Let’s find out how winter weather can affect your brain and behavior
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When you think of winter what comes to mind, snowflakes, mittens, reindeer? In much of the Northern Hemisphere, winter means cooler temperatures, shorter days, and late-year holidays. Along with these changes, growing research in psychology and related fields suggests that winter also brings about some profound changes in the way people think, feel, and behave. Although identifying seasonal trends in a population is one thing, trying to figure out why they exist is much more difficult. Some effects of winter are linked to cultural norms and practices, while others likely reflect our bodies’ innate biological responses to changing weather and ecological conditions.
The natural and cultural changes that accompany winter often occur simultaneously, making it challenging to isolate the underlying causes of these seasonal changes. With our colleagues Alexandra Wormley and Mark Schaller, we recently conducted a comprehensive survey of these findings. Winter Blues and Long Naps Do you find yourself feeling down during the winter months? you’re not alone. As the days get shorter, the American Psychiatric Association estimates that about 5% of Americans will experience a form of depression, known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. People experiencing SAD have feelings of hopelessness, decreased motivation to participate in activities they usually enjoy, and lethargy.
Even people who do not meet the diagnostic threshold for this disorder may see increased anxiety and depressive symptoms; In fact, some estimates suggest that more than 40% of Americans experience these symptoms to some degree during the winter months. Scientists link the more general increase in SAD and depression in winter to decreased exposure to sunlight, which reduces levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Consistent with the idea that sunlight plays an important role, SAD is more common in northern regions of the world, such as Scandinavia and Alaska, where the days are shortest and winters are longest. Humans, no matter how special we are, are not unique in showing certain changes associated with seasonality.
For example, our close relative the rhesus macaque shows seasonal declines in mood. Some scientists have noted that SAD shows many similarities to hibernation – the long nap during which brown bears, ground squirrels and many other species reduce their metabolism and cool out in the worst of the winter. Seasonal affective disorder may have its roots in adaptations that conserve energy at a time of year when food was typically scarce and when lower temperatures create greater energetic demands on the body. Winter is known to be a time of year when many people gain some extra weight. Research shows that diets are at their worst during the winter, and waist sizes are at their highest.
In fact, a recent review of studies on the topic found that the average weight increases by about 1 to 3 pounds (0.5 to 1.3 kg) during the holiday season, although overweight or obese people gain more weight. In addition to overindulging in abundant holiday feasts at the end of the year, the chances of weight gain are high. In our ancestral past, in many places, winter meant that food became more scarce. Winter may be an evolutionary adaptation to the reduction in exercise and changes in how much and what people eat. If ancestors who had these responses to cold, winter environments were at an advantage, evolutionary processes will ensure that the adaptations are passed on to their descendants, coded in our genes.
Sex, Generosity and Focus In addition to winter-related changes in mood and waist lines, the season brings many other changes to the way people think and interact with others. A less discussed seasonal effect is that people become more fearful during the winter months. Researchers found this by analyzing condom sales, sexually transmitted disease rates, and Internet searches for pornography and prostitution, all of which show biennial cycles, peaking in the late summer and again in the winter months. Birth rate data also show that in the US and other countries in the Northern Hemisphere, women are more likely to conceive in the winter months than at other times of the year. Although this phenomenon is widely observed, the reason for its existence is unclear.
Researchers have suggested several explanations, including health benefits for infants born in late summer when food may have historically been more abundant, changes in sex hormones resulting from changes in libido, increased intimacy induced by the holiday season. Desires, and increased chances of having a physical relationship. However, changes in sexual opportunities are probably not the whole story, given that winter brings not only an increase in sexual behavior, but also greater desire and interest in sex. Winter increases sexual desire even more. Studies show that during this time of year, people may find it easier to concentrate at school or work. Neuroscientists in Belgium found that performance on tasks measuring sustained attention was best during winter.
Research suggests that seasonal changes in serotonin and dopamine levels from reduced exposure to daylight may help explain changes in cognitive function during winter. Again, there are parallels with other animals – for example, African striped rats navigate mazes better during winter. And there may be a grain of truth in the idea of generous Christmas spirit. Countries where the holiday is widely celebrated see huge increases in charitable giving rates around this time of year. And people become more generous tippers, with people tipping about 4% more during the holiday season. This trend is likely not due to snowy surroundings or dark days, but is a response to altruistic values associated with the winter holidays that encourage behavior such as generosity.
People change with the seasons Like many other animals, we are seasonal creatures. In winter, people eat more, move less and socialize more. You may feel a little more depressed, but also be kinder to others and find it easier to pay attention. As psychologists and other scientists research such seasonal effects, it may turn out that the effects of winter we know about are just a few.
Disclaimer: IndiaTheNews has not edited this news. This news has been published from PTI-language feed.
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