Mood Matters: Why Anxiety Could Shape Your Long-COVID Story

Your mental state could decide how long COVID lingers. It sounds unbelievable, but new research in older women suggests that a history of depression and anxiety raises the odds of long-lasting symptoms after infection.

The study found that women with both depression and long-term anxiety were 78% more likely to develop long COVID than those without such histories. Their infection rates were similar, but their journey afterward differed: fatigue, brain fog, body aches that wouldn't fade. Higher stress scores and constant worry turned a short illness into a marathon.

Paradox: The very minds that feel everything intensely may suffer the longest. But awareness gives power. Mental health care isn't just about feeling better now - it can protect your future physical health.

Ritual: Try a daily breathing practice: inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for six. It calms the nervous system, reduces stress and may support recovery.

Emotional Question: If your mood could influence your immune system, how would you treat yourself today?

Reference: University of California study on the link between depression, anxiety and long COVID risk in older women, January 2026.