Changing Weather Has an Impact on How We Feel
“It is the springtime of my loving
The second season I am to know
You are the sunlight in my growing
So little warmth I’ve felt before”
When Led Zeppelin sung these lines, it nicely summed up how different seasons make you feel different things. For eons we have associated spring with new beginnings, summer with happy days, rainy days with gloom and winters with feeling sluggish and low energy.
The physical environment we live in, the weather, the sun, the rain-all have an impact on how we feel. If the weather changes from sunny to cloudy overcast, it impacts our emotions and how we feel.
Weather plays a significant role in our lives and affects us in various ways. Many people experience changes in mood or behavior due to fluctuations in weather patterns. The connection between weather and the mood has been the subject of several scientific studies, and the results suggest that weather can have a significant impact on our emotional state
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a common condition that affects many people, particularly during the winter months. SAD is a type of depression that is triggered by changes in light and temperature during the winter months. There are physiological reasons that cause SAD. Alterations in the body’s circadian rhythm, which is an internal biological clock responsible for regulating various bodily functions such as sleep-wake cycles and hormone production cause SAD. A lack of sunlight exposure during the autumn and winter seasons can interfere with the circadian rhythm, causing individuals to experience symptoms of depression and fatigue.
Reduced exposure to sunlight can lead to decreased levels of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, appetite, and sleep.
According to Denissen et al. (2008), the daily impact of weather tends to have a greater effect on a person’s negative mood rather than their positive mood. This means that while the weather has no impact to make us feel better, it does have an impact on our negative mood.
While the exact mechanisms by which weather impacts our mood are not fully understood, it is clear that there is a strong link between the two. Being aware of the impact that weather can have on our emotional state is an important step in managing our mood and improving our overall well-being.
Some strategies to help with this are-
- Be out in the open more often. Make it a point to take a short walk when the weather is pleasant and sunny.
- Practice mindfulness and meditation on a daily basis. Even five minutes of mindfulness can go a long way.
- Light therapy is another mechanism that can help in dealing with SAD.
- The practice of Yoga is also an excellent way to keep your physical and mental health balanced.
- Keep a journal where you can record how you are feeling, add the weather of the particular day as well so that you can reflect on this later and understand the link between your emotions and the weather.
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