Winter's Grip: Exploring the Positive and Negative Effects of Cold Weather on Mental Wellbeing

"The effect of colder weather can vary depending on the person; and focusing on the link between our environment and mental well-being is critical."

Mia Molnar

Context:

The days grow shorter, the sunlight fades earlier, and the chill in the air seems to seep into our bones. Yet, for some, the cold is not just a change in weather—it is a change in how they feel. The weather eventually gets cooler, and the wind begins to pick up; with behaviors and attitudes shifting along with the climate. Seasonal depression is common, with many believing that it exclusively targets individuals in the winter. While this belief is quite common, and partly true depending on the person, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that is related to changes in all seasons (1), not only through the change into winter months. There have been numerous studies and cases where the change into warmer months has negatively affected the well-being of some individuals, with the change into colder months positively affecting their mental welfare. It can be concluded that through the change into colder temperatures, there are many positive and negative impacts that can affect one’s mental well-being. So, why exactly does the drop in temperature have such an impact on our mental health, and what is REALLY happening in our brains as the winter months unfold?

1) “Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

The Cognitive Advantages of Embracing Colder Weather:

The effect of colder weather can vary depending on the person; and focusing on the link between our environment and mental well-being is critical. Jamie T. Mullins and Corey White investigated this matter concerning the relationship between temperature and various mental health outcomes, including suicide, aggression, and hospitalization for mental disorders. They found a positive association between increasing temperature and suicide rates and concluded that cold temperatures reduce negative mental health outcomes while hot temperatures increase them. (2) With this evidence, they also determined that there were vital effects of elevated temperatures on hospitalizations for schizophrenia, particularly in males and older individuals. These negative effects of warmer weather further prove and contrast against the positive effects of embracing chillier weather on mental health. Colder weather also has been shown to produce a multitude of positive effects on mental and physical health including boosting the immune system, burning more calories, improving sleep quality, and reducing inflammation. (3) Speaking more in depth about each of these effects, colder weather boosting the immune system is first up. Colder weather stimulates white blood cell production in your body, which can then defend your body from illnesses. The effect of feeling healthy physically often corresponds to mental health improving, with the reduction of stress and anxiety that may be linked with sickness in winter. Chillier weather can also lead to your body burning more calories as a result of attempting to keep internal heat stable. Exercising during colder weather also aids the production of endorphins, which are also known as the “feel-good” hormones. Exercise feeds oxygen to your brain and helps you sleep better, think more clearly, and stay focused longer. These positive hormones can help with the negative feelings that may follow because of seasonal depression. Wintry weather also improves sleep quality through the decrease in internal temperature. This natural lowering of your body’s heat makes sleep conditions ideal. Quality sleep is extremely important and will benefit your mental health. Lastly, colder weather has been proven to behave as a natural inflammatory and can assist in the aiding of sore muscles and joints. Embracing the chilly air can stimulate a calm mind and body, leading to a recovery of one’s mental well-being. Crisp weather, as is usual in winter, can be extremely beneficial to your mental and physical health; yet, still for some, this colder weather brings nothing but negatives.

2) Mullins, Jamie T, and Corey White. “Temperature and Mental Health: Evidence from the Spectrum of Mental Health Outcomes.” Journal of Health Economics

3) Woolf, Elana. “Managing the Winter Weather Blues: How Cold Fresh Air Can Boost Your Mental and Physical Health.” The Woolf Center

Winter's Negative Impact on Mental Well-Being:

When speaking about seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the primary cause that usually comes to mind is due to the change into colder weather. This claim is extremely likely given that around 11 million people (about twice the population of Arizona) in the United States have been diagnosed with SAD. For a large majority of these cases, the cause is proven to be the shift into winter months. The change into colder months primarily does three things: less access to sunlight, less time outdoors, and frostier temperatures. (4) In the wintertime, the days get shorter and darker, with a direct effect on the availability of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is used to create serotonin, and serotonin is used to regulate mood, sleep, and other bodily functions. (5) Due to the decrease in Vitamin D available, there is also a direct negative impact on your mood, including feelings of sadness and depression. The change into winter months also causes difficulty when attempting to spend time outdoors as it is harder to get outside and get the exercise you need when unfamiliar, wintry temperatures are against you. Exercise and mental health have been proven to be closely intertwined, and this drawback makes it easy to obtain a negative headspace during the colder months. Lastly, transitioning into cold months brings freezing temperatures along with it. After research on the correlation, it has been shown that freezing temperatures do have a direct impact on an increase in melatonin production. Melatonin regulates sleep and can lead to you feeling low energy and in a low mood especially when the weather is cold. Adding on to the lack of Vitamin D, there is also the possibility for an alteration in a person’s circadian rhythm, the body’s natural sleep and wake cycle that usually lasts for about 24 hours. The longer nights and shorter days cause your body to need to rewire. When the circadian rhythm changes, it interrupts the cycle, which can cause moderate to severe depression that can last for up to six months. The change into colder months also means the arrival of holidays and spending time with family. While on the surface spending time with family is a beneficial thing, there can also be a drastic increase in tension and stress due to familial issues. Families tend to be together more often because school is out for a few weeks and potentially due to weather conditions. With increased interaction — and more opportunities to push each other’s buttons — can come more family fighting. (6) This new variable can introduce new impacts on behavior and mindset, resulting in negative mental health. It is crucial to take care of yourself when the colder months begin, and focusing on getting enough exercise and sleep may be a good start.

