Weather and happiness

Sunny weather does not make you happy. What you choose to do with your precious time, when the sun is shining makes you happy.

I have an Italian friend who has been living in Ireland for many years and claimed that the Irish weather makes her unhappy. How did you figure? – I once asked her, as I was laughing out loud, when I heard her grumble about the rain yet again. Well, when I get up in the morning and the sun is shining – she began to explain with a big smile on her face – birds are singing, and I can ‘smell’ the heat outside the window, my heart skips a beat. I am happy before I open my eyes and I know that today is going to be a good day. On the other hand, when I get up in the morning and it’s raining, I’m in a bad mood before I even get out of bed.

If what my friend said were true and the sun shining really made us happier, the Irish would be some of the unhappiest people in Europe, considering the frequent rainfall, lower temperatures and less sun we are exposed to every day, in comparison to the southern European countries. However, the World Happiness report suggests something different. We are happier in Ireland than those living in European holiday destinations with an abundance of sun, such as Spain, Italy, France, Malta, Croatia or Greece. How could it be? In order to find an answer to this question, let’s turn towards the science.

Research shows that the weather does affect our mood somewhat, but not necessarily in the way we expect it. For example, prospective students who visit a college on a cloudy day are more likely to enrol to it based on the college’s academic attributes, such as its ranking, or the appropriateness of the college course to their interests; whereas visiting it on a sunny day may focus them on different factors, such as socialising and enjoyment. Therefore, the weather may influence our decision making for better or worse.

Another thing that the weather may influence is how we view ourselves on the day. When we feel blue on a rainy day, we may attribute our sadness to the weather, thus create a hope in our hearts that once the rain passes by we will feel better. And the more we believe this to be true, the more likely it is bound to happen. On the other hand, when the sun is shining and we are still feeling blue, we tend to blame ourselves for it and attribute it to something being wrong with us, which may be detrimental to our mental health.

Here is the most important piece of research: low temperatures, such as those we experience in Ireland, actually increase our happiness, not decrease it, as we experience less tiredness, fatigue and stress associated with the heat. This may explain why research shows that most northern European countries appear to be happier than southern European countries.

The reason as to why we may feel that sun is making us happier, is because we change our routine of staying indoors, we act differently and as a result, we become happier. I asked my Italian friend to tell me what she does when it’s raining, and she said she had no other option but to stay indoors and feel miserable. How about when she is in Italy and the sun is shining. That’s easy – she said – I have breakfast in the garden, then go to the beach for a few hours, swim in the sea and meet up with my friends in the evening.

And this is exactly the reason why we feel happier when the sun is shining. When the sun comes out in Ireland, we get so excited about it that we pack our hiking bag and head off into the mountains, have a barbecue with your family and friends, put the kids and dogs in the car and head off to beach, or simply organise a bouncing castle for the neighbours’ kids and enjoy socialising in an open air. When the sun is shining in Ireland we no longer are confined to the four walls, we go out and do more outdoorsy activities, and this is what makes us happier, not the weather itself.

Similarly, when we go on holidays, it is not the sun that makes us happy, but what we do when the sun is shining. Firstly, we change our routine, which is bound to make life more interesting. Also, we spend plenty of time outdoors, walking around wowed with the new surroundings, sun-bathing, people watching, eating out, and put simply: enjoying la dolce vita. It’s not the sun that makes us happy, it’s what we do when the sun is shining that changes our mood.

So don’t let the weather put you in a bad mood on these cloudy and cold winter days. Remember it’s not the weather that makes you unhappy, it’s what you choose to do when the weather is hot or cold, wet or dry, foggy or clear. Billy Connolly once said that there is no such thing as bad weather, only wrong clothing. So get yourself that puffy jacket to keep you warm and dry, put on these warm and comfortable shoes, remember to put that toasty hat and gloves and go out for a long walk to embrace nature.