It’s a rainy, miserable day in Doncaster, which has got us thinking.

During #coronavirus, have you wondered why rainy days can make things seem so much harder to deal with?

Well, allow this local council to be your biology teacher for the afternoon

At the start of the #coronavirus lockdown (if you can remember that far back!), we were blessed with BEAUTIFUL weather.

It seemed like the sun shone solidly for the first few weeks as we all adjusted to this new way of life.

Then, a few weeks ago, the rain started again.

At least in Doncaster.

After a beautiful May, June has been one of the wettest on record.

For many people, the downpours have been accompanied by a downturn in mood as the lack of normality in our lives has really hit home.

In summary, it’s been absolutely FANTASTIC.

But WHY does this happen?

We figure that, maybe, if we all understand what’s going on in our bodies then maybe it will be easier to understand our emotions and deal with them.

Well, to start with, all the time it’s raining it means that we’re absorbing less sunlight.

This increases the amount of melatonin in our bodies, which makes us feel sleepy.

Amazingly, some research also suggests that our blood pressure rises slightly before storms come, which makes you feel more unsettled and irritable.

This is particularly true in children – so if your little ones have been tearing the house apart recently, that could be one reason why.

https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3651&context=etd

A study in 2012 also suggested that more rain also leads to more serotonin in your body, which makes you feel hungrier and, in particular, crave carbohydrates!

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-012-9338-2

(So, we’re basically saying that if all you’ve wanted to do for the last few days is eat chips, you’re off the hook. IT’S SCIENCE)

BUT, with all this being said, here is some positivity to hold on to through the rainy days:

As you’ve heard your mum say 24,967,256 times:



iTs GoOd FoR tHe GaRdEn



So there’s that.

Secondly, some amazingly clever researchers managed to link periods of reduced rain to the downfall of THREE different Chinese dynasties.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081106165233.htm

Evidence suggests that when it rained less, people got MORE agitated and unsettled. They committed more crimes, and apparently were more tempted to get involved in a revolution.

So, the rainfall is good news for all you Chinese emperors out there!

Finally, we should all remember that storms will pass.

(Both in the literal meteorological sense and a more subtle, literary way that links the current weather to our ongoing global situation. But you got that.)

(Sorry)

So, if you can, try to keep your spirits up and keep smiling.

As an embroidered cushion once said: 'laughter is a sunbeam of the soul.'