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.
Wind can also be beneficial when you want to go fly a kite or as a alternate source of engery.
Pssst… While you’re here, don’t forget to check out my paranormal romance/mysteries click here.
Well, what do you think? Tell me in the comments!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged cranky, Savage WInds, Tena Stetler, Wind effects on psyche by Tena Stetler with 8 comments.
Interview with Michelle C. Reilly Author of Savage Winds
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Michelle C. Reilly and her time travel romance, Savage Winds.
Michelle, tell us what inspired this particular story.
I actually started this story back in 1990. My mom, who’s passed away, was a huge fan of the Outlander series, and passed her (first edition!) copy of Outlander down to me to read. A few years later, I was reading a history book about the Battle of New Orleans and how the British offered Jean Lafitte a full pardon if he’d assist them against the United States. He passed that letter onto the officials in New Orleans. Word of it was passed to then General Andrew Jackson. He sent a spy to find out if it was true. And immediately the story sprung to life in my mind. That spy became my hero, and I knew it had to have time travel in it.
What secret do you use to blast through writer’s block?
I am a firm believer in allowing the characters drive the story. I’ve only experienced writer’s block once. My character wanted something to happen that wasn’t supposed to happen until further in the story. She wouldn’t let me past it. So, I gave in. I wrote it the way she wanted it, and then eventually made my way around it. Later, I placed this event in where it belonged, and then deleted the portion put in earlier.
Where do your story ideas come from? If they come to you in the middle of the night, do you get up and write them all down?
I often get ideas in the middle of the night. I have a whiteboard in my room where I’ll write things. I also have a notebook in my nightstand drawer. Sometimes I get a ideas while driving. So, I’ll turn on my video recording app on my phone and record the idea.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I like to read, of course. And I also like to do a bit of gaming.
How about a sneak peek between the pages of Savage Winds?The latch lifted and Captain Jacen Stirling entered. When he turned to shut the door, she noticed the captain’s own pants had the same double rows of buttons hers had. She made eye contact and found him staring at her with a stone face. Her mouth dropped open, and she stuttered as she realized he’d noticed where her gaze had been.
“I was… It’s your pants… And mine, too. They’re, like, really old-fashioned.”
He glanced down at his black britches. “My trousers aren’t, I admit, at the height of the Parisian
fashion standards, but since we are currently at war, I believe priorities are in order.”
She blinked. “I know I’ve been busy finishing up my doctorate, but I hadn’t realized things had become
so much worse in the Middle East that they’ve affected fashion trends.”
“The Middle East?”
“Uh huh.”
“Do you speak of war? In the Middle East?”
“Uh, yeah… The last time I checked. Why? What war are you referring to?”
He stood taller. “I speak of war with Great Britain and their continued efforts to prove our young country isn’t valiant enough to stand on its own.”
“Uh huh,” she muttered. Is he off his meds? “Great Britain, huh?”
He gave a curt nod.
“So, you’re, like, talking Revolutionary War?”
“That war ended some time ago. I speak of our current situation that began in 1812.”
“1812?” She suddenly felt like she was watching the final round of Wimbledon and each opponent kept
gaining the edge to win, only to lose it again. “As in one-eight-one-two?”
“No,” he scoffed. “As in one-nine-one-two. What bloody year did you think I was referring to?”
“Oh, you know, nothing like referring to a war that took place over two hundred years ago,” she said dryly.
He froze, and the edges of his lips rose in a grin. “Two hundred years ago? What year do you think this is?”
“I don’t know… Maybe 2017?”
Newsletter: https://www.michellecreilly.com/newsletter/
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Savage Winds!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Michelle C. Reilly, Pirates, Savage WInds, Time Travel Romance, War by Tena Stetler with 18 comments.
