Does the weather alter your mood?

[Jemina]

I've noticed increasingly recently that different weather conditions can really alter my mood. I find that if it's raining I'm generally calmer and more at ease than if its not raining. I find the sound of rain soothing, and I've always been drawn to water, so I put it down to this being the reason why I feel better when it's raining. I'd also much rather go out when it's raining because there's likely to be less people out and about as well. I'm not much a fan of crowds and the rain seems to send the crowds home!


On the other hand, when it's really hot and sunny I tend to get irritable because I'm not much of a fan of too much heat. I also don't like that everyone seems to go out when it's sunny so I suppose I avoid going out then too because I know everywhere will be crowded.


Does anyone else find that certain weather conditions affects their mood?

 

[DavidRosenberg]

I think the weather is something instrumental in how we feel. What you say makes perfect sense. The weather surrounds us and virtually every aspect of our lives. It makes complete sense that it has such a powerful influence over all of us.


For me personally it's mainly temperature that affect my mood. If it's cold, the I am miserable. I feel lethargic. I find it difficult to get up. I don't feel like leaving the house. Simple tasks become a chore.


When it's warm, it's the complete opposite. I feel like I am full of energy and a lot more confident about tackling things.


Sometimes I wonder if I might be cold blooded!

 

[lexinonomous]

Surprisingly, my mood is known to shift throughout the seasons. I thought that this was due to what was going on around the holiday seasons, but I find myself feeling great on any sort of cold/gloomy day. The Christmas season is one of my favorite times of the year- not only because Christmas is upon us, but because the weather is gorgeous. I find myself feeling happier and social during the winter seasons. I live in California, where our summer temperatures can reach up to 120 degrees. It makes for a miserable time and puts me in a terrible mood. It's hard to deal with on a day to day basis. I would say that the weather definitely effects my mood and how I'm all around feeling.

 

[redpanda]

My mood changes pretty easily and weather can definitely affect it. If it's a dark, rainy day I get sleepy, grumpy, and I have trouble staying motivated. If I'm already in a good mood, cloudy weather won't change it. But if I'm in a bad mood, dark skies can make it harder for me to snap out of it. I'm also more likely to feel depressed in winter, mostly because I can't garden and I don't get to go outside as much.

 

[EdmondA]

SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, is a big problem where I live, in rural Northern Canada. Not seeing the sun for months on end, the isolation, the cold, the seemingly never-ending war the elements seem to wage against you...It all piles up and it feels as if to struggle against the doom and gloom of the natural world is fruitless. But then comes Summer! Those first rays of real sunshine in march feel like manna of the Gods, I tell you.

 

[Androlo]

Yes, definitely. Oddly enough though, this is something which never ever used to bother me at all when I was younger. I can be pretty good at not letting external factors influence me emotionally but the weather is the one thing I still have a problem with. I do believe that I suffer with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Having said that, I live in the UK and the weather here has been absolutely atrocious for the last five years and it has rained and been windy and stormy for several years now without a proper summer. I would estimate that 95% of the UK have probably been suffering with SAD over the last few years, so it's not just me. I've almost forgotten what it feels like to have the sun beaming down on my skin.

 

[justsayyes]

I've noticed increasingly recently that different weather conditions can really alter my mood. I find that if it's raining I'm generally calmer and more at ease than if its not raining. I find the sound of rain soothing, and I've always been drawn to water, so I put it down to this being the reason why I feel better when it's raining. I'd also much rather go out when it's raining because there's likely to be less people out and about as well. I'm not much a fan of crowds and the rain seems to send the crowds home!
On the other hand, when it's really hot and sunny I tend to get irritable because I'm not much of a fan of too much heat. I also don't like that everyone seems to go out when it's sunny so I suppose I avoid going out then too because I know everywhere will be crowded.


Does anyone else find that certain weather conditions affects their mood?

I can totally relate to this. I also love the rain and the water. I love it when it rains because well for one, it gives me an excuse to stay indoors, another thing, is i love listening to the sound of the rain as it hits the tin roof, it's has a very calming effect on me.


The heat also makes me cranky and i just generally feel negative all throughout the day when the weather is hot. I really prefer the rainy days than sunny days, in fact if it's up to me, i really don't mind living in a place where it rains 24/7. Lol.

 

[gracer]

My mood definitely changes with the kind of weather too. I am also easily irritated when the weather is too warm. A year back, I have decided to move back to my hometown with my family because I just couldn't take the very warm climate in my husband's hometown. I was always in a bad mood when we were at his hometown because I wasn't used to the climate. Now that I'm back where I'm most comfortable in, I feel more at ease.

 

[John Snort]

Weather does affect people's moods but most people don't notice. I hate cold weather so when it's cold I'll sort of not be too happy. Same thing with the heat. When it's hot, I won't be too cheerful either. Thing about weather is you can't change it nor can most people control how they feel when the weather does change.

 

[Autumn]

It definitely affects me. Along with anxiety, I also have seasonal depression, and I live in a place where it is very cold and snowy in winter. I love the snow actually, but because it gets dark so early and there isn't as much sun, I get very depressed. Last year in particular was a very bad year for me. I want to invest in one of those sun lamps.

 

[Robilas]

The weather often affects my mood. I hate rainy weather as it makes me feel depressed and out of energy: I loose quickly any motivation to do things when there is a storm outside.

