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The Impact of Weather on College Mental Health: Coping with Seasonal Changes

February 14, 2024 8:00 AM |

Environment and Human Health

As a student, college life can be super challenging to navigate. In particular, it can be impossible to juggle personal and school life. As such, you may struggle to complete assignments and term papers before the deadline. All these challenges may become complicated when the weather condition changes.  In particular, if you are the type whose body and mind connect with seasons, you may find some times of the year problematic. In some cases, this problem can hurt your mental health. Therefore, you must know how to cope when the changes occur. Reading this article should give you the information you need to understand and overcome problems you may face.

How Weather Affects Mental Health

For some people, their mood connects to prevailing weather conditions or seasons. Changing conditions can affect your mental state. A clear day may translate into a positive feeling. However, you may feel gloomy on a rainy or cloudy day. These differences are directly related to how your body works.

In particular, weather changes can affect hormone levels in your brain. Exposure to sunlight affects the levels of neurotransmitters like:

• Melatonin;
• Serotonin;
• Cortisol;

Therefore, adequate exposure to sunlight may lead to anxiety and depression.

For some students, the negative impact of seasonal changes is more severe. You may experience different problems during winter and fall if you suffer from SAD. Your issues can include sleepiness, hopelessness, fatigue, and lack of interest. When this happens during project season, consider hiring dissertation writing assistance. This platform can help you ride through the changes associated with seasonal differences.

Manage Seasonal Changes

If your mental health suffers when the weather condition changes, you must find appropriate ways of dealing with these changes. Below are functional methods of coping with seasonal differences.

Use More Lights

If you are the type who suffers during winter and fall, you should consider using more lights in your surroundings. In particular, these lamps should offer a similar spectrum of sunlight, which helps your body better cope with the changes that may occur.

Stay on the Move

If you feel anxious or depressed, working out should improve your feelings. If your schoolwork permits it, you will want to join the gym. Alternatively, you will want to do as little as walking a few miles daily. Besides this, you can take the edge off by working with professional writers. Check this page to find the best writing platform. In addition, ensure you find the best candidate for your academic needs.

Eat Healthy

Sometimes, changes in season adversely affect you due to what you consume. Therefore, maintaining a healthy eating habit can help you keep a positive mood. To achieve this, you should eat healthy foods, including whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and lean meat. On the other hand, avoiding consuming excess sugar and coffee may benefit you, which may aid crashes in energy later in the day.

Seek Support

Another excellent way to maintain your mental health is to seek support from the people around you. Your family and friends can be a great source of support when things become challenging. If you feel the situation getting out of control, you may want to see a professional college counselor or expert psychologist.

Manage your Time

Time management is one of the best ways to minimize stress. It lets you keep the perfect balance between all your activities.

Practice Relaxation and Mindfulness Techniques

As the weather changes, it can be beneficial to practice relaxation and mindfulness. Practicing deep breathing and meditation workouts should help you efficiently manage any stress you may feel.

Conclusion

The impact of weather on your mental health is clear while you are in college. When the weather is sunny, you may feel happy and ready to be productive. On the other hand, cloudy skies can leave you sad. As such, using more time during winter and working out should improve your mood. Eating a healthy diet can also make a difference. However, there are instances where you may need help from individuals or professionals. Also, you may need to manage your time to handle your mental health. Relaxation and mindfulness techniques can also make a lot of difference.






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