Why Depression Can Make It Harder to Maintain Personal Hygiene and 5 Hacks That Can Help

If you have major depressive disorder (aka major depression or clinical depression), sometimes even the smallest of hygiene tasks may feel insurmountable. Simply taking a shower or brushing your teeth can feel like they require a deep strength from within that you feel like you just don’t have.

One reason: “Those with depression feel a persistent low mood, fatigue, and lack of motivation to complete daily tasks,” Dr. Cook says. In Cook’s clinical experience, he’s found that low mood and fatigue can cause many people with depression to try to conserve their energy as much as possible to get through the day, and sometimes, hygiene tasks can require more energy than they have.

Find out what experts recommend to help you accomplish the tasks related to personal hygiene, even when you’re struggling with symptoms of depression.

“When [you have depression], lots of important things in life can fall by the wayside, personal hygiene being one,” says Faisal Tai, MD, a psychiatrist in private practice in Houston. “When depression has somebody feeling at their lowest point, the last thing on their mind can be marshaling the strength and focus to take a shower and brush their teeth.”

• Feelings of sadness and hopelessness
• Becoming easily irritated or frustrated
• Loss of interest or pleasure in things that were previously pleasurable, including hobbies and sex
• Sleep changes or disturbances
• Slowed thinking or movements
• Unexplained aches and pains
• Feelings of worthlessness

Although mustering up the motivation to brush your teeth, shower, and take care of your skin can be very challenging during a depressive episode, not caring for yourself can make you feel even worse.

“When someone is depressed and they then do not attend to their personal hygiene, it can create a vicious cycle,” says Dr. Tai.

Cook says that letting self-care go can trigger other mental health issues such as social isolation, anxiety, and substance use.

And not taking care of your hygiene can worsen not only your mental health but also your physical health. According to Tai, some potential consequences include:

• Food poisoning, gastroenteritis, cold, flu, or hepatitis if you eat without washing your hands
• Skin conditions and infections if you don’t take regular showers
• Tooth decay and gum disease if you don’t brush your teeth regularly, which can also raise your risk for respiratory, heart, and brain infections

Some other health conditions that can be linked to poor hygiene include:

• Ringworm
• Chronic diarrhea
• Athlete’s foot

If you have depression and you’re feeling overwhelmed with day-to-day personal hygiene, using these expert-recommended tips can help you get started today.

1. Stick to Your Depression Treatment

This one isn’t a hygiene hack per se, but for people with depression, treating the root cause of the problem will likely help you have more energy and motivation to care for your hygiene over time, Cook says.

2. Tackle Self-Care When You Have the Most Energy

Scheduling specific times of day to wash your face, brush your hair, or shower can be very helpful, says Tai. He suggests choosing a time of day when you feel like you have the most energy. You could also give yourself a reminder with an entry on your phone calendar to help you stick to that time, or set an alarm.

This will boost your odds of getting all these tasks done — and once you do, you’ll likely feel better physically, which in turn can help you feel better mentally, Tai says.

3. Simplify a Task so You Can Get It Done Quickly

Don’t let the idea that you need to spend hours completing hygiene tasks hold you back, Tai says. Look for ways to simplify them so you can get through your routine more quickly. This can help you to get everything completed before you run out of energy and motivation, says Tai.

A five-minute shower, one minute of brushing your teeth, or 30 seconds of brushing your hair, for instance, are totally acceptable on days when you’re struggling to get those tasks done at all, he says.

4. Use Shortcuts When Needed

Some days dry shampoo and gentle wet wipes may be your best friends. When it’s difficult to find the energy to shower because depressive symptoms get in the way, turn to shortcut products to get clean, says Tai.

If you’re too zapped of energy to shower, Tai suggests using dry shampoo to help soak up excess oil from your hair and scalp, or using gentle wet wipes on your face and body as quick ways to look and feel cleaner.

5. Fuel Up Beforehand

You likely know that anytime you exercise or do a physically demanding activity, it’s important to eat an energizing meal or snack beforehand and stay hydrated to get you through that endeavor.

The same idea can apply when you’re trying to muster the strength to care for yourself, says Tai. “If you have a meal and stay hydrated before taking on such a task, you will boost your chances of success,” he says.

• Symptoms of depression, like low mood and a lack of energy, can make it difficult to keep up with personal hygiene.
• Besides potentially worsening how you feel emotionally, not practicing adequate personal hygiene puts you at risk of a number of physical illnesses.
• Tactics like remaining committed to depression treatment, simplifying hygiene tasks, and taking shortcuts can help you stay on top of self-care even when you’re dealing with symptoms.