Weather on the Brain

Does weather impact the brain in any way?

 It definitely can. In fact, entire books have been written on how weather impacts human brains. One study of 16,400 individuals evaluated 19 aspects of weather variables—sunny, overcast, rain, snow, wind speed, chill, and so on—and correlated data with mental health distress. While some people prefer differing types of weather, researchers found only one weather variable that impacted mental health distress—the number of daylight hours between sunrise and sunset. Some brains are more susceptible to shorter daylight hours. Seasonal affective disorder or SAD, better known now as Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) seasonally related, is much more common in Alaska and areas above the arctic Circle than in sunny California or Florida. Fortunately, light therapy can bring “natural sunlight” indoors, especially during the winter months, and can help weather-sensitive brains experience healthier mental health.