Let’s see how Monsoon Season impacts Mental Health. While weather fluctuations can elevate mood, the long, rainy days of seasonally-induced and unrelenting gloomy grey days, like many get during monsoon, may impact one’s mental health in some unexpected ways. While the sound of rain is often comforting, season changes in the capital leave people with swings in mood, lethargy, and seasonal depression. The more pronounced variations in sunlight can lead to feelings of decreased motivation, restlessness and stress levels.
Awareness around how monsoon impacts mental health can lead to mindfulness during this period for people to manage their mental and emotional health.
Mood swings in the context of monsoons tend to relate to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which is sometimes diagnosed following reductions in sunlight during seasonal changes. The absence of sunlight reduces sunlight and regulates serotonin levels that at times lead to the following symptoms:
a. Reduced energy levels, lethargy
b. Increased irritability
c. Difficulty concentrating
Extended cloudy and rainy days can interrupt the body’s circadian rhythms and disrupt one’s typical response to sleeping during certain parts of the day. During this time of the year, it is common that reduced exposure to sunlight replaced by clouds and rain can inhibit the body’s normal regulation of melatonin (and other bodily responses), which can likely lead to the following:
a. Experiencing temporary hypersomnia (oversleeping) or difficulties getting out of bed
b. Feeling sluggish, ineffective, and lethargic all day long
c. In ability to fall asleep and stay asleep, which tighten the regulation of humidity and temperature, drops sleep quality
Monsoon season brings heavy rains, flooding, and delays in travel related to rain, and can increase stress and anxiety, especially for those commuting or switching transit. Unpredictable weather can lead to more commuting frustrations especially if made worse by reduced communications with co-passengers during season-related delays. Especially for people who tend to be prone to stress, seasonal delays may heighten anxious feelings.
a. Increased levels of frustration due to unplanned delays
b. Anxious feelings of isolation from staying indoors
c. Heightened levels of anxiety for those who are prone to stress to begin with
As the monsoon season makes outdoor adventures and socialization difficult, you may feel both low and lonely. If you find yourself indoors too long, you may experience the following:
Social withdrawal: resulting in boredom
Not having the enthusiasm to participate in any activities
Overly relying on social media and other digital means of communication rather than seeing friends and family in-person.
There are some strategies to mitigate the adversities the monsoon will bring to your mental health and experts conclude that you may be able to:
-Get as much sunlight as possible. Sit by the window, or use problems with indirect or artificial light.
-Continue a normal routine: Get up and go to bed at the same time and eat at the same time every day.
-Move. Exercise and yoga are a great way to get out of a mental funk, literally, get off the couch and move.
-Practice mindfulness: Understand that you can manage your negativity through meditation and relaxation strategies.
-Ask for help: Reach out to friends and family. Go to dinner or run an errand together or pick up a phone and reach out.
ALSO READ: Top 5 common diseases caused by monsoon and how to stay healthy
There will be a lot to manage with your mood and emotional safety this monsoon season, but recognize, you can learn new, healthy coping strategies to incorporate, and you can also manage the way the elements will affect your mental health. Acknowledge season changes in weather and plan preventive measures that will allow you to remain balanced and maintain a positive mindset during the rainy season.
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