Spate of good weather tipped to lift spirits

massey-university

Thu Jan 04 2007 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Spate of good weather tipped to lift spirits

Thursday, 4 January 2007, 10:56 am
Press Release: Massey University

Better weather over most of the country today and through tomorrow is tipped to have a big impact on morale.

The respite may be brief – with more wind and rain forecast for the weekend in some parts – but Massey psychologist Dr Lisa Wu says the chance to get out and about will lift spirits depressed by weeks of bad weather.

Dr Wu, who is with the University’s Wellington-based Psychology Clinic, says poor weather inevitably raises stress levels for most people. “It’s likely that many have been stuck inside, which could lead to greater stress and feelings of isolation. And of course it affects holiday plans.”

She says being unable to get outside and exercise and a tendency to eat more during bad weather could also make people feel down.

She suggests people make the most of the opportunity to get outside and complete everyday tasks, like supermarket shopping, without the hassle of coping wigth high winds and rain. “Taking advantage of better weather to visit friends and family is also important for improved well being.”

Dr Wu says over the past month some of the clinic’s clients have mentioned that the weather was getting them down. However she says cases of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can only be diagnosed after two years of observation.

ENDS

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}

Using Scoop for work?

Scoop is free for personal use, but you’ll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features.

Join Pro Individual Find out more

Find more from Massey University on InfoPages.