Does the weather alter your mood?

[littletog]

I have found that I am very temperamental when it comes to the weather. I live in South Florida, so when it is severely hot I am the most irritable and least productive. When I lived up north, the extra cold winter days would keep me bundled up in my room most of the time. I have been dying to find a place with a temperate climate, but I think the summer will always be a challenge for me. Also, although I love the rain when I can stay in, too many rainy days put me into a depressive funk. It is really frustrating to feel so impressionable by something nobody has control over. Does anyone have tips for keeping it from affecting themselves?

 

[DesmondX]

The weather most definitely alters my mood! I find Missouri's summer temperatures to be unbearable I spend many months on end without doing much when it is hot and sunny out. I feel at my best on cool overcast days. Even though I hate the summer and spend most of my time indoors, I find that the winter months are when I am more apt to bouts of deep depression, though I'm not entirely sure why.

 

[d.moore11100]

Weather doesn't usually affect my mood because I'm usually melancholy anyway. I take that back because of extremely hot days. Hot days always put me in a bad mood because I hate sweating and I hate feeling uncomfortable and I hate being unable to sleep. But I feel the same in any other weather condition so hot days are my exception.

 

[EmmVee87]

I always thought there was a warm-weather equivalent for SAD. Living in AZ, there are only maybe three months where the weather doesn't make me miserable. But seriously, I know exactly what you mean. I feel my best on the rare rainy/overcast days, while the bright, sunshiny days get me down. I was never really sure if it is the physical discomfort of all the heat that affects my mental state or if weather in and of itself causes the depression.

 

[GrubbyRose]

I am always happiest during early summer, because I can get outside and do yard work, which cheers me up. I also enjoy watching she landscape come alive. Winter on the other hand is depressing because the landscape looks dead. I have a picture of my house in the summer as my desktop background, and looking at that gives me a little boost during the winter.

 

[cyclistbabe]

The only thing that will affect me negatively is extremely hot, humid weather. That tends to crank up my irritability and by extension I have a tendency to get more anxious! I can handle really cold weather fine though. And I love, love, love the rain.

 

[Aleece13]

I agree! I love when it's raining outside, I'm more at peace and happier. I don't like to leave home, but I love when it rains. When it's storming, I'm anxious. When it's sunny, I feel like I'm just going through the motions.

 

[DDNatureLover]

For me, the weather does make a difference, but mainly with regard to my pain. When my pain is worse, or when I have a weather-induced migraine, of course I have a worse day. There are some days when it's storming and I enjoy myself, so if I'm in a low stress period and my pain is not particularly bad, I enjoy the weather. There are actually times when I'm walking on the nature trails and a light shower will pop up, and I'll keep walking, because it's enjoyable. I am somewhat more stressed out during Hurricane Season, since the storms tend to be more severe, and I worry about flooding or wind / tree damage, but other than that, as long as my pain is at a manageable level, I enjoy storms, and don't even mind losing the power, as long as I have a book to read and a lantern for light.

 

[explorerX7]

I live in a tropical country, therefore, we are not subject to the seasonal weather changes like some other countries are open to. However, if there is a considerable amount of rain which makes time much cooler, during the night i am becomes much more relaxed and tend to have a better night sleep.

 

[T2R43]

I think that during winter my moods turns into more of a form of hibernation, I like to curl up with a glass of hot chocolate and a blanket and wait for summer. But, the rain season here in the UK can really be a problem for me. I get a lot more grumpy and feel down more about things when it rains. However, I find that listening to rain on the roof before bedtime tends to give me a better night's sleep. I love spring time because I'm a spring baby and just feel more alert and alive during it. So, I would say that weather does have a really effect on how I'm feeling.

 

[explorerX7]

I am from a tropical country so I am used to an almost similar type of weather all year round. I have traveled to a country where the weather changed drastically from warm to cold during the autumn and the weather really dampened my spirits. It went as low as 40-degrees above zero and my hands were freezing and cramping because there were strong winds and my lips were chapped and the warm clothing wasn't preventing me from being cold, and the situation with thermostat not being above 68-degress really made me uncomfortable. I understood that those were territorial conditions but being not used to it really subdued me. I know persons that are used to this type of weather may probably find my story a bit dramatic, but it's not the situation to which I am used to. Next time I would prefer to be there when it's warmer.

 

[fuzyon]

I definitely like the summer, the sun always brings me happiness and my mood is affected positively by it but when I'm depressed the weather doesn't really have an effect on me. From time to time I do like a little bit of rain, I feel like my mood instantly changes and I feel more relaxed, watching the raindrops fall on the ground is really therapeutic for some reason.

 

[Natasha0717]

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 am the exact same way.  And I also thought I was the only one!


Really sunny days tend to make me want to just stay home.  I live on the water and I see tons of boats going by, and everyone is outside doing work or just getting a tan, etc. My only instinct is to stay indoors.


I do like the rain, especially thunderstorms.  But that cold, endless November rain that never seems to end gets on my nerves.  I think it's because the rain is sort of being thrown at you by a strong, chilly wind.  It's the kind of rain that is just about to turn into snow, but then it doesn't.  I love snowstorms, even the big build-up to them is kinda fun when you start tracking them on the Weather Channel...where you see the satellite showing a huge patch of white coming from the west and they start trying to predict how many inches will accumulate when all is said and done.  I particularly enjoy a huge snowstorm that's on the way right before some kind of event that I don't feel like attending. The snowstorm gives me hope, like maybe we won't have to go at all, or it will be cancelled because of the storm. 


My favorite weather in the whole world usually comes in May and September.  Cool, cloudy, mild days and nights.  You can't beat that. 

 

[Alexandoy]

Ever since I was a boy, my parents have already noticed my changing mood as an effect of the water. When there is full moon, expect me to be moody. When the sun is shining bright, that is a reason for me to be cheerful. And when it rains or if the sky is gloomy, my mood turns to be gloomy as well. But that is not always the case. Maybe I can say that the effect of weather on my mood occurs 50% of the time. When there is a reason to be happy, naturally the rain couldn't deaden my happiness and likewise when there is a reason to be sad like in mourning, even the hottest sunshine cannot uplift my mood. 

 

[jy76]

I don't think the weather alters my mood.  In fact, I actually like cloudy days.  Cold weather doesn't bother me either.  


Nonetheless, I do believe scientific reports which say lack of sunshine can massively contribute to depression.  However, lack of sunshine might have a larger effect on those who otherwise are not healthy.

 

[TheKnight]

I know for a fact that weather does alter my mood. When it's too hot out and too sunny, I feel grouchy because I don't like the hot weather. My mood greatly changes for the better when it's a cloudy or a rainy day. The cool air and the cold drops hitting my face make me feel so free. I'm quite the opposite of what people feel in gloomy days. I love gloomy days!

 

[fuzyon]

Weather alters my mood but not by much, in general I'm a much pleasant person when it's cold outside for some reason. Early, cold mornings are the best since the house feels so cozy. I personally dislike the sun and the summer time, even though it's warm it seems like there's no "emotion".

 

[to7update]

I live in a country where we have a lot of sun, so when we have a few rainy and cloudy days that certainly affects my mood. To be honest I don't even notice it until the sun comes out again, but when it does I do feel happier and energized to see much light. It seems something of little importance, but it's not, it's like I can feed from the energy of the sun and the possibility of going out without the rain.