It’s always the same: Each Saturday (perfectly on time!), the sun says goodbye to the sky and thunderclouds say hello instead. And with the thunderclouds comes a a pretty bad headache. How can it be that a bit of rain has an impact on our mental health?
Rapid change of weather
The whole thing is connected with the rapid change of temperature and air pressure. Our body reacts to the weather. Whether sun or rain, heat or cold – the organism constantly adapts to temperature fluctuations and changes in air pressure. Normally, this happens unconsciously. However, some weather-sensitive people react to a rapid change in weather more sensitively than others. The brain vessels have to get used to the new situation in changeable sun-rain-mix weather and sometimes react to it with pain.
There is after all headache-inducing weather
A group of Boston neurologists is looking at just these weather-related headaches. According to research, current data from the National Weather Service were compared with the time of the occurring headache of over 70000 patients were compared. The researchers found that both a temperature increase and the decline of air pressure were headache-promoting: Changes in barometric pressure of just five millimeters increased headache risk by an average of six percent. Moreover, ambient temperatures need only increase by five degrees and the likelihood of a headache increases by 7.5 percent. Especially in unstable weather conditions a decrease of pressure takes place. This then often causes headache.
You can do something against your weather sensitivity
Well, there’s not much you can do about the lousy weather and you’ll have to change your weekend plans in the short term. But with some measures you can at least get rid of your headaches in the long run. Regular walks in the fresh air or endurance sports such as cycling or jogging are quick remedies. It’s relatively easy to train your circulation so that you don’t fall flat with every little drop of rain: All endurance sports that take place outdoors are suitable for this. If you don’t feel like doing any sports, a trip to the sauna and alternating showers can also help. This trains the blood vessels and helps them cope better with changes in the weather in the future. Of course, painkillers also help in the short term, but in an emergency you should take them at the onset of the headache to ensure that they are effective enough.
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