I’ve never quite understood the idea of the proverbial rain cloud that takes residence over the head of anyone in a bad mood. In fact, it seems as though the vast majority of media portrays the occasional downpour as a negative thing, constantly associating it with bad luck or depression. Most seem to forget just how beneficial a rainstorm can be on the physical, mental and emotional state and I believe people should learn how to use the occurrence of rain to their benefit.
Inclement weather such as rain storms does limit your options for the day—you’re less likely to leave the house and go run errands if you’re at the risk of catching a cold—but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Everyone, even the most hard-working of people, needs and deserves a break at some point from the constant barrage of commitments during the average day to relax and unwind. Storms offer just that, a perfect opportunity to stay at home and rest, if only for a day or two.
It’s not like rain storms severely limit what you can accomplish anyway. Stormy weather can calm the senses and allow heightened focus for activities like studying and reading. The sound of rainfall is a natural example of ambient white noise. According to Dr. Ralph Pascualy of Northwest Hospital Sleep Center, constant white noise dampens the brain’s internal systems and allows it to focus on one particular thing. A fair amount of people actually use simulated rain storm noises while studying for this very reason.
Rainfall as white noise is also beneficial to those with sleeping disorders. The brain focusing on one singular noise structure allows it to easily shut that structure off and fall asleep.
Of course, it’s also important to focus on the effect rain storms have on the environment. Yes, there may be a bit of mud on the sidewalk and you might not be able to sit on any benches for a while, but this type of weather is integral to the welfare of the environment we inhabit. Plants require water to survive and rain is their primary source of hydration, especially during the drier seasons. After it rains, there always seems to be a sense of freshness to the surrounding area, improving both the mood of the community and the health of the area it inhabits.
For those that feel their mood worsens during the rainy season, it’s not entirely due to the weather itself. Various weather conditions don’t change the mood of an individual, so much as they amplify pre-existing emotions if said emotions are already negative. A study published in a 2008 edition of the Emotion Journal found that individuals in positive moods were much less affected by factors like temperature and amount of sunlight than those in negative moods.
Overall, rainy weather has no fair reason to be viewed as a hindrance to activity or a negative change in mood. It should instead be viewed as a tool to increase productivity, preserve a healthy community or even just give a few blissful hours of peace.