Chronic Inflammation and Mental Health: How Hidden Inflammation Affects Your Brain
When most people think of inflammation, they imagine a swollen ankle or a sore throat. That kind of short-term inflammation is the body’s way of healing. But when inflammation becomes chronic—running in the background like a fire that never entirely burns out—it can quietly damage the body and, surprisingly, the brain. Researchers now know that chronic inflammation affects not only the heart, blood vessels, or joints. It also disrupts brain function and contributes to depression, anxiety, burnout, brain fog, and even dementia.
This article explores the connection between hidden chronic inflammation and mental health, what science says about it, and what you can do to reduce it.
