Foods That May Make Anxiety and Depression Worse—And What to Try Instead

Introduction: When What You Eat Works Against Your Mood

When patients tell us they feel anxious, low-energy, or emotionally overwhelmed, our first priority is to understand the full picture. At BreatheWorks, we often see that mood, diet, and airway health are deeply intertwined.

Many of our patients are already working with a speech-language pathologist to improve breathing, swallowing, or communication—but they still struggle with underlying symptoms of anxiety and depression. What they may not realize is that certain foods are inflammatory, overstimulating, or disruptive to the nervous system, especially for those with underlying airway, GI, or neurological issues.

Foods That May Worsen Anxiety and Depression

1. Refined Sugars

Spikes blood sugar and crashes energy, leading to emotional volatility, poor focus, and worsened ADHD symptoms. Sugar is also pro-inflammatory, aggravating pain and TMJ headaches.

2. Processed and Fried Foods

Often high in trans fats and additives that impact gut health and brain function. These foods can disrupt hormone regulation and neurotransmitter production, which are key to stable mood.

3. Caffeine (especially in energy drinks)

Caffeine overstimulates the nervous system and can worsen sleep disturbances and daytime anxiety, especially in teens and adults with underlying airway dysfunction or mouth breathing habits.

4. Alcohol

While it may temporarily numb symptoms, alcohol impairs sleep architecture, increases anxiety after withdrawal, and contributes to acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

5. Dairy (for sensitive individuals)

Can worsen congestion, postnasal drip, or airway inflammation, which may contribute to mouth breathing, fatigue, and low oxygen saturation during sleep.

6. Artificial Additives and Dyes

Linked to attention and mood issues, especially in children. These can intensify ADHD symptoms, dysregulation, or emotional reactivity in sensitive individuals.

Airway and Emotional Health: What’s the Connection?

Mood and breathing are deeply connected. Poor nasal airflow, bruxism (teeth grinding), and low tongue posture can contribute to sleep apnea, TMJ pain, and fatigue. These in turn can worsen symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Patients with underlying airway disorders often have more extreme responses to food-based triggers because they are already in a heightened stress state. That’s why at BreatheWorks, we often combine speech and language pathology with myofunctional therapy and lifestyle support to stabilize the nervous system.

Better Choices to Calm the Mind and Body

Rather than focusing on restriction, we help patients replace problem foods with nourishing alternatives that support emotional stability and airway function:

• Instead of energy drinks, try water with citrus and magnesium-rich seeds like pumpkin or chia.

• Replace fried snacks with roasted sweet potatoes or nuts rich in calming fats.

• Use berries and dark chocolate in place of high-sugar desserts for brain-boosting antioxidants.

• Add fermented foods like kefir or sauerkraut to support gut and mood health.

Even modest changes in eating patterns can lead to more consistent energy, fewer TMJ symptoms, and improved progress in speech therapy Portland or airway-focused care.

When to Seek a Food-Mood Connection in Therapy

Ask your speech-language pathologist near you if mood or diet might be affecting your therapy if you experience:

• Regression in speech or swallowing progress

• Increased jaw pain, clenching, or headaches

• Worsening emotional reactivity

• Trouble sleeping or poor focus during the day

• Symptoms of GERD, airway congestion, or chronic mouth breathing

Final Thoughts: Food, Function, and Feeling Better

At BreatheWorks, we believe that you can’t treat speech, sleep, or swallowing in isolation. They are part of a larger system. By helping our patients better understand which foods fuel their nervous system and which ones inflame it, we can offer more complete care.

If you're searching for holistic support from speech-language pathologists near me, and feel like your diet may be affecting your therapy progress, reach out. We’re here to help you breathe, sleep, eat, talk, and feel better.

Sources:

• Journal of Nutritional Neuroscience: Diet, Anxiety, and Depression

• NIH: Gut Microbiota and Mental Health

• org: Role of SLPs in Interdisciplinary Emotional Support

• com: Nutrition-Informed Care and Whole-Patient Therapy Model