Believe it or not, the weather actually has a huge impact on your mood! Depending on weather conditions, you may be ill-suited for certain jobs or perfect for others. Here are 8 ways weather can affect your mood that you may have never noticed:
1. Higher temperatures make you less depressed
Lower temperatures and less sunlight have been shown to cause SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder.) I know it’s true — it affects me every year. Higher temperatures and more sunlight, on the other hand, actually increase your mood and fight off depression! The heightened temperature speeds up the molecules in your body, making it easier to move, digest food, and think!
2. Sunny days make you more open to romantic possibilities
Since sunny days with high temperatures increase our energy, it’s only natural that we become rowdier and more open to romantic ideas. Summer is a great time for picnics, long strolls on the beach or in the woods, or time spent in pedal boats on the lake!
3. You’re more helpful on sunny days
There’s a reason writers describe happy people as having a “sunny disposition.” Sun makes us happy! Happy people tend to be more willing to help others. Therefore, on sunny days, we’re more likely to help those in need than on days filled with clouds and gloom. Next time you want to volunteer, try to pick a sunny day — you’ll be more helpful to the people you’ve volunteered with, and so will the other workers. You’ll all get more done!
4. Sunlight makes you spend more money
Summer sales, here we come! Get ready to open your wallet if you go out to a mall or flea market during a nice, sunny day. Research shows that we are more likely to spend money when it’s sunny. My theory is that the sun makes us happier and less stressed about our lives (including our financial lives) — therefore we spend!
5. High temperatures make you more aggressive
We now know higher temperatures give us more energy — unfortunately, with more energy (combined with hot, humid, sticky weather,) come higher levels of aggression. When was the last time you were really hot and uncomfortable; how did you feel? Were you easily annoyed?
6. Cold temperatures impact your performance of complex physical tasks
When we’re cold, our muscles feel slow. It’s like they don’t want to move. Have you ever tried untying a knot while your hands were cold? Especially after a snowball fight with no gloves.) Be careful when trying to perform complex physical tasks in the cold – too much time in low temperatures can cause hypothermia! So just bring gloves any time you think you’ll be stuck in the snow.
7. Lack of sunlight makes you eat more
Bears hibernate . . . humans just start devouring everything in sight. Well, bears do that too, before they go to sleep. The cold, dark winter months make it much easier to overeat. Our body needs extra fuel to fight off the cold, and so it wants more food. Unfortunately, often times we don’t actually need the extra food because a lack of sun doesn’t necessarily mean we’re cold — what with heaters and everything.
8. Rain causes pain
Have you ever heard someone tell you they can “feel the rain coming in their bones”? It’s actually true! Rain can cause real physical pain due to atmospheric pressures. The increased pressure allows bodily fluids to move from blood vessels to tissues, causing pressure on the nerves and joints, which leads to increased pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility.
I hope you’ve found these emotional effects as interesting as I do! How does the weather affect you?
