Weather or Not

Does the weather ever get you down? You've heard Liz and I lament over the snow and bone-chilling temperatures all winter, then may have noticed a spring in our step when our Windy City weather improved and we could shed our layers. With last week being gray and gloomy, my mood seemed to coincide with the weather--difficulty getting out of bed, mopey, finding it hard to focus, and sounding like Eeyore every time I spoke. Plus Sunday's snow put a damper on my Shamrock Shuffle plans, leaving me to spend yet another day working out at the gym and spending an afternoon indoors.

So it got me thinking, can weather affect your mood? I figured I couldn't be the only fluke out there and right away, a study released in October 2008 popped up on WebMD. Only problem the results from this study done in Germany didn't produce the results I expected. I guess I've taken living in the Windy City for granted and didn't even take into account how wind could affect mood. And apparently it can give you a negative mood moreso in the spring and summer than the fall and winter. Not many were fans of the shorter days--I'd hate to live in the far north where it's even more dark in December--and darker moods could put you at risk for seasonal affective disorder. And I knew there was a reason I'm always eager to get outside when the temps heat up and the sun comes out more frequently. Not only do I feel better, but according to this 2004 study, my mood is elevated from spending time outdoors when it's nice out. But I'm starting to think that maybe I'm spending too much time outside in the summer so it's making that winter indoor time even tougher to struggle through. Or maybe I'm just crazy. Let us know if you've met your match when the weather goes sour. Photo grabbed from Photobucket. Posted by Kate