Suppose we could determine the weather from now on. With everything included. Preferably by mobile phone: “Send SONNE or WOLKENLOS to 9999!” Done. A fascinating thought at first glance. Only: Whose weather wishes were then fulfilled? What if we wanted sun for our barbecue and the neighborhood farmer needed rain for his harvest? In the end, only the majority decision would remain. But we know how such votes turn out and how satisfied we are with it. Nothing would change. “Weather 2.0” would also remain the apple of discord and the number one topic for small talk. Because it’s on our minds, the question of whether it’s going to rain today or not. Strappy sandals or rain cape? No day begins without such a decision. “ We are children of nature.Humans have spent more than 99 percent of their developmental history in the wild,” explains bio-psychologist Prof. Peter Walschburger from Freie Universität Berlin.
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Does our mood depend on the weather?
“We descended from survivors who had to adapt to day and night fluctuations and to good and bad weather patterns. Our moods are rooted in nature. John Sharp, psychiatrist at the renowned Harvard Medical School in Boston/USA, goes even further: “Each of us has very personal and emotional connections to the seasons.” And the expert is convinced that they go far beyond everyday psychology Experience shows that we are “in a better mood” on a hot summer day in August than on a cloudy October day. “However, our psyche is not only influenced by the weather conditions,” explains Sharp. “Each season also has social and cultural expectations that guide us. Thanks giving andFor example, children find Christmas exciting, while adults often find it stressful.”
Events trigger emotions
In addition, according to Sharp, everyone carries memories of life events that are emotionally and temporally linked to one of the four seasons. “When we feel them or when the snow crunches under our feet in winter, certain images are awakened in us that can change our feelings, expectations and our view of the future.” So it’s no wonder that we choose the weather for Blame everything – headaches, bad moods, food cravings, argumentative spirits, trouble sleeping, aggression at the wheel, traffic jams on the way home, train delays… It’s a welcome scapegoat, a reliable frustration outlet.
The memories play tricks on us
The weather isn’t always to blame
Sometimes the weather seems so familiar that we imagine we can influence it: “Of course it won’t rain today. I’ve got an umbrella with me.” – “Tomorrow will be great weather. I ate everything today.” In such cases, psychologists speak of “magical thinking”, which is actually typical for children, and of an illusion of control. We like to have everything under control, want to feel safe and not at the mercy of others – and unknowingly overshoot the mark. Basically, this is human and not further tragic. “But we Germans are pretty spoiled when it comes to the weather,” says Prof. Jürgen Kleinschmidt, physicist and doctor at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich.
The weather, let the weather be
“We have high expectations of how it should look.” Too high. We have pretty good things in Germany: On average, we could look forward to 1550 hours of sunshine every year. But that’s exactly what we do far too seldom. Instead, we enviously squint at California or Crete (300 days of sunshine a year). On top of that, we tend to think in black and white. A summer that doesn’t deserve the title “summer of the century” isn’t one. And a winter that isn’t over by early March at the latest becomes, thanks to “Bild”, a “Russian boot”, a “cold ass kick” that makes Europe shiver. To stay with the metaphor: the weather itself doesn’t give a damn. Weather is weather, no matter what we think or hope. Scientists have calculated an average comfortable temperature of between 20 and 25 degrees for Homo sapiens.
Make the most of every season
“Conversely, you can freeze at 20 degrees if you are tired or hardly move.” In plain language: It is up to us what we make of the circumstances. Every weather has its advantages. A basic idea of the so-called positive psychology helps here: focus on what is already good. Yes, the clouds hardly leave a blue hole. But it’s not raining. yes it is hot But the heat can be tricked. The creators of “Sesame Street” found this change of perspective so important that they addressed it in the very first episode from 1969: A little boy looks out the window. It mizzles. He gets dressed and convinces his father to take him outside. Together they laugh at the funny wipers and watch the circles that raindrops conjure up everywhere. “Rain is fun,” says the boy at the end. “Especially when you’ve got the right clothes on.” It’s as simple as that. Let’s be honest: Always being in the sun would get on your nerves too.Every cuddling evening on the sofa would make us mad. And what would become of the new winter coat and hip overknee boots? Just.
So that the weather doesn’t spoil your mood
sweltering heat? Stay cool
- Sit in the shade or just inside in front of the fan with a clear conscience. Don’t venture out until late afternoon. Incidentally, the best way to enjoy the mild air of a summer evening is to be well rested.
- To avoid sweating, cool your arms and legs regularly with cold water straight from the tap. A lukewarm foot bath also brings relief.
- Sage tea reduces perspiration. Recipe: Pour boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of chopped sage leaves in a large cup, let steep for 10 minutes, strain, allow to cool and drink in sips.
- Studies show that there are more traffic accidents when it is hot because the level of aggression increases with the temperature. The bio-psychologist Prof. Peter Walschburger warns: “Especially working people who are already under stress should take the bike or the train now.”
weather change? no problem
- Rapid changes in temperature easily affect mood because they throw blood pressure out of balance. It goes down when it’s suddenly warm, which makes us feel sluggish, and it goes up when there’s a cold snap: we’re more nervous than usual, we’re tense.
- In the long term, going to the sauna once a week helps to better tolerate weather fluctuations. The alternation of hot and cold stimulates blood circulation. For this purpose, it is better to spend a shorter time in the 90-degree sauna than in the 60-degree organic sauna for a longer period of time.
Continuous rain? Smile small
- Don’t look out the window, just enjoy your home! Aromatherapy brings a sunny mood: Put 20 drops of bergamot oil with water in an aroma lamp and breathe in the rising essential oils.
- Paint your good mood on the wall! Color psychologists recommend yellow. If artificial light shines on it, we feel like the sun is shining on us. Also great: rose-colored walls, because they calm you down. In the USA and recently also in North Rhine-Westphalia, even prison cells are painted in the soft colour.
