Q: I tend to feel more tired than usual when it’s cloudy or rainy. Why is that?
If you’re feeling tired on an overcast day, it could be for any number of reasons, experts say. Maybe it’s because you’re lounging around at home and not as active as you usually are. Or maybe the change in atmospheric pressure is causing a headache or other aches and pains.
Or perhaps, said Dr. Alfred J. Lewy, a professor emeritus of psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University, it’s because of something else going on in your body that experts don’t fully understand.
The truth is, scientists don’t know how — or even if — daily weather changes like the occasional overcast day can influence energy levels.
“It’s kind of a mess to study,” said Kelly Rohan, a professor of psychological science and a clinical psychologist at the University of Vermont. And research on the topic is sparse.
Not everyone has the same response to the weather, the experts said. Some people hate the rain or are especially sensitive to a lack of sunlight, while others cannot stand a sweltering summer day.
“We’d love to say there’s an easy answer, but there just isn’t,” said Dr. Paul H. Desan, a psychiatrist and director of the Winter Depression Research Clinic at the Yale School of Medicine.