People are asking the question of how exactly weather impacts our mood. For instance, how does hot weather affect our mood? Does it make us more aggressive or even more violent?
Does rain make us sad? How about cold temperatures… do they make us feel more like wanting to hunker down, hibernate, and isolate ourselves from others?
Let’s revisit how weather affects our mood and impacts our lives.
There’s no doubt that weather affects our mental health as anyone’s mood can be affected by the weather.
We all know about the risk that high temperatures can have on our physical health such as heat exhaustion, heat stroke and the like. You can take precautions to prevent this, such as not working outside during the hottest part of the day or increasing your water intake. However, have you ever considered the effects heat has on your mental health?
HEAT’S AFFECT ON YOUR BRAIN
Flaring tempers and cranky attitudes are a common side effect of a humid day. Studies have shown that hot weather can lead to increased instances of aggression or even violence. But why? It may be that the uncomfortable sensations of being hot sets you on edge, but it could also be that your brain is having a difficult time managing the heat.
Our brain and body are effective at cooling us down when things get hot outside. When things start heating up, it signals the body to start sweating. This releases internal heat out into the environment. The brain also increases our body’s blood flow to push out the heat. This is a dynamic combo aimed at cooling down the rest of our body until it reaches its optimal core temperature.
However, what happens if your body cannot maintain that core temperature? Maybe it is too humid out. Or maybe your clothes are causing you to overheat. Whatever the reason, when hot temperatures strike, it can prevent nerve fibres in the brain from properly transmitting those cool down messages. This is when people are at risk for heat exhaustion or even heat stroke. Eventually, these extreme temperatures affect the brain and can injure other vital organs. That is why people with heat stroke often experience symptoms like Throbbing headaches, Mental confusion, Dizziness or light-headedness, Loss of consciousness.
It is important for anyone experiencing these symptoms to get medical attention right away. In the meantime, if you think you may have heat stroke or heat exhaustion, get cool and stay hydrated, especially by drinking lots of water.
HEAT’S AFFECT ON MENTAL HEALTH
Hot and humid weather does more than affect your physical health. It can also seriously impact your mental well-being. As temperatures get higher, studies find it is harder for people to experience positive emotions like joy and happiness. Some of the reasons why mood is influenced by hot weather could be because of worsens daily stressors, increases risky behaviours, sleeping difficulties, and increase the risk of dehydration. When the weather is hot, it can also place some restrictions on daily life, as people stay cooped up indoors to escape the heat. This lack of control can cause increased irritation. It is also believed that those already struggling with mental health conditions or taking certain kinds of medication are more prone to heat-related mood problems on hot days.
Hot weather affects mental health by wearing down your body. However, sunlight can have some surprising effects on the body. Spending time out in the sun can make you feel tired, this could be a sign of dehydration or that your body is working overtime to control its temperature. Remember to avoid extended hours in the sun and drink plenty of water. Heat alone can have an effect on your body as well, extended periods in the heat can cause sleeplessness, tiredness, lack of appetite, and dehydration, all of which can lead to aggressive behaviours and anxiety. Warmer weather can also attribute to higher crime and suicide rates.
Warm weather and sunlight can also be dangerous for those using psychotropic medications (Heat Can Affect Psychiatric Patients). The combination of certain medications and sunlight can cause photosensitivity, an inflammation of the skin similar to sunburn. These medications also make people at higher risk of heat stroke and heat-related illnesses. To protect yourself, limit your time in direct sunlight, stay hydrated, and use sunscreen.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND EXTREME WEATHER EFFECTS ON MENTAL HEALTH
We have had some pretty devastating weather in the past few years, and many scientists agree that with the temperature of the earth warming, storms which will create extreme flooding are going to get worse. Those in high-risk flooding areas are more prone to experience mental and physical stress due to extreme flooding, and the aftermath of a storm can cause depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, substance abuse, violence, and suicide rates to rise. Rebuilding after a rainstorm can be exhausting, and the stress and sleeplessness could lead to the misuse of drugs and alcohol. This may be to lessen stress or help with sleep. Rainstorms also disrupt normal, everyday routines that can be crucial to stability.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of recurring depression in which the symptoms start and stop around the same time each year. Typically, they begin in Harmattan and decrease in raining season. But in about one out of 10 SAD sufferers, the pattern is reversed, with depression returning in the raining season. Common symptoms of reverse SAD include insomnia, irritability, restlessness, poor appetite, and weight loss. Unfortunately, the very fact that raining season is supposed to be a time of joy and renewal can highlight what’s missing for those who aren’t feeling that way. It’s the “I’m the only one not having fun on raining season” effect, and it’s bound to make someone who’s already down feel even worse.
If you’re in that group, there may be some comfort in knowing that you aren’t the only one. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help if you’re struggling. For some people, April showers bring not only May flowers, but also a trip to the therapists or a prescription for antidepressants.
HIGHER TEMPERATURES CAN BRING A DEPRESSED PERSON UP
Denissen et al. (2008) found that weather’s daily influence has more of an impact on a person’s negative mood, rather than helping one’s positive mood. Higher temperatures raise a person with a low mood up, while things like wind or not enough sun made a low person feel even lower. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a very real kind of depressive disorder (technically referred to as a depressive disorder with seasonal pattern) wherein a person’s major depressive episode is connected to a specific season.
HEAT AND EXTREME RAIN BRINGS OUT THE WORST IN PEOPLE
Hsiang et al. (2013) found a link between human aggression and higher temperatures. As temperatures rose, people tend to experience more aggressive behaviour. In addition, the more it rained (especially in areas where high rainfall is not expected), the more aggressive people seemed to get.
WHEN TO SEEK HELP
If you think you might at risk for depression, keep a journal of your feelings. Believe it or not, it’s easy to forget how you’re feeling day to day. Record things like mood, changes in appetite, sleep issues, concentration, and energy problems, and feelings like hopelessness and worthlessness. If you consistently feel this way for two weeks or more, see your doctor. It may be depression, but other medical issues (like a low thyroid, for example) can cause similar symptoms, and it’s best for your doctor to rule those out.
A lot of times people don’t really know what they’re experiencing is depression. You just might not feel well and not understand. Depression can manifest as physical symptoms, like headaches, or trouble sleeping. So be on the lookout for those as well.
Bottom line, If you think something may be wrong, seek help. People think that something had to have happened to have depression, or that you can will yourself out of it, but that’s not true. It’s a biological process and there shouldn’t be any stigma associated with taking care of yourself.
Take Care of Yourself and Each Other.
Sources
Denissen, J.J.A.; Butalid, Ligaya; Penke, Lars; van Aken, Marcel A. G. (2008). The effects of weather on daily mood: A multilevel approach. Emotion, 8, 662-667.
Hsiang, SM, et al., (2013). Quantifying the influence of climate on human conflict. Science.
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