudes can impact cognitive performance and mood, often leading to depression and anxiety. It also negatively affects sleep quality, overall health and overall happiness – this explains why suicidal thoughts is higher at high altitudes. The main cause was attributed to hypoxia. Women may be more susceptible to these effects due to hormonal interactions with serotonin.

What is hypoxia?

Hypoxia can affect many cognitive functions, including attention, learning, memory, processing speed, and executive functions, with similar effects observed in both acute and chronic hypoxia.

The degree of cognitive impairment is related to the duration and intensity of hypoxic conditions. Scientists suggest that chronic hypobaric hypoxia may negatively impact the brain, potentially altering its processing serotonina neurotransmitter crucial for mood regulation.

How strong is the connection between them?

Studies also found a strong link between increased suicide rates and gun ownership, however, the review found that the link between suicide and altitude is even stronger than the link between suicide and gun ownership. This explains how strong the connection between them is.

What makes the connection so strong?

Oxygen and serotonin

At high altitudes, oxygen levels drop, causing the release of more dopamine, a chemical associated with pleasure. However, it also leads to reduced levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter crucial to regulating mood, sleep and overall well-being. Low serotonin levels can make emotions more intense, which can lead to increased sadness, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts.

Effects on brain energy

Low oxygen levels (hypoxia) disrupt the brain’s energy systems, which are essential for proper cognitive function. This disruption can affect the way the brain processes information, leading to mental fatigue, confusion and depressive symptoms. Research suggests that people living at higher altitudes experience these changes in brain chemistry, which increases their susceptibility to depression.

Problems with sleep and cognitive functions

Not getting enough oxygen can impair your sleep quality, making it difficult to fall asleep and rest. It also affects cognitive abilities such as memory, attention and concentration. This combination poor sleep and cognitive decline can worsen feelings of anxiety and depression, creating a cycle of mental distress.

Short-term effects

People visiting high altitudes may experience a temporary improvement in mood (euphoria) due to an increase in dopamine levels. However, this mood boost is often short-lived and is followed by a drop in serotonin, leading to mood swings, irritability, and depressive feelings once the euphoria wears off.

Read also: Does high altitude cause dehydration? Expert answers

Does living at high altitudes also affect us physiologically?

Living at high altitude can have an impact physical conditions like:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

At high altitudes, lower oxygen levels can exacerbate respiratory diseases such as COPD, making breathing more difficult and increasing the risk of complications.

Various diseases of the circulatory system

Reduced oxygen availability can place additional strain on the heart and blood vessels. This can worsen conditions such as high blood pressure, heart failure and other cardiovascular problems because the body works harder to maintain oxygen levels in the blood.

Diabetes

People living at high altitudes may be at greater risk of developing or worsening diabetes because changes in metabolism caused by hypoxia can affect the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels.

Numerous neurodegenerative diseases

Long-term exposure to low oxygen levels can affect diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Hypoxia may contribute to brain inflammation, impair cognitive function, and accelerate the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.

Do you still dream of living in the mountains?

Living at high altitudes certainly sounds appealing, but the drop in oxygen levels will be messy for both your body and mind. It’s not just about the physical strain; Your mood, memory and mental clarity are also at risk. You’ll feel a euphoric high from the dopamine rush, but the depression, anxiety, and brain fog won’t last long. It’s a bit like climbing a mountain, you will feel the initial rush but the climb becomes difficult and the descent becomes very difficult!