Anxiety & Stress in Immigrants: It’s Not Just You

If you’ve moved to a new country and lately feel constantly anxious, exhausted, irritable, or simply ‘not yourself,’ I want you to know something important:

You’re not failing. Your nervous system is trying to protect you.

Moving to another country isn’t just changing your address. It’s leaving behind familiar places, people, routines, language, and often a part of your identity. Every day can become a series of new challenges—work, healthcare, paperwork, finances, language, and building a life from scratch.

Most people underestimate how much energy that takes. Your brain doesn’t.

Your body thinks you’re living through an emergency

When life feels uncertain for weeks, months, or even years, your brain activates its stress response. It releases cortisol—the hormone that helps us survive dangerous situations.

In the short term, cortisol is helpful: it keeps you alert, focused, and ready to solve problems. The problem is that immigration stress rarely lasts for just a few days.

When stress continues for months or years, your nervous system may never fully receive the message that it’s finally safe to relax.

Over time, constantly elevated cortisol can affect nearly every system in the body. Sleep becomes lighter. Digestion changes. Blood pressure may rise. The immune system becomes less efficient. Concentration becomes harder, and many people describe feeling like their brain is constantly ‘on.’

Many immigrants tell me they honestly can’t remember the last time they truly relaxed.

Anxiety among immigrants is more common than most people realize

Research consistently shows that immigrants, refugees, and displaced populations experience higher rates of anxiety and depression than the general population.

Women appear to be particularly vulnerable—often building a new life while raising children, supporting family, working, managing households, and worrying about loved ones far away.

If you’ve been telling yourself ‘I should be stronger,’ please pause. Anxiety isn’t a sign of weakness.

It’s a medical condition influenced by biology, chronic stress, and life experiences.

Your bedtime matters more than you think

One of the first questions I ask patients struggling with anxiety is surprisingly simple: What time do you usually go to sleep?

Many answer: ‘Around one… sometimes two in the morning.’

We often assume that if we sleep eight hours, the timing doesn’t matter. Research suggests otherwise.

Large population studies (nearly 75,000 adults) found that people who regularly fall asleep after 1:00 a.m. report anxiety and depressive symptoms more often—even among people who consider themselves ‘night owls.’

This may relate to reduced morning sunlight, circadian rhythm disruption, and bright screens late at night—factors that influence melatonin, serotonin, and other brain chemicals involved in mood regulation.

Staying up late doesn’t automatically cause depression. But if your body is already under chronic stress, consistently going to sleep very late can make recovery harder.

Nutrition plays a bigger role than many people think

Mental health isn’t determined only by thoughts and emotions. Your brain is an organ, and like every organ, it depends on proper nutrition to function well.

Producing neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and GABA requires vitamins and minerals that many people don’t realize they may be lacking.

Magnesium

Magnesium participates in hundreds of biochemical reactions and plays an essential role in regulating the nervous system. Low magnesium has been associated with increased stress sensitivity, muscle tension, poorer sleep, and symptoms of anxiety in some individuals.

B vitamins

B vitamins—especially B6, B12, and folate—support healthy brain function and neurotransmitter production.

Correcting deficiencies won’t eliminate every case of anxiety, but it may remove an important obstacle preventing your brain from functioning at its best.

Sometimes the first step isn’t adding another medication—it’s identifying what your body has been missing.

Vitamin D and magnesium: a team worth talking about

Vitamin D receptors are found throughout the brain, and low vitamin D levels have been associated with mood disorders in many observational studies.

Magnesium also matters because it helps activate vitamin D in the body. Without adequate magnesium, vitamin D may not function as effectively.

Emerging clinical research suggests that correcting deficiencies in both vitamin D and magnesium may help improve depressive symptoms and support healthy brain function—especially when levels are low.

This doesn’t mean supplements replace therapy or prescription medication. It’s a reminder that mental and physical health are closely connected.

What about ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb studied for chronic stress. Several clinical trials suggest it may reduce perceived stress and lower cortisol in some adults.

Like any supplement, it isn’t appropriate for everyone. If you’re pregnant, have thyroid disease, autoimmune disorders, or take certain medications, discuss it with your healthcare provider first.

!!!! Who should use caution with ashwagandha?

People with hyperthyroidism or those taking thyroid medication• People with autoimmune diseases• Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals

Ashwagandha may affect thyroid hormone levels and immune function. Always discuss it with your healthcare provider before starting it.

Healing is rarely about one thing

One of the biggest misconceptions about anxiety is that there should be one perfect solution. Recovery usually happens when several pieces come together:

Better sleep. Nutritious food. Correcting vitamin deficiencies. Healthier stress management. Psychotherapy. Sometimes medication.

For most people, lasting improvement comes from combining approaches rather than relying on only one.

Seeking help is never a sign of weakness. It’s simply healthcare.

You deserve to feel understood

One of the hardest parts of being an immigrant is trying to explain your feelings in a language that isn’t your own.

Many people avoid seeking help because they’re afraid they won’t find the right words—or worry no one will truly understand their culture or experiences.

You deserve healthcare where you feel heard, understood, and respected. You don’t have to carry all of this by yourself.

What if lifestyle changes aren’t enough?

For some people, improving sleep, correcting deficiencies, exercising regularly, and reducing chronic stress can make a remarkable difference.

For others, anxiety persists despite doing everything right—and that’s okay.

Anxiety disorders are real medical conditions involving complex interactions between brain chemistry, genetics, and the nervous system.

Sometimes lifestyle changes are enough. Sometimes therapy is needed. And sometimes medication becomes an important part of recovery.

In the next article in this series, we’ll discuss medications commonly used to treat anxiety and depression (SSRIs, SNRIs, and other options): how they work, when they’re appropriate, how long they take, common side effects, whether they cause dependence, and what to realistically expect.

Knowledge replaces fear—and when it comes to mental health, that’s often the first step toward healing.

Disclaimer

This article is intended for educational purposes only and should not replace personalized medical advice. Anxiety and depression deserve proper evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional. Supplements such as magnesium, vitamin D, B vitamins, and ashwagandha may support overall health in some individuals but should not replace evidence-based treatment for moderate or severe mental health conditions.

Stay healthy! 💙

With care, your DobroMed Online team.

The best health decisions start with trustworthy information.