How the weather affects
our mood
By Kemi Ilori
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
We are very lucky people. We have a fairly stable weather
system. I think this may contribute to the “happiest
people on earth phenomenon.” Nigeria is a colourful
and sunny country with a young population, so you can feel
the energy all around you.
When West Africans and Nigerians in particular go and live
in countries with more harsh weather systems, they get homesick
and become miserable. Quite a number have been known to pack
their bags and baggage and returned home. It is quite natural
for human beings to react to the weather.
Changes in weather can affect our mood. On a very hot day,
people get cranky and irritable. Whilst a wet and rainy day
could make us listless, gloomy and depressed. In the midst
of these our two possible weather extremes, we are still very
lucky people. Our counterparts in other part of the globe
are having a very raw deal.
Some of the bad weather systems experienced by them include,
tropical cyclones, tornadoes, snow storms, frost, fogs, rainstorms,
etc. Most of us are oblivious of this fact. This advantage
however fundamentally affects our attitude as a nation. We
do not need to go the extra mile; nature has done it for us.
Probably if we had to individually worry about how to heat
our houses during winter months; we would then have had a
more proactive attitude to a lot of issues.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): The acronym for this weather
induced condition is very apt. SAD is a syndrome characterized
by depression during winter months when there is less daylight.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is directly related or even caused
by too little sunlight, which causes the body's time clock
to go out of rhythm, thus upsetting the body's routine, and
may even affect certain hormonal levels in the body.
The symptoms of SAD are depression, sadness, lethargy, fatigue,
excessive sleeping, difficulty getting up in the morning,
loss of appetite or increased eating of carbohydrate, thus
increase in weight, decreased activity and socialization,
apathy, irritability. Treatment for SAD includes UV light
therapy where the body is exposed to ultraviolet light for
periods of time. This should, however, only be done under
the care of a doctor.
We take our nice sunny weather for granted. This is probably
because a lot of other things affect our mood more obviously.
These include our interaction with people, elections, finances,
etc. But good weather also contributes to our general positive
outlook. A nice tame sunny day keeps us in a good mood; especially
if we had just experienced days of heavy downpour. However,
when the weather gets too hot, it creates discomfort.
Psychologists have suggested that certain weather condition
seem to increase crime rate. It has been shown that the best
temperature range for a good or stable mood is around room
temperature (72 degrees Farenheit). As temperature becomes
significantly higher, good mood decreases and a person is
likely to become irritable. When it gets too cold as well,
people become uncomfortable and recoil.
You may have noticed that crime writers usually emphasize
a hot and irritable weather as part of the motivation of their
characters. Infact there is a film called “In Hot Weather
the Crime Rate Soars”. No-one knows for sure if this
assertion is true or right, but I know that in extreme cold
weather, people are completely inactivated. They can barely
move; so even if they want to perpetrate a crime, the relative
warmth of their house will make them less motivated. I believe
the driving rain is just as unenticing. People in control
of a large mass of people should take care not to assemble
them outside in extremely hot weather for a long period of
time.
They may not be responsible for their actions! During the
last elections we found ourselves waiting to vote under the
sun. Some quick thinking individual rented a huge canopy and
chairs to seat on. I felt that was quite considerate.
My advice is that do not put yourself on collision path with
the weather. It may affect your mood negatively and make you
take wrong decisions. Animals seem to have mastered how to
relate to the weather better than we do. Dogs, cows, goats,
etc usually find a good shady place to relax when it is very
hot and sunny.
It was observed that during the tsunami that killed thousands
of people in Asia, domestic animals had long left the lowlands
and taken refuge in the interior before humans knew what was
about to happen. On a hot day, try to keep your movement within
the cooler hours and stay out of the direct rays of the sun.
On a wet day, don’t set yourself up for a beating and
drenching by the rain. Engage in indoor activities both at
home and at work. Your mood and your health will be better
for it. |
