cranky Archives - Tena Stetler

May 12th Why Wind Makes us Cranky

Have you ever noticed yourself becoming restless on windy days? Studies suggest that this phenomenon may not simply be coincidental. It’s thought the wind’s influence can alter our emotions and behavior in unexpected ways, leading to feelings of discomfort, anger, or unease. Let’s see why wind can make us cranky.

Leaves rustling in the wind, trees swaying back and forth and feeling its chill on our skin and in our minds. Wind can make us irritable but also has soothing or cooling properties at times. Why do such powerful forces of nature have such an immense effect on human emotions and temperaments?

Did you know negative associations with wind can affect our nervous systems? Wind can be unpredictable and noisy in its effects on us, prompting an elevated state of alert or creating stress. Our nervous systems were designed to detect changes that required rapid responses – when winds become strong our body becomes more likely to trigger “fight or flight” mode releasing stress hormones like cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine into circulation as a defense response mechanism.

Hormonal changes in response to wind can make us unnerved or anxious as our bodies prepare themselves to respond to potential danger. While wind might not directly threaten us, its constant stimulation makes calming down difficult.

Our skin is one of the primary sources of sensory information and as such is sensitive to environmental changes; when wind blows across your skin it creates a constant and fluctuating stream of sensation that becomes irritating over time – particularly if combined with cold temperatures or heat waves.

Wind can also contribute to skin dehydration by evaporating moisture off its surface and leaving behind dryness, tightness, itchiness, and general discomfort – adding further aggravation for sufferers of both conditions.

Pressure changes caused by wind gusts may alter our inner ear causing dizziness, disorientation or nausea thusly contributing to greater feelings of irritation during windy conditions.

Wind can have an immediate and significant effect on our hair and clothing when out and about in the wind, creating inconvenience to those who spend hours maintaining their look indoors only to have it destroyed the minute you walk outside. Okay, I admit that I am not one of those people. I do my best, but in Colorado, the breeze blows, and so does your hair. Also, wind blowing skirts up or causing clothing to stick can make us feel awkward or make us self-conscious, worsening our already present physiological irritability and worsening overall mood in windy conditions.

Wind can make people irate due to physical discomfort caused by windburn and debris, atmospheric pressure shifts (yep, my bones and joints put me on alert) or humidity level variations and disruption to daily activities such as outdoor work or leisure pursuits. Additionally, you may experience emotional stress or anxiety because of strong winds’ unpredictable and inextricable nature.

I’ve given you a few reasons for wind caused cranky. But what can we do about it? Finding ways to cope with or mitigate its effects – for instance through stress reduction techniques or skin and body protection strategies can make even the blusteriest days more manageable.

Recognizing and acknowledging these potential effects of wind on our mood and well-being can help us better cope with its presence, mitigating its adverse impact. By seeking shelter or altering plans as necessary or taking deep breaths to stay calm we can learn to weather this unpredictable element.