Do you get angry when the weather turns hot? Now, here’s a theory that explains why our mood changes during summers.
A research team in Poland conducted a study to find the link between rising temperature and stress levels, and they revealed that cortisol, the stress hormone, rises during summers due to heat. Cortisol, which regulate salt, fluid and sugar across the body, is lower in winter.
Pathophysiologist Dr Dominika Kanikowska of Poznan University of Medical Sciences said more cortisol was seen circulating in the body during warm weather. “These non-intuitive findings contradict traditional concepts of the taxing physical toll of winter and the relaxed ease of summer,” Kanikowska shared.
Their research also showed that criminals engaged in increased violence when the climate was warmer.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first experiment attempting to find the connection between warm weather and mood swings. According to Nancy Molitor, an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry and behavioral science at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, everyone’s fuse is going to be a bit shorter during summers due to myriad of reasons including sleeping trouble, dehydration and restrictions on our daily activities.
A lack of control over the situation may further irritate some people, she said, according to Live Science.
Molitor advises people to avoid making any important decisions if the summer heat makes you feel irritated, as one might regret the choice later.
To avoid mood swings, it’s important to stay hydrated throughout the day. If you want to workout, make sure to do it in the morning or in the evening when the weather is cooler.
