Can the Weather Affect Your Mood?

The weather may be to blame if you have been feeling emotional lately. Therefore, before making decisions, consider what the weather is like outside. While most weather events can and may negatively impact your emotional health, the weather can also help you feel more optimistic.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Many people experience seasonal affective disorder. Most people with this disorder start feeling down in the fall and start feeling happier in the spring, but the opposite can be true. People affected by seasonal affective disorder often try to escape by sleeping, feeling depressed and have difficulty concentrating. Psychiatrists may prescribe light therapy to help.

Suicidal Thoughts

Statistics show that more people attempt suicide in the spring than at any other time of year. Mental health professionals believe that neurotransmitter levels in the brain respond negatively to spring’s sunlight. Additionally, people with bipolar disorder may experience mood episodes when temperatures rise rapidly in the spring.

Stress

If you have ever felt tingly before a storm, that feeling is usually caused by circulating stress hormones in your body. These hormones often make you feel more tense before and during a storm. Circulating stress hormones can also cause chronic pain flare-ups, often making people irritable. Additionally, changes in barometric pressure can affect the superior vestibular nucleus in the brain affecting balance and perception.

Positive Moods

If you need to make an important decision, try to do it on a sunny day. Most people have better memories on sunny days, and many are also more open to receiving new information on sunny days. People with ADHD may find that they can pay attention longer.

While the weather can affect your mood, there are things that you can do to counteract the adverse effects of weather on your mood if you feel that you might need a bit more help. Set up an appointment today with American Behavioral Clinics to discuss those ideas with you. There are many options available, so reach out today.