How does weather influence our moods?

Written by BBC on November 25, 2022. Posted in Current News

The clocks have gone back and we’re seeing fewer daylight hours, but how does light influence us?

Sunny disposition. Stormy relationship. Hot under the collar. Look on the bright side. Winds of change.

These are just a few of the metaphors weather provides to help us express ourselves, but whilst it gives us a vivid language for moods can it actually influence them?

Lighter days and brighter moods

Light is an important signal that helps to kick start a huge array of biological functions in the body. It controls our circadian clock which affects everything in our body from how we sleep, to our metabolism, to when we release certain hormones. Light helps us to sleep and to wake up, and can even help with insomnia. With better sleep often comes better moods.

Light exposure also directly affects our spirits because it triggers changes in the brain that make us feel happier. When the body recognises sunlight, which reaches the brain via the optic nerve, the levels of the “feel good” chemical serotonin increase. Conversely, those who are exposed to less sunlight, such as shift workers, may find they struggle with low mood.

In times of lower levels of natural light, such as midwinter, or periods of low barometric pressure which bring rainy or stormy weather, our bodies tend to produce more melatonin which is the hormone our brain produces when we are tired.

Many of us tolerate the shorter days of winter; however, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can cause severe depression in some people. Sufferers of SAD will find depressive symptoms emerging as the days shorten and waning as spring approaches.

The current thinking is that SAD is a result of our circadian rhythm becoming desynchronised – directly caused by the decrease in sunlight.

According to a study carried out in 2021, greater time in outdoor light was associated with less severe depressive disorders, reduced antidepressant use and increased happiness. It was also linked to a greater ease of getting up, less tiredness and fewer insomnia symptoms.

Dr Sean W. Cain, one of the authors of the study, said:

“Getting light during the day is very important for our mood, sleep and general health.

All the tissues of our bodies have clocks that tell those tissues to function differently in the night and day and getting lots of natural light helps strengthen those clocks.

This makes us generally healthier and happier. There’s a reason we refer to optimism as ‘looking on the bright side’.”

Rain, rain go away

The sound of raindrops is well known for being relaxing and comforting. The science behind this shows that the pitter patter sound of raindrops forms a “pink noise” which decreases brain activity and in turn enables relaxation or even sleep.

However, a study in 1997 looked at the behaviour of children and found that they became more restless, irritable, inattentive and impulsive when the barometric pressure was falling.

The theory is that the positive ions in the atmosphere increase blood pressure and irritability.

As well as altering moods, barometric pressure fluctuations can trigger headaches and on rainy days some people, particularly women, report lower satisfaction with their lives.

Mad blood stirring

The idea that warmer weather changes our behaviour has been around for centuries. Even Shakespeare described “mad blood stirring” in the sweltering heat of Verona in 1597.

Whilst summer heat generally means our thoughts turn to barbecues, ice cream and beaches, studies have shown that an increase in temperature can also make us more violent, aggravated and depressed.

During periods of higher temperatures the police have recorded a rise in disorderly behaviour and when people get stuck in traffic they are more likely to honk their horns. One study also showed that we are less likely to help strangers.

Rising crime rates

So does the weather actually influence the prevalence of crime? Dr Peter Langmead-Jones, of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), thinks so.

He and Professor Tom Kirchmaier of the London School of Economics, looked at the relationship between the weather and the number of crimes or incidents of anti-social behaviour.

Dr Langmead-Jones said:

“We found a clear pattern where higher temperatures are associated with a greater number of crimes and incidents being reported.

We also found that higher levels of rain and wind are associated with lower numbers of crimes being reported.

In short, the weather forecast has potential use in forecasting the demands for police services because the weather influences behaviour, including anti-social behaviour.”

Whilst some changes in behaviour can be relatively minor, others can be more disconcerting.

The global heatwave in 2018 triggered wildfires and widespread droughts but it also gave rise to some noticeable changes in human behaviour. In the UK it was associated with a record number of 999 calls with some forces reporting that calls were up by 40 percent.

Obviously there are other factors that play into these individual cases, but the weather does seem to play a significant role.

Weathering the future

The effects of weather on mood are not straightforwardly biological. They are also psychological and social.

Despite the evidence that weather can greatly influence our mood, over the centuries humans have shown themselves to be good at adapting to the particular conditions they find themselves in.

Some of us who live in parts of the world where winters are long and harsh have become accustomed to them and many take it in their stride, inviting the winter in and using the season to retreat, rest, and restore, or enjoy winter pursuits such as skating, skiing and ice fishing.

As our climate changes and weather patterns become more varied, the ability to adapt to new environmental conditions will become an increasingly key part of our everyday lives.

See more here bbc.co.uk

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