It has been another day of rain without brighter light -- just the twilight level of an overcast day. The darkness of December comes soon enough so the heavily clouded days difficult to accept. On the up side, temperatures are warmer so it doesn't feel as damp and cold as it could feel. There are to be a couple of days with some sun soon followed by at least five days of cloud and rain -- again with warmer day time temperatures.
I do like rain, but days on end can be challenging. Weather can affect moods. Smiles may come more readily on sunny days and digging out from under negative feelings can be harder on grey days. I've seen this in faces around town when clouds fill the skies for close to two weeks straight. People look like they are carrying the weight of the world. Then when the sun finally is visible people stand taller and greet each other on the street with smiles. In short, sunny days appear to increase social interactions -- a theory based on lowered serotonin levels when there is less light on cloudy days. Researchers note that lower levels of this neurotransmitter trigger cravings for carbohydrates. Larger intakes of carbohydrates promote greater production of tryptophan, which makes us feel fatigued. So, if we feel tired and less 'up' perhaps we are less likely to seek out interactions with others. Yet, that very thing may be what we all need to feel better on grey days. Hmmm
A song title and chorus line kept running through my head today. I'd like to go for a walk. That often perks me up a bit, but I will wait to see if the rain lets up a bit later in the afternoon. In the meantime, the impetus to do something seems non-existent, yet the urge to nap is overwhelming. I'll blame it on the rain, I guess. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Who'll Stop the Rain -- Creedence Clearwater Revival
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