How Weather Affects Your Mood. Whether you realize it or not, the weather probably affects your mood. The sleet soaks into your bones and sours your emotions. A dearth of sunshine leaves you listless. The ice and snow freeze your disposition. We all feel bad weather, although some may feel it more than others. But what is it about a soggy sky that draws out the doldrums? What are the psychological and physiological effects of bad weather and what can we do to clear them up?
Coping sans sunlight
Coping sans sunlight
December 21 is officially the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In the extreme northern territories of Canada, Europe and the United States, the sun may not show its face at all. At lower latitudes, the sun is out for about nine hours -- three hours less than during the summer months. All that darkness can have some serious psychological effects.
Scientists have linked the depression that coincides with a dearth of sunlight to the hormone melatonin, which regulates sleep. When sunlight fades, some of us produce copious amounts of melatonin, contributing to the drowsy, out-of-sorts feeling that can plague our winter days. About 20% of Americans report feeling more depressed during the chilly season.
In parts of Alaska, the sun may not rise at all for months on end. According to a study by The American Journal of Psychology, nearly 10% of the state's residents experiences depression during the dark winter months. Suzanne Womack Strisik, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Alaska at Anchorage, explains that sable skies can cause lethargy, cravings for carbohydrates, feelings of melancholy, fuzzy thinking, and loss of libido
Treatment usually includes antidepressants, light therapy and extended vacations. The best way to get over the long Alaskan nights may be to leave them behind. Some residents travel to Hawaii or head south to catch a few rays. A couple of days of sunlight can buoy a sunken mood faster than almost any other treatment.
If you find yourself feeling down and out during the winter, there are a few things you can do:
Get some light
Studies have shown that bright lights first thing in the morning -- incandescent or fluorescent -- can help you overcome the wintertime doldrums. Daily light therapy with natural light lamps can also replace lost sunlight.
Get up early
Fight the urge to stay huddled in bed until the afternoon hours; getting up early may help you feel better during the rest of the day.
Exercise
A little cardio goes a long way. Take a brisk walk, jog or jump on the cycle trainer. A boost in your metabolism can turn your blues around.
Eat well
Avoid foods that are high in starch and sugar, which could leave you feeling sluggish.
Go outside
Spend as much time outside as you can, and when you're inside, sit near the window and soak up those rays.
Get away
Finally, if nothing else works, hop on a plane and fly south to sunny weather. Even a short vacation in warm climates can do wonders. or sociability.
The barometric blues
We've all heard of bad weather aggravating arthritis, but have we heard about brisk winds triggering migraines? Recent studies have shown that rapidly changing barometric pressure, which usually accompanies stormy or windy weather, may trigger migraines in some people. Dr. Werner Becker, a neurologist at Alberta's Foothills Medical Center, studied 75 migraine sufferers who reported increased headaches during the warm winter winds known as "chinooks." Becker believes that falling barometric pressures that accompany chinooks may be responsible for certain migraines.
If you suffer from migraines, you may experience more of them during stormy weather. But what can you do about it? Various medications, like Imitrex, can relieve the symptoms of migraines during stormy weather. Rest and relaxation also help, as do cold compresses on the forehead and back of the neck. Unfortunately, though, many migraines won't go away until they've run their natural course.
Relentless rain
Relentless sheets of rain pummel nearly every city on earth from time to time. Rain clogs the streets with traffic, mires any forward progress and is, well, gloomy. Snow is even worse -- it blocks our driveways, ices the roads, and makes travel a chore.
When the skies fill with clouds, some of us feel the weight of the sky on our shoulders; we're tired, depressed and cranky. We're also more likely to catch a cold, flu or other virus. Do the rain and snow make us vulnerable to marauding illnesses? Or do the classic wintertime blues leave our immune systems in shambles?
Doctors have been asking that question for centuries and, after a few hundred years of research, they have the answer. Dr. Jonathan Blum of the Division of Infections Disease at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at Harvard Medical School says: "No."
"Contrary to folk wisdom, exposure to cold does not seem to be responsible for catching a cold or the flu. A study published in the late 1960s, for example, showed that chilling volunteers (actually, prison inmates) did not make them more susceptible to infection with rhinovirus, one of the kinds of viruses that often cause colds, and did not make their colds worse," he wrote for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Viruses, like most organisms, are most active during particular seasons. It just so happens that they flourish during the winter in temperate regions and the rainy season in the tropics. People are also more likely to remain indoors and within close proximity of other people during those seasons, making it easier for colds and flus to migrate through populations. The actual temperature outside or the amount of precipitation has absolutely no affect on whether or not you'll catch cold.
There are some basic things you can do to avoid getting sick during the flu season.
Wash your hands often
Keeping clean can prevent infections. Also, avoid touching your face when you're out and about.
Stay home
If you get sick, going to work and spreading your illness won't do anybody good.
Avoid crowded locations
This applies to confined spaces where airborne viruses have an easy time jumping from person to person.
Eat well
Your immune system needs good nutrition to function properly and stay healthy. You should eat foods of high-quality protein, such as eggs, fish, shellfish, and venison, as well as different vegetables and grains.
Get some exercise
Keep your metabolism running in high gear; it'll help your body fend off unwanted microbial invaders.
Overcooked by hot climates
Heat can be a killer. A blazing-hot day can roast you on the spot, sending your body and mind straight to Hades. Normally, the body tries to maintain a core temperature of around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. When the mercury matches or exceeds that temperature, the body's cooling systems have trouble with temperature regulation. Heat stroke sets in when you've been toiling away in the hot sun or neglecting to drink enough fluids to keep a steady supply of cooling sweat flowing across your skin.
Heat stroke usually accompanies a high temperature -- around 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Other symptoms include:
Blood pressure
The only remedy for heat stroke is cooling off. Shade or an air-conditioned space works best. Cool water, damp sheets or strips of fabric will also help the body normalize its temperature.
Bright forecast
Abe Lincoln once said: "People are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be." In other words, no matter how horrible the weather is outside, ultimately you have the biggest impact on your mood.
Hill explains that those who can manage to make light of heavy rain are typically happier than those who let themselves get soaked by a downpour. If you can manage it, try to find a positive way to look at negative weather. You'll be happier, healthier and ready for fun in the sun when summer comes back. ( askman.com )
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