The Effects of Mood on Weather

Alex Hoffman

Mrs. Smith

AP Language

9 March 2010

Blame It on The Weather

Why is it that whenever it rains people tend to be more gloomy, depressed or less lively than normal? Or how does a highly humid climate warrant widespread frustration and hostility? Personally, the rain, extreme heat or high humidity will put a damper on my day no matter what the circumstance. The rain specifically makes me noticeably more irritable, short tempered and apathetic. Why does weather have such an influence on temperament?

The association between weather and its effects on mood is a widespread phenomenon. Rain generally warrants restlessness and a raise in depression whereas a pleasant day is often complemented by an upbeat, active and productive disposition. Additionally, high humidity and heat is commonly accompanied with lethargy, frustration and aggression. Similar to one’s environment, the weather has an impacting effect on an individual’s mood.

Of these most impacting climate conditions is a sunny, warm, pleasant day. Sunny days not only tend to foster more lively moods but have also shown to increase memory retention, productivity and activeness. Though the relationship between a pleasant day and a positive temperament differs from person to person, this noticeable change can be attributed to the rise in levels of the hormone serotonin. Over eighty percent of serotonin found in the human body is located in digestive tract, but the remaining minority is found in the pineal gland of the brain where it has “various functions, including the regulation of mood, appetite, sleep, muscle contraction, and some cognitive functions including memory and learning” (King M.W. 5). Serotonin levels in your brain are boosted when stimulated by vitamin-D, which is received from direct exposure to sunshine. This rise in serotonin is important because it directly correlates one’s mood to one’s environment. Due to the sun and an intake of vitamin-D, people biologically...