![]() ![]() Keller himself experienced the phenomenon and was inspired to conduct the research after leaving Michigan for a mid-winter trip to Mexico, quickly being reminded that “life is full of color and life is fun. The impact of weather on mood and cognition has been difficult to demonstrate because people in industrialized countries, on average, spend 93 percent of their time indoors, making them largely disconnected from the impact of changing weather outside. In one study conducted during the spring in Ann Arbor, participants who were randomly assigned to be outdoors during warm and sunny days showed improved mood and memory compared to participants who were outside when the weather was not pleasant and compared to participants who spent the time inside. The findings, completed by a team that also included U-M social psychology professors Barbara Frederickson and Oscar Ybarra, will be published in an upcoming issue of the journal Psychological Science.Ī set of three studies involved more than 600 participants from throughout the United States. If you go from winter to spring and spend enough time outside, there’s a noticeable change.” “Everyone thinks weather affects mood but the biggest tests of this theory in 2000 found no relationship, so we went back and found there are two important variables: how much time you spend outside and what the season is. “Being outside in pleasant weather really offers a way to re-set your mind-set,” said Matthew Keller, the U-M post-doctoral researcher who led the psychology study. ![]() Hotter weather during the summer, however, lowered mood levels and the effect of pleasant weather was far less noticeable in other seasons. Taking a trip to someplace warm in the middle of winter or lingering outside when spring arrives can be especially beneficial, with pleasant weather improving mood, memory and broadening cognitive style (openness to new information and creative thoughts) as time spent outside increased, researchers found. The positive impact warm, sunny weather can have on mental health and mood are real, according to new University of Michigan research. ANN ARBOR-Get out-for at least 30 minutes.
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