UNDER THE WEATHER?
Season-by-season look at how the atmosphere affects your body and health
If you’re feeling “under the weather” these days, you’re probably human.
We all are feeling it, whether we’re aware of it or not. Our health remains tethered to the air and light around us, despite all the progress that has given us a certain insularity.
The study of the atmosphere’s effects on our bodies is known as biometeorology, a science that has gone in and out of favor through the centuries.
Hippocrates believed that weather and climate strongly influenced human health. Collecting weather data for health reasons was a major impetus for creation of what became the National Weather Service.
Interest faded by the end of the 19th century with the broad acceptance of germ theory, but it has been making a comeback with concerns about the health impact of a warming planet.
The discipline has suffered from unsupported claims and research limits: The body and the atmosphere meet at one of the most complex intersections of the known universe.
But we can say with high confidence that weather and environment have powerful effects on our health and well-being. Here is a season-by-season look at some of the ways.
Spring
in our bodies.
Experts’ advice: For a small number, it can be a distraction that can lead to low productivity and can lead to exacerbating certain forms of depression. For the overwhelming majority, enjoy the hay out of it while it lasts.
ARTHRITIS
Volatile spring weather and barometric pressure can aggravate symptoms.
Experts’ advice: Keep joints moving with gentle stretches. Both hot and cold compresses can ease pain.
Summer
for natural Vitamin D, courtesy of the sun — and for the ultraviolet radiation that medical research has tied to assorted long-term problems, including skin cancer, and damage to the eyes..
Experts’ advice: Limit exposure to sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., keep body parts covered as much as possible, wear sunglasses, and use an SPF 30 sunscreen or stronger.
Fall SEASONAL BLUES
The days get shorter rapidly in September and October, and it is natural to feel enervated, melancholy, and even a bit hungrier than usual. “It affects our entire physiology,” says Phyllis Zee, with the Northwestern University Medical Center. “We don’t think of ourselves as being seasonal creatures, but we are.” An estimated 5% of people experience seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression, and 10% to 20% have mild versions of SAD.
Experts’ advice: Zee and others recommend getting outside into the light as early as possible. Seek professional help if symptoms become worrisome.
HEADACHES
Autumn is a prime season for headaches, as the retreating summer and approaching winter wage battles along “fronts” that set off rapid weather changes. That can trigger pain for some people with headache disorders.
Experts’ advice: Over-thecounter remedies, such as ibuprofen, usually are effective. For migraines, hot or cold compresses can provide relief.
ASTHMA
In asthmatics, tubular airways that lead to the lungs become inflamed and narrower, making breathing difficult. Weather changes, fall allergens, and colds can set off symptoms.
Experts’ advice: Know the triggers and try to avoid them. Prescribed inhalers can provide both quick and long-term relief.
COLDS
“Common colds” earn their names: Just about everyone gets them. They come in maybe 200 varieties, and there is no cure, except time.
Experts’ advice: Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching the face. If you get a cold, rest, hydrate. Sip warm liquids; they can soothe a sore throat.
Winter COLD FACTS
As with the heat, we have remarkable natural mechanisms to deal with the cold, including shivering, our body’s effort to warm itself.
Experts’ advice: Wear layers and protect your hands and feet, which are most vulnerable to frostbite. Stay hydrated.
DRY SKIN
That cold air, which has a limited capacity for moisture, can dry out the skin, as can dry indoor heating.
Experts’ advice: Use moisturizer daily, avoid hot showers, and keep skin covered when you are outside.
VITAMIN D
Research affirms that vitamin D is essential to our health, but its best natural source — the sun — can be in short supply in winter.
Experts’ advice: Try to spend some time in the sun, even on cold days. Eat vitamin D-rich foods, such as fatty fish and some yogurts. Consider supplements.