Weather getting you down? 6 tips to overcome the effects of weather

Is the weather making you feel under the weather? Does your body react to weather changes? How do we minimise the impact of weather on our minds and bodies?

Do you know that the weather has a strong impact on our mood? Of course, you do. It is well established that rain usually makes us sad but the sun always makes us happy. Dozens of songs have been sung about how the weather makes us feel. Do you remember Sun King by The Beatles?

Here comes the sun king
Here comes the sun king
Everybody’s laughing
Everybody’s happy
Here comes the sun king

The summer sun undeniably lifts my mood, but with it comes headaches and ugly itchy skin rashes (sorry, TMI). In Barcelona, the weather this summer has been a little indecisive. It’s mostly sunny and the sun can be scorching hot. But suddenly things change and in minutes the skies turn dark. I clicked these two pictures less than 30 minutes apart.

Such drastic weather changes can play havoc on our bodies. Not to mention how hot summers, cold winters, flowering springs and wet rainy days impact us in different ways. So, here are my top six tips to beat the weather and enjoy the beauty of all the seasons.

1. Hydrate
Water is the magical ingredient. Enough is said about how good water is for us and all of it is true. Being well-hydrated keeps the body immune system strong and helps in coping with external changes including weather. Don’t go crazy with the water though. In severe cases drinking too much water too fast could cause water intoxication.

 2. Eat a balanced diet
Our bodies react differently to different temperatures and seasons. When it’s hot, our appetite decreases. When it’s raining, we crave greasy fried food. The trick really is to not change the composition of your diet according to the weather. What I mean by composition is that we should certainly eat all the seasonal fruits and vegetables (and ice-creams in summer), but try and maintain the same balance of nutrients through the year.

3. Exercise (and sleep well)
This is true for all seasons, but especially in cold weather. Cold weather can make us feel tired and sluggish and rainy days can make us lethargic or get us down. Exercising helps in making us warmer in winter and happier all the time.
I cheated a bit and added sleep with the exercise. But sleeping well and exercising are such standard advice, they didn’t merit two separate points. I will just add that we should get our 7-8 hours of sleep, but not over sleep. Our tendency especially in winters and rainy days is to sleep more but that can upset the balance of our bodies and make us feel low. 

4. Get out and socialise

Graffiti in El Raval, Barcelona telling us to watch less Netflix

Bad weather sometimes makes us unsocial – ‘too much effort to go out in the rain’ or ‘it’s too cold’ or ‘it’s too hot’. This could result in cabin fever, mild-depression or as in my case severe Netflix binging. None of which is healthy for us. So, it may seem like a lot of effort but it is well worth it. Doing an activity with a friend and spending time with family and friends helps us in dealing with the silent side-effects of weather.

5. Learn something new
There may not be any medical or scientific research that validates that it helps coping with weather side-effects. But, learning something new is always a good thing. It creates some new excitement in our routine and stimulates our brains or bodies (if you’re taking martial arts or dancing classes). Importantly, learning something new makes us happier.

6. Seek medical help, if necessary
With the weather changes and extreme weather come a variety of illness such as the flu or asthma attacks. We all know this and either take OTC meds for mild cases and/ or go to a doctor. But weather also impacts our mood and mental help. If the weather gets you really down or depressed, you may be suffering from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).  Symptoms include fatigue, changes in appetite, sudden weight changes, etc. Visit a doctor if you have some of the symptoms (please read some more about it on the internet) and please don’t self-medicate.

Hope these help. There are tons of other tips which are really common sense such as spending time in the sun (and using tons of sunscreen) or taking our vitamins. Do let me know in the comments section if you have any special tips of your own. Stay heathy and don’t let the weather rain on your parade.

———————————————————-

All views expressed and recommendations are the author’s personal suggestions, and the author is neither a doctor nor an expert. Please consult your doctor if required and do not use the tips as a substitute for proper medical care.