Can weather change a person's mood?

Yes, weather can affect mood. The short answer is yes, weather can affect mood. How much it affects you depends on how sensitive you are to the temperature and how much control you have over your environment. Temperature is one of the most obvious factors in determining how a person’s mood will shift. A change in temperature can cause people to feel more energetic or lethargic, depending on the extremity of the change. For example, if it’s hot outside, you may be more likely than usual to want to sleep all day long instead of going for a run or taking out the trash as usual. On the other hand, if it’s chilly outside, you might be tempted by an afternoon trip to your favorite café with friends instead of opting for another day spent indoors with Netflix. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder subset in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year exhibit depressive symptoms at the same time each year, most commonly in winter. Seasonal affective disorder typically begins in the late fall and early winter months when the days grow much shorter, and continues into the winter months. People with these conditions often experience dramatic mood swings, and the severity of their symptoms varies depending on the time of year.

If you are suffering from poor mental health or you are facing a mental illness, you will be fully aware of how the smallest of things can throw off your mood and leave you feeling worse off. However, a bad mood can be worsened by cold and dreary weather, negatively impacting the level of your mental health. This is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and it is believed to affect 1 out of every 10 people. It’s very common to see a change in moods such as sadness or lower self-esteem on rainy days – so if you’re ever feeling down during a downpour… you aren’t imagining it. Additionally, limited sunlight during waking hours can lead to lower levels of serotonin being produced in the human body. Lower levels of serotonin can leave the brain feeling chemically unbalanced which can, in turn, negatively impact mental health during the cold and dark months. Cold temperatures can also lead to physical lethargy, reducing the rate of sensory feedback, dexterity, muscle strength, blood flow and also balance. On the other hand, warmer temperatures can lead to an increase in aggressive behaviour for certain people. Cold and dark days can lead to lower levels of serotonin in the body – which is the natural feel-good factor. So if you’re ever feeling like your mood matches the weather, do not panic, in certain circumstances, this is completely natural. The answer, quite simply, is yes. But we must remember, each person is different and the weather’s impact on mental health for many individuals can be to a greater extent than others.

Less-than-pleasant weather that drags on can complicate outdoor plans, make traffic miserable and, honestly, feel like it's starting to affect your overall well-being. The link between weather and mood is murky. There's evidence to suggest a connection. The case for a link between the two began to emerge in the late '70s and early '80s. For example, a 1984 study looking at a variety of mood variables found that the amount of sunshine, temperature and humidity had the greatest effect on mood. In particular, it showed that high humidity lowered concentration and increased sleepiness. Additionally, a 2005 study found that spending more time outdoors in pleasant weather is associated with higher mood and better memory. But there's also evidence to suggest otherwise. While some of the science concludes that there is a link between weather and mood, not every study finds a clear connection. For instance, a 2008 study found that weather had essentially no effect on positive mood. Explained another way, more sunlight and better temperatures didn't make a happy person happier. What may be becoming more clear, however, is that how weather affects mood likely varies significantly from person to person. A 2011 study suggests that weather may indeed affect mood — for some. The study identified four weather reactivity types: Those unaffected by weather – mood is unrelated to weather, Summer lovers – mood improves on warm, sunny days, Summer haters – mood improves on cool, cloudy days, Rain haters – particularly bothered by rain.