As the Sun begins to come out and gloomy days become brighter, there may be a noticeable shift in mood and energy levels. Mood swings often correlate with the changing seasons, as weather plays a vital role in the emotional states of humans. There are many factors of seasonal changes that play a large role in people’s state of mind, sometimes affecting the level of productivity during the day. As students have the responsibility of waking up early every morning and going to school, the weather during a school day can affect students’ mental state as well as academic performance. A characteristic of seasonal changes that affect mood are shifts between a gloomy day with gray skies and a bright, hot, sunny day.

“Being able to like the environment I wake up in is really important to starting a productive day,” FHS senior Noriah Guzman said. “So waking up on a sunny day instead of a gloomy day gives you so much more motivation to just go out and enjoy yourself.” 

Without sunlight making for a warm and bright day, some that are affected by seasonal changes can feel unmotivated. “For some people, the absence of sunlight really brings them down, and for others it can be an association, whether it was something positive or negative that happened in their life,” FHS school-based therapist Deirdre Louis said.

With the mild California weather, mood swings correlated to changes in seasons are still present, but less common. 

“We don’t get the dreadful, long winters that other places do,” Louis said.

In places with extreme weather changes, like below-freezing temperatures in the winter, people may be more heavily impacted. Whether one lives in a location with extreme or moderate weather dramatically affects the changes in moods. 

With the changes of seasons there is a phenomenon called “winter blues” which is when a person’s mood plummets during wintertime, according to the National Institutes of Health newsletter. Louis also recommends socializing in-person, as laughter and the presence of friends can also help improve one’s mood. Some avoid going out when the weather is unpleasant, primarily during the winter, which can lead to winter blues.

“If you’re feeling like you’ve got a little bit of winter blues, do not let the weather keep you from doing things that you think are fun,” Louis said.

As summer is just around the corner, it is important to get sunlight and spend time outside. UCLA Health studies have observed a direct relationship between mental health and time spent outside in natural sunlight. The presence of sunlight on hot summer days increasingly improves mental health and productivity, so one might feel a more positive shift in their moods particularly in the spring and summer seasons.