Weather and Behaviour

Weather and animal behaviour

The behaviour of animals is often closely linked to the approaching weather. It is suggested that bees stay close to their hives when a summer rainstorm is on the way, while birds fly close to the ground, increase their foraging or even gather to roost before the bad weather sets in. During good weather, birds fly higher in the sky, while even spiders are supposed to be more active.

So how does the weather affect our behaviour?
We perform at our best when our bodies are not under stress from our surroundings, and that includes the weather. But different aspects of weather can have very specific effects on us.

Pressure
Atmospheric pressure is continually fluctuating, and researchers in the Ukraine have found that slight low-frequency atmospheric oscillations can influence human mental activity, causing significant changes in attention and short term memory functions. So next time you find it hard to concentrate at work, blame it on the pressure!

Temperature and humidity
The body finds it hard to cope with extremes of temperature, either producing enough heat to keep us warm in very low temperatures or getting rid of our own internally produced heat when temperatures are high.

In heatwaves, where the temperature is significantly higher than expected for the time of year, people tend to behave more irrationally. New York City sees regular summer crime waves, which are believed to be as a result of the hot weather.

Hot humid days are the worst possible combination in terms of affecting our behaviour, causing periods of sleeplessness, decreased general activity, poorer vigilance, poorer reaction times and performance, irritability and lethargy.

Cooler days, with lower humidity, tend to increase alertness and general activity, and improve moods.

Sunshine

The hypothalamus is the part of the brain that rules our body's main functions (mood, activity, sleep, temperature, appetite and sex drive). It is stimulated by the natural light that passes through the retinas in our eyes, and when less light is available these functions slow down.

Up to half a million people in the UK are thought to experience SAD, with a further one in five of the population experiencing a milder form - sub-syndrome SAD. Symptoms vary from tiredness during the day and overeating to loss of libido and aggressive behaviour.

Wind
How often do you hear people say that the wind is driving them crazy! A persistent or noisy wind can lead to an increase in tiredness and irritability, or even a sudden decrease in mood. Some school teachers have noticed that children tend to be more irritable and that there are more playground 'upsets' when it is windy.

Seasonal winds are known as 'ill winds' in many cultures and have a variety of names such as the föhn (Alps), Mistral (southern France), Chinooks (western Canada and the USA) and the Sharav (Middle East). They are linked to feelings of anxiety, stress, depression and sleepless nights.

When these winds blow, temperatures can increase by up to 15°C in as little as two hours. As they are common in mountainous regions they are often responsible for avalanches. Studies have linked these winds to an increase in traffic accidents, crime and suicide rates, and they have even been taken into account during legal proceedings! A survey by Germany's Allensbach Institute found that a third of their respondents said that föhn-like weather affected their health.

The exact reason why these winds have such extreme effects is unknown, but it has been suggested that it may be the electrical charge of the air. When people are exposed to negatively charged air they report feeling positive and vice versa. Warm winds, such as those mentioned above are positively charged.

Homes and offices today are built to be airtight. Heating and air-conditioning depletes negative ions, leaving the positive ones to re-circulate and reduce our moods. As we spend less and less time outside due to pressures at work and home our bodies are also going to be less exposed and less adapted to different weather conditions.

But if you've ever wondered why the air feels so good after a heavy downpour - it's nature's way of creating negative ions, so get outside and soak them up!