4) “3 Ways Colder, Darker Weather Can Affect Your Mood.” 3 Ways Colder, Darker Weather Can Affect Your Mood: Boston Neurobehavioral Associates

5 Raypole, Crystal. “Happy Hormones: What They Are and How to Boost Them.” Healthline, Healthline Media

6) Embark Behavioral Health. “Winter Mental Health: Helping Teens and Young Adults Cope.” Embark Behavioral Health

Cold Weather's Influence on Brain Chemistry

Aside from mental health, chilly weather also has a deep root in the brain’s chemical composition. All temperature changes in the brain affect the firing of neurons. Lining the membranes of nerve cells are molecular pumps that electrically charge up the cells with energy that they release during brain activity (7). Activity in the brain, including the cerebral cortex, can usually begin to shut down when the core temperature drops. Also due to the drop in degrees, cold-sensing nerves in the skin send electrical signals to a specific region of the hypothalamus called the preoptic area, which regulates body temperature. (8) When your body gets cold, nerve signals from your brain, specifically your hypothalamus, come together to initiate the creation of various responses to counter-act the weather: including shivering, goosebumps, and chattering of teeth. Sicknesses and colds run rampant in the winter months, dragging along allergies and bacteria with them. Your nasal cavity helps trap substances that enter your body through your nose yet starting the development of allergies and the irritation of your lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are your immune system’s command center, and your immune cells multiply and divide as they prepare to respond to invading substances. When you are sick, your immune system "talks" to your brain by releasing chemical messengers called cytokines, which travel through the bloodstream and bind to receptors on neurons in the brain, essentially signaling to the brain that an infection is present. Your body’s survival instinct signals to the brain that an unknown substance is present, with the result being your brain pumping blood into your vital organs, creating the responses that occur during the colder weather to keep you safe.

“Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective- disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651. Accessed 07 Jan. 2025.

Chapman, Andrew. “How Cold Affects the Brain.” The Scientist Magazine®, 7 Mar. 2024, www.the-scientist.com/how-cold-affects-the-brain-71712. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

Chen, Jennifer. “Temperature Changes in Brain Affect Neuronal Activity.” Yale School of Medicine, 15 Feb. 2023, medicine.yale.edu/news-article/researchers-discover-temperature- changes-in-brain-affect-neuronal-activity/. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

Embark Behavioral Health. “Winter Mental Health: Helping Teens and Young Adults Cope.” Embark Behavioral Health, 4 June 2024, www.embarkbh.com/blog/mental-health/winter- mental-health/. Accessed 16 Jan. 2025.

Raypole, Crystal. “Happy Hormones: What They Are and How to Boost Them.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 26 July 2022, www.healthline.com/health/happy-hormone. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

“3 Ways Colder, Darker Weather Can Affect Your Mood.” 3 Ways Colder, Darker Weather Can Affect Your Mood: Boston Neurobehavioral Associates: Psychiatry, www.bostonneurobehavioral.com/blog/3-ways-colder-darker-weather-can-affect-your- mood. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

Mullins, Jamie T, and Corey White. “Temperature and Mental Health: Evidence from the Spectrum of Mental Health Outcomes.” Journal of Health Economics, North-Holland, 4 Oct. 2019

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016762961830105X?via%3Dihub. Accessed 09 Jan. 2025.

Woolf, Elana. “Managing the Winter Weather Blues: How Cold Fresh Air Can Boost Your Mental and Physical Health.” The Woolf Center, 13 Dec. 2024, thewoolfcenter.com/winter- mental-health-tips/. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.

Conclusion:

The human brain is affected by all types of weather, especially the change into colder weather and chillier months. For some, the change is beneficial, for others, the change is the opposite. Your brain’s chemical makeup is also modified due to the change into low temperatures with responses, like shivering and goosebumps, intended to increase the internal heat in your body. Your brain is hardwired to deal with these scenarios, and it is fascinating just how your body is built to change during the shift in seasons. There is a lot that happens during the winter periods, and it is best for you to go outside, get a good amount of rest, and take care of yourself as the colder months unfold.

7) Chen, Jennifer. “Temperature Changes in Brain Affect Neuronal Activity.” Yale School of Medicine

8) Chapman, Andrew. “How Cold Affects the Brain.” The Scientist Magazine®

Works Cited:

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