When it's really hot and sunny I tend to get irritable because I'm not much of a fan of too much heat. I also don't like that everyone seems to go out when it's sunny so I suppose I avoid going out then too because I know everywhere will be crowded.

I feel you here. I prefer the cold to the heat because it's impossible to avoid the heat, even if the hair conditioners are on. I hate going out when it's too hot because there are too many people, too many smells and personally I have some sweating problems, so I feel uneasy spending too much time outside in sunny days.

 

[shcoo]

Jemina, I'm just like you! I love snuggling up indoors when it is raining or chilly outside. The sound of rain lulls me into peaceful sleep or even meditation. On the other hand, I am very prone to heat exhaustion/heat stroke so I get extremely irritable and unmotivated in hot weather. Even when I go indoors, I still stress about the cost of my air conditioning - whereas in winter, I can just pile on five sweaters, haha.

 

[cecejailer]

Yes, weather absolutely changes my mood. I hate warm weather, which is what we have 365 days a year in my country. I try to keep myself as cold as possible and I mimic winter a lot haha. We have occasional weeks of rain and cold, an in these rare occasions I get so much better when it comes to my depression and anxiety. I don't know why, but cold weather feels like home to me. Warm weather makes me feel like I have so many chores, it feels like a workday when cold days feel like weekends. I'm not sure I explained it very well but well XD

 

[Pijuy]

I'm the exact opposite. I get grumpy, lazy and irritable when it's grey or really rainy out. I feel much better when the sun it out! I don't really mind cold/hot temperatures if the sun is out. And maybe it's because my blood pressure is naturally low (so my body temperature keeps low), but I rarely get so hot that I feel irritable or unmotivated. I have on the other hand gotten really chilly at times and have to put a hot water bottle on my feet and bundle up. But if the sun is out, no biggie!

 

[kelden]

Nah, It doesn't affect my behaviour, or mood. I can get stressful while I'm exposed to very cold or hot weather, but that's it. I like when is raining or cloudy, but that doesn't mean I dislike clear skies or sunny days. Some people say British and Nordic people get depressed by dark cloudy and cold weather, but I think that's rubbish.


British are only depressed by the fact they have to deal with the foolish decision of leaving the EU.

 

[thecorinthian]

I feel the same I love it when it's raining outside and the sky is cloudy and overcast-- you can easily cuddle with someone in sweater weather. I live in a tropical country so the heat is a constant source of irritation for me thank god we have air conditioning at home and work.

 

[CarlosTL]

I've noticed increasingly recently that different weather conditions can really alter my mood. I find that if it's raining I'm generally calmer and more at ease than if its not raining. I find the sound of rain soothing, and I've always been drawn to water, so I put it down to this being the reason why I feel better when it's raining. I'd also much rather go out when it's raining because there's likely to be less people out and about as well. I'm not much a fan of crowds and the rain seems to send the crowds home!
On the other hand, when it's really hot and sunny I tend to get irritable because I'm not much of a fan of too much heat. I also don't like that everyone seems to go out when it's sunny so I suppose I avoid going out then too because I know everywhere will be crowded.


Does anyone else find that certain weather conditions affects their mood?

Yes it does but not in the way you describe, everybody is different and it may depend on where you're currently living.


Winter depression is a well-known phenomenon, the lack of sunshine, the cold, the shorter days take a toll on your moral after a while. This is part of the reason why people in northern countries like to spend on sunny vacations.


I definitely more depressed in the middle of the winter, lack of sun, cold, constant cloud, this is awful over weeks and weeks.

 

[sidney]

No, not really, the only thing that I notice is that I tend to sleep longer when it's raining compared to when it's humid or sunny. The humidity can really cut short my otherwise long sleep, since I start to perspire or feel hot, especially in the afternoon.

 

[Corzhens]

The weather has a direct effect on my mood. Like so many others I know, a rainy day ruins the mood with the gloomy skies and the wet surroundings. That's why we are always praying for sunshine when there are occasions like parties because it would be a gloomy party when it rains. But when there is sunshine, the bright day lifts my spirits. Well, I can say that I really enjoy the summer sun no matter if it is too hot but as along as it is a sun shiny day then that's all right with me. Presently we are in the rainy season and it rains almost every day so you can imagine the lackluster days and dull life because people are not eager to hold festivals and occasions are held only once in a while because of the bad weather.

 

[AlysBunny]

The weather seems to affect my mood. It's not immediate and I'm not entirely sure that the change is caused by the weather. It might just be correlation. When the weather is extreme, my routine changes. That routine change could be the actual cause of my mood changes. One really hot day or one rainy day may not matter. I'll hide inside in dry, climate-controlled comfort. The first very hot or rainy day is my excuse to hang around home, read, and nap. I do have a problem if either thing persists though. If the hot weather is too hot and continues, I have to work at getting outside and into the sunlight anyway. I need the sun to help stay as mentally balanced as I ever get so I have to work to go out in the morning when it's not so hot. I also can't skip exercise because it's too hot to want to move. The heat makes me lazy, like a cat that just wants to bask in the sunshine. In the rain (or snow when I used to live farther north) I have the same problem as the heat - I tend to stay inside and exercise less. I also have pain because of some broken bones with metal repairs. They ache in rainy weather. After a few days of unrelenting rain and constant low-level pain, I'm very depressed and either very cranky or emotionally numbed out.