Seasonal allergies are never fun. There’s the incessant coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, hives, nightly tossing and turning that comes with the personal hell of a stuffy nose. For the third of South Africans who experience those seasonal sniffles and beyond, many will also experience a less-talked about symptom, sometimes without even realising it stems from their allergies. That symptom: Mood changes.
Even though it’s not as talked about, allergic rhinitis – or seasonal allergies – is associated with a higher incidence of depression than is found in the general population, according to a review in Current Treatment Options in Allergy. Plus, several studies cited in another review found that people report worsened depression symptoms during high pollen count seasons.
Here’s why seasonal allergies can impact your mental health and the steps you can take to feel better.
Meet the experts: Tania Elliot, MD, is an immunologist and clinical instructor at NYU Langone. Meagan Shepherd, MD, is the founder of Shepherd Allergy. Priya Bansal, MD, is an allergist and a clinical assistant professor at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.
Why Allergies Can Affect Your Mood
When you have seasonal allergies, your immune system is responding to particles in the environment with an inflammatory reaction, says Tania Elliot. That’s what causes your stuffed-up nose, for example.
But allergies can set off a whole cascade of inflammation that isn’t just limited to your nasal passages. “There seems to be some sort of inflammatory signal that we’re releasing whenever we’re in this state of chronic inflammation that feeds back to the brain,” says Meagan Shepherd. A 2026 study in the British Journal of Hospital Medicineon 188 patients found that those with severe allergies not only reported worse depression symptoms than those with mild allergies, but also higher levels of inflammatory biomarkers.
While there’s a clear link between mental health and inflammation levels in the body, researchers still don’t know exactly how it works on a technical level. One 2009 study in Brain, Behavior and Immunitygives us an interesting clue: in the study, exposing mice and rats to pollen led to an increased expression of corticotropin-releasing factor hormones (a hormone associated with stress) and increased TH2 cytokines (which are associated with inflammation) in their brains.
Immune-Nervous System Crosstalk
These hormones and cytokines are what Dr Bansal calls “inflammatory mediators,” or little Paul Revere messengers in your body that signal an attack on your immune system. Think of it like this: when your immune system gets overloaded with allergens, it communicates that stress to your nervous system. This “crosstalk” between your immune and nervous systems can cause emotions like anxiety to pulse through your body.
Sleep Disruption And Mental Well-being
In addition to the body’s inflammatory response, there’s another large factor at play: How much sleep you’re getting. Sleep is a major player when it comes to mood and mental health, and a lack of it can lead to increased anxiety and depression, per a review in Cureus.
And allergies can really disrupt your sleep. According to a review in Nature and Science of Sleep, the worse your allergy symptoms are, the more likely you are to experience sleep disturbances and disorders like insomnia. It makes sense; if your allergies are making you feel uncomfortable and sick, it can be harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Plus, mouth breathing – which often happens when nasal passageways are blocked because of allergies – can cause degraded sleep quality, says Dr Elliot. It’s an infuriating domino effect. Your allergies make it harder to sleep, and that lack of sleep makes you feel more depressed and anxious the next day.
Social Isolation And Chronic Symptom Fatigue
That inflammation, plus lack of sleep, plus just feeling gross is definitely enough to make you feel absolutely miserable. Allergies can also feel downright embarrassing; having to wipe your nose every three seconds during allergy season is not glamorous at all. Dr Bansal finds that some of her patients avoid social events and even leaving the house during the worst weeks of allergy season. This social isolation, she says, can also definitely contribute to worsening mental health.
“When you have a cold, you’re congested, you have brain fog, you don’t feel good. But [for] somebody with allergies, that’s not just a few days of the cold; this is lasting, and it could be months or even year-round for that particular patient,” says Dr Bansal. It makes complete sense why you’d feel frustrated, irritable and depressed about allergies.
READ MORE: 17 Foods That Fight Spring Allergies
What To Do If Your Allergies Are Affecting Your Mood
1. Nail The Meds
When it comes to mood, the kind of allergy medication you take matters. Diphenhydramine (commonly known as Benadryl in the US) is one you’re going to want to avoid, says Dr Shepherd. It crosses the blood-brain barrier and causes people to experience drowsiness – but it’s also been linked to poor concentration, reduced memory, compromised academic performance and even dementia, per a review in World Allergy Organization Journal. You’ll also want to be careful with the prescription medication montelukast, more commonly known as Singulair. The medication bears a severe warning for mental health side effects and suicidality.
Instead, opt for second-generation antihistamines like Clarityne, Zyrtec and Telfast. Though some of the medications might still cause drowsiness as a side effect, it’s much less likely than with Benadryl, says Dr Shepherd. Talk to your doctor to figure out which one is right for you.
READ MORE: 7 Ways To Outsmart Spring Allergies
2. Focus On Sleep
Catching your Zzzs isn’t just important in protecting your mental health; it’s also key in giving your immune system the rest it needs to fight those pesky allergies in the first place. Consider implementing a nighttime routine for allergy relief, like a nasal sinus rinse and nasal dilator strips or cones, says Dr Shepherd. You can also try the tried-and-true trick of propping yourself up on your pillow.
Using a sleep tracker like an Oura Ring, Garmin CIRQA or Apple Watch isn’t a bad idea either. If your REM and deep sleep scores aren’t looking so hot, it’s a good sign that your allergies are a contributing factor, says Dr Elliot. Getting on a medication regimen that supports your sleep – whether it be switching your antihistamine, starting immunotherapy with your doctor, or utilising nightly sinus rinses – is likely to make a difference.
3. Adjust Your Time Outside
Spending time outdoors can be a double-edged sword when you’re dealing with allergies; it’s a well-researched way to boost your mood, but all that pollen floating around can make you feel ten times worse than before. Instead of avoiding the outdoors altogether, try to get outside during the afternoon and evening when the pollen count is lower, says Dr Shepherd.
The products you wear on your skin and hair, like moisturiser or hairspray, can act like flypaper for pollen. Make sure to let any products you put on your skin dry completely before going outside, says Dr Elliot. Also, change your clothes and shower when you get home to avoid bringing all that pollen inside.
READ MORE: Working Out With A Cold: When It’s Safe To Exercise While Sick And When To Avoid It, According To Doctors
4. Take Your Allergies Seriously
Because seasonal allergies aren’t often considered as severe as other immunological conditions, their effect on mental health can often fly under the radar. But experiencing headaches, sinus pressure, fatigue and feeling under the weather 24/7 is enough in and of itself to cause your mood to drop. “Allergies are not a nuisance, they’re a disease,” says Dr Elliot. Treating them as such is key in alleviating the physical and mental turmoil that comes around during pollen, grass and ragweed season.
Source: https://www.womenshealthsa.co.za/health/feed
