As I wake up this morning I look out my window. It is gloomy and raining. Getting out of my warm bed and getting ready for class is a struggle. I don’t feel like doing anything but sleeping and relaxing. On the other hand, yesterday when I woke up it was sunny and warm. I had no problem waking up and getting ready for class because I knew it was going to be a nice day outside. Is this theory true that weather can affect your mood?
One of the most known ways weather can affect your mood is called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. “SAD is a mood disorder associated with depression and related to seasonal variations of light. SAD affects half a million people every winter between September and April, peaking in December, January, and February. The “Winter Blues,” a milder form of SAD, may affect even more people.”
One reason someone might develop SAD is due to the amount of sunlight they are receiving. “When we stand outside in the sun we tend to absorb light through the thin parts of our skulls and this helps to dictate our circadian rhythms.”
Light causes many chemical reactions in the body. One chemical reaction is the termination of melatonin produced in the body. Melatonin is a “hormone made my the pineal gland, a small gland in the brain. Melatonin helps control your sleep and wake cycles.” Due to the fact that the light halts the production of melatonin, it make us more aware and energetic.
Another chemical reaction is the production of serotonin. Serotonin is “a neurotransmitter that is involved in the transmission of nerve impulses. Serotonin can trigger the release of substances in the blood vessels of the brain. Serotonin is also key to mood regulation; pain perception; gastrointestinal function, including perception of hunger and satiety; and other physical functions.” Since light helps produce more serotonin, it causes you to feel healthy and pleasurable.
This conclusion shows that its not the temperature that affects ones mood, rather its the amount of light. So, even on a very cold but sunny day, a persons mood will be better than on a hot but cloudy day.
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/08/29/can-weather-affect-your-mood/
http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/15843/1/Effects-of-Weather-on-Human-Emotions.html
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/tc/seasonal-affective-disorder-sad-topic-overview
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/melatonin-overview
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=5468
My mood is always worse during the winter. The days just seem very gloomy. It can also be associated with other things such as stress from school that you wouldn’t necessarily have during the summer. Interesting article.
I remember learning about this topic last year, and in reading this blog post it really jogged my memory about it! This is so true, because when its dark and gloomy outside, all I want to do is wrap myself in blankets and stay cocooned in them for the rest of the day. Yet when it’s sunny, I have more energy, think in a more positive light, and feel much more productive! Very good topic choice, especially considering gloomy weather is right around the corner (i.e. winter will be here before we know it).
Wow this was such a good topic! I have noticed I am the same way. When it is rainy and cold outside I am in a more irritated mood sometimes but when it is hot and sunny I do not mind getting up and starting my day! Although I have always been like this, I never knew that the amount of sun we get can effect us so much. Reading through the comments, I can also agree with Kristen when she said I had trouble taking naps when it is so sunny outside but when it is cloudy and a gloomy day, I have no problem. This was a great post!
Wow, I have never thought of weather and sunlight affecting someone’s mood in a scientific way. This post shows potential mechanisms of chemical reactions. I can relate to this because I have always been bothered by gray and rainy days. And I didn’t exactly know why I was bothered, I just always said this is going to be a crappy day. But now I can see that sunlight can have profound effects on these hormones in your body that affect moods. But, I still can’t explain why I love snowy weather, even though the sun is barely present in snowy conditions.
Wow, I have never thought of weather and sunlight affecting someone’s mood in a scientific way. This post shows potential mechanisms of chemical reactions. I can relate to this because I have always been bothered by gray and rainy days. And I didn’t exactly know why I was bothered, I just always said this is going to be a crappy day. But now I can see that sunlight can have profound effects on these hormones in your body that affect moods. But, I still can’t explain why I love snowy weather, even though the sun is barely present in snowy conditions.
Wow, I have never thought of weather and sunlight affecting someone’s mood in a scientific way. This post shows potential mechanisms of chemical reactions. I can relate to this because I have always been bothered by gray and rainy days. And I didn’t exactly know why I was bothered, I just always said this is going to be a crappy day. But now I can see that sunlight can have profound effects on these hormones in your body that affect moods. I still can’t explain why I love snowy weather, even though the sun is barely present in snowy conditions.
I found this article extremely interesting, mainly because my family always jokes about my dad having this. In the summer he spends almost every Saturday and Sunday outside by the pool and is possibly the happiest person I’ve ever been around. However, as soon as the pool is closed up and he is forced to retreat indoors, he tends to become bitter. I never truly realized that it was the sunlight that affects the brain, not the temperature. I always associated the fact that since he can’t go outside (due to temperature), that is why he is not as happy. The melatonin and serotonin points make complete sense. Thanks for helping me figure out my family!
I have experienced this all the time. When I wake up and its raining and gross out I want to do nothing but sit in bed all day and watch movies, but when its nice out I have so much more motivation to go out and do things. But I guess that’s the same thing for when it gets dark outside I get tired but if its light out I have a harder time taking naps. I never there was a disorder for people who’s mood was effected by the seasons, but it kind of makes sense when you explain how it develop from the amount of sun you receive.
This blog is very interesting to me because I’ve noticed that I am in a better mood when it is sunny outside and when the weather is nice. Also when it is dark and cold, I am in a more mellow mood and not as happy. I can totally relate to you on the gloomy days; I never want to get out of bed or have motivation to do anything. Great job on the blog and research!!