Weather and moods

Most psychology studies are done in developed countries where summer is considered a good thing (blech) and winters are depressing. Pan camera to Mumbai where summers will get you assuredly pissed and the onset of rains just makes you go woo hoo! Well, it's time we did some research. I really need to know what the effect of weather has on your body and mind. And why!

Some quotes:

Humidity, temperature, and hours of sunshine had the greatest effect on mood. High levels of humidity lowered scores on concentration while increasing reports of sleepiness.

How true! How true!

Another study by Sanders and Brizzolara (1982) on 30 college students also found similar findings — that high humidity was a predictor for lack of vigor, elation, and affection.

The proof tightens.

People who get to spend time outdoors in temperatures near 72 degrees F (22 degrees C) tend to be happier and also have better memory than  those who spend time outdoors in less optimal conditions, or those who consistently stay indoors in nice weather.

Yeah ok I can deal with 22 degrees.

Researchers have surmised that there is a definite connection between hot temperatures and aggression.

This explains why the most peaceful and liberal countries are Scandinavian!

The perfect temperature, according to the University of Michigan, is 72 degrees. Any temperature higher or lower than 72 degrees is likely to affect your mood.

Is this why people in Bombay are likely to be pissed off all the time?

I found no studies specifically for India or people living close to the tropics, so I guess we wont know what our weather really does to us (unless we believe a new survey that says weather has little or no effect on us at all!). But this is what I get from it.

There seems to be a perfect temperature at which we work most productively. This temperature may be different from person to person, but is statistically around 22 degrees centigrade. At this temperature (and at normal humidity of say 50%), we are awake and aware, ready to take on the world.

The hotter it gets, the more aggressive you get. And I can totally relate to this! The last two weeks of summer were awful for me, with the highest levels of irritability. I was constantly having mood swings and I couldn't figure why, though somewhere I did suspect the weather to be the culprit.

The more humid it gets, you start losing concentration and feeling sleepy. Your appetite goes up. Basically, you feel like doing everything that reads "lazy"! All you want to do is stay in bed. I think the whole romantic notion comes from the linkages your mind makes: lazy - bed - sex. Your brain suddenly releases oxytocin and BAM! You're feeling romantic! (Note: This is only my theory and I couldn't find any research to support it!)

The rains have just started and all I feel like doing is going out and getting wet in the rain! The whole of last week, while I waited for summer to get over, I lost appetite and felt horrible. I'm back to wanting to hog now! Food mission, I'm back in action!