There is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather, writes Dr Monika M Dass
Our personalities are shaped by the climate we grew up in, a new study says! Angela Fritz, Angela Fritz, an atmospheric scientist and Deputy Weather Editor of The Washington Post, noted the following, “Take two children with similar backgrounds. Both are boys. They’re raised in families with the same socioeconomic status. They live in similar-looking neighborhoods and have the same access to education and health care. The only difference is that one of the boys grows up in San Diego, where it’s comfortably warm most of the year and the average high temperature is about 70 degrees. The other is in Marquette, Mich., which is significantly colder. The average high there is just 50 degrees. One of these kids is significantly more likely to be agreeable, open and emotionally stable, according to a new study, simply because he grew up in a warmer climate. We know anecdotally that weather affects our mood. Summertime temperatures seem to lift our spirits, while the coldest weeks of winter put us in a funk”.
“The study, which was published in Nature on Monday, says it does more than that in the long run. All else being equal, the kid in San Diego is more likely to grow up to be friendlier, more outgoing and more willing to explore new things, the study suggests. Alan Stewart, a professor of psychology at the University of Georgia who was not involved in the study, says this question – whether the climate of a place relates to the physical or psychological quality of life there – has been around for a long time. “Does climate determine personality? I am not sure,” Stewart told The Washington Post. “But from my own research, I do know that weather and climate affect mood, and this may be reflected in some of the authors’ assessments.”
Weather significantly impacts moods through sunlight, temperature, humidity, and air pressure, affecting brain chemicals like serotonin (boosting mood with sun) and melatonin (sleep), while heat increases irritability, and gloominess… cold can trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Factors like humidity and barometric pressure influence energy and headaches, and extreme weather events can worsen stress, anxiety, and other mental health conditions, with some individuals being more sensitive.
Key Weather Factors & Their Effects:
Sunlight & Light:
- Benefit: Sunlight boosts Vitamin D and serotonin (happiness hormone), improving mood and energy.
- Detriment: Lack of light in winter can lead to SAD, causing fatigue, sadness, and irritability.
Temperature:
- Ideal: Pleasant temperatures (around 20°C/68°F) peak positive emotions.
- Hot: Extreme heat (above 30-32°C/86-90°F) increases aggression, irritability, restlessness, and fatigue.
- Cold: Gloomy, cold weather often leads to low motivation, difficulty focusing, and general unhappiness.
Humidity:
- High: Can make you feel sticky, uncomfortable, tired and irritable.
- Low: Causes dry skin and respiratory issues, affecting well-being.
- Air Pressure: Changes can affect blood flow and oxygen, triggering migraines and impacting mood.
Extreme Weather & Pollution:
- Natural disasters can cause PTSD, acute stress, and depression.
- Poor air quality increases stress and mental health issues.
How it Works (Physiological & Behavioral):
- Hormonal Changes: Sunlight affects serotonin (mood) and melatonin (sleep).
- Physiological Discomfort: Heat taxes thermoregulation, causing irritability; humidity adds physical discomfort.
- Behavioral Shifts: Sunny days encourage social interaction, while gloomy days might lead to more lottery play or withdrawal.
- Circadian Rhythm: Daylight helps calibrate the body’s internal 24-hour clock; disruptions caused by shorter days or overcast weather can lead to sleep disturbances and poor emotional resilience.
- Stress Response: Extreme weather acts as a physical stressor, forcing the body to work harder to maintain internal balance (homeostasis), which can deplete emotional energy.
Who’s Most Affected?
- People with existing mental health conditions (depression, bipolar, PTSD).
- Older adults and young children, due to temperature regulation difficulties.
Individual Differences: Weather “Personality” Types
Research identifies four common ways people react to weather:
- Summer Lovers (approx. 17%): Mood improves significantly with warm, sunny weather.
- Summer Haters (approx. 27%): Mood declines during high heat and bright sun.
- Rain Haters (approx. 9%): Particularly bothered by precipitation and gloom.
- Unaffected (approx. 48%): Mood remains largely independent of weather changes.
Coping Strategies:
- Track your symptoms: to find triggers (journaling).
- Light Exposure: Spend at least 15–30 minutes outdoors daily, even on cloudy days, to support serotonin levels. Maximize natural light exposure.
- Active Lifestyle: Exercise releases endorphins to counter the lethargy often caused by cold or rain.
- Therapeutic Support: For those with SAD or persistent seasonal anxiety, light therapy lamps and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are highly effective.
- Stress Reduction: Practice stress reduction (mindfulness, cozy indoor activities).
- Stay informed: about forecasts to mentally prepare.
The authors of the study mentioned above, draw a straightforward line between temperature and personality: “Growing up in temperatures that are close to the psychophysiological comfort optimum encourages individuals to explore the outside environment, thereby influencing their personalities.”
Makes sense – the nicer it is outside, the more likely we are to go outside and play with friends when we are kids. They also raise an interesting question with respect to climate change: Will we see a shift in personalities as global temperature increases overall?
To sum up, Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.
