Weather and Mood

Bad weather affects some people negatively. “The ancient Greeks linked the four seasons with each of the vital moods (black bile, yellow bile, blood, phlegm)” (Freeman & Stansfeld, 2008, p.266). The Impact of the Environment on Psychiatric Disorder, relating this to mood and temperament has been the question for many scientists and thinkers. Some people suffer from SAD, (Seasonal Affective Disorder), which manifests itself in many ways. Freeman @ Stansfeld (2008, p.271) states that SAD as “a condition whereby there is a pattern of depression occurring in winter, with the episode remitting in the following spring or summer” The Impact of the Environment on Psychiatric Disorder, and a tendency to have both increased appetite (hyperphagia) and increased sleep (hypersomnia), these people become sad and irritable. Others suffer physical pain such as headaches, arthritis and other symptoms, or they become inactive, despondent, and isolated. Both men and women are affected by gloomy weather; however, Dr. Peter C. Whybrow suggests that, “Women are four times more affected than men” (Whybrow, 1997, p.157) A Mood Apart. Depression happens particularly on grey days when the sun doesn’t shine and the atmospheric environment is dark and heavy. People’s spirits also mirror the dark and heavy weather around them as they internalize the environment. The effects of SAD are felt more by those people who live in the frigid zones of the world, such as Canada, Alaska, Russia, and other Scandinavian countries. “SAD is more common in Alaska than in San Diego” (Whybrow, 1997, p.157).A mood apart. In hot countries like Africa and Saudi Arabia, people don’t experience SAD because the sun always shines there. Emotions are affected because of a chemical hormonal imbalance, and a decrease in melatonin in the brain. SAD is caused by a chemical imbalance, lack of sunlight, and loss of rhythm of the brain’s biological clock.
Some people become so disturbed, so they fall into an anti-social behavior and some studies even suggest that there is a significant relationship between criminal behavior and weather conditions, according to Dr. Dexter, who analyzed the 12-year police and weather statistics of New York and Denver, misbehavior is noticed less on calm days than on windy days, because, when weather is calm the air contains an excess amount of carbon dioxide, which lessens vitality. Also, murders increase during dry and windy periods, because of the high prevailing electric potentiality of the atmosphere. In addition, DR. Dexter continues, in summer people are more outdoors, having free time and opportunities to commit acts of violence. In winter, living becomes difficult; people steal and commit other acts against property. Moreover, suicides are fewest in physically comfortable weather. (Dexter, 1992). During SAD periods chemical imbalances occur in very precise ways. “Doctor Lewy suggests that “in most SAD sufferers the timing of production of melatonin drifts away from its usual cycle during the winter months…the drift in timing of the pineal gland’s nocturnal production of melatonin…reflects loss of harmony ” (Whybrow, 1997, p.160). Secondly, the decrease in melatonin is caused by decreased sunlight during the dark winter months. In humans “the brain registers the cycles of daylight as our eyes take in the changing light and a signal is transmitted via the optic nerve” (Whybrow, 1997, p.160).Thirdly, “the brain’s biological clock is disrupted. There is a loss of rhythm because these clocks efficiently set body rhythms of temperature, energy, sleep, and sexual behavior to coordinate with the daily and seasonal cycles of the earth.” (Whybrow, 1997, p.154). The normal behavior of SAD sufferers is disrupted when distress starts in the fall with a loss of energy and social activities, and people sleep more and prefer to eat starchy foods, and get into a gloomy mood . (Whybrow, 1997, p.155). “Especially during the winter months, the victims of SAD experience difficulty in synchronizing their body rhythms, developing a sort of seasonal jet lag that varies in severity depending upon the latitude at which they live”. (Whybrow, 1997, p.157). Doctors have found that SAD syndrome cannot be improved by regular artificial lights found in the home. The lighting in most homes is too weak to influence the daily rhythm of melatonin. The brain’s color perception of the artificial lighting in most homes is like living in darkness . (Whybrow, 1997, p.159-160). Researchers Lewy, Wehr, and Rodenthal spent many years searching for a solution to SAD and, “they constructed a lamp with the brilliance of a spring morning, a light source some ten times more powerful than the average room lighting, and extended the winter day by instructing their subjects to read or work beside this source of artificial springtime for approximately two hours, night and morning. P.g 161ibid.“ SAD sufferers improved within a few days. “Their sleep was shorter but more restful, the craving for carbohydrates diminished and the depressed mood began to lift. Furthermore, when the bright light was removed or replaced with one of lower intensity. The symptoms returned” (Whybrow, 1997, p.161).Even melatonin thearapy may not be the answer. “Some researchers have suggested that the SAD syndrome is mediated by melatonin…Small doses of melatonin, appropriately timed, appear to be helpful in overcoming jet lag but, as yet, there is little evidence that use of melatonin alone can alleviate winter depression.” (Whybrow, 1997, p.161).

In conclusion, even though SAD can make the world appear gloomy, depressed or evil and the condition can disrupt chemicals in the brain, a person’s good mood and their biological clock, all is not lost. Fortunately, SAD can be treated through artificial means, such as, light therapy, counseling, anti-depressants and melatonin when accompanied by other reliefs. SAD cures may also be found in the form of a powerful sunlamp, which can be turned on at will, as people need it, to bring back sunshine and good feelings in their lives.
Bibliography
Dexter, D. E. (1992, Septemper Monday). TIME magzine. Retrieved April 10, 2001, from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,927788,00.html
Sansfeld, F. &. (2008). The Impact of the Enviroment on Psychiatric Disorder. New Jeresey: Jhon Wiley @ Sons, Inc.
WhyBrow, R. C. (1997). A Mood Apart. Michigan: BasicBooks.