Could poor AQI be behind your mood swings? Shocking effects of air quality on mental health

Feeling down? Here’s how air pollution could be messing with your brain and poor AQI be causing stress and depression.

Air quality can have a significant impact on one’s overall health as well as daily life and experts reveal this can also include an individual’s emotional well-being and mood. Constantly inhaling the air that is polluted can increase your risk of contracting various infections and health complications like asthma, bronchitis, difficulty in breathing, skin allergies, nausea and fatigue.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Sonal Anand, Psychiatrist at Wockhardt Hospitals in Mumbai's Mira Road, shared, “Falling ill too often and frequent doctor visits can create feelings of irritation, frustration, anxiety, stress, and agitation. Over time, this can negatively affect one's mental health leading to depression, stress, and anxiety.”

She added, “This is why it has become a need of the hour to take proactive steps to improve the air quality index in India for better mental health and physical well-being. People should constantly take initiatives to improve the air quality index by avoiding smoking in public places and not using personal vehicles even for covering short distances. If you feel stressed or anxious due to pollution or poor AQI then consider consulting a therapist to seek professional help.”

Air quality also impacts mental health among kids.

Air pollution is our mega-crisis and several reports have indicated that the country’s future looks grim if serious measures are not taken to fix the problem. Revealing the links of air pollution with mental diseases, a report by Centre for Science and Environment in 2017 stated that air pollution is responsible for 30% of premature deaths in India while every third child in Delhi has impaired lungs.

• When the AQI is poor it can increase stress and anxiety levels in individuals. Living in a polluted area that frequently has poor AI can be stressful as they constantly keep worrying about their and their family members' overall health. Too much stress combined with fear of being ill can heighten one's anxiety.
• Depression can be a common mental health condition in people with low/ high AQI areas. There’s a significant link between increased cases of depression and air pollution. The pathogens, dirt, and dust particles in the air can influence the neurotransmitter system in the brain. Some studies have shown that poor air quality can lower Dopamine and Serotonin levels in the striatum .This can lead to mood swings and a deteriorated mental state.