Do you struggle to keep your eyes open when it rains? Does it sound like a gentle melody, begging you to close your eyes and drift back to sleep? If so, you are not alone. Many people complain that they are more tired on rainy days.
So, what is it about the sound of rain on a rooftop that makes us want to sleep? Here are some reasons why you get so tired when it is rainy out:
A lack of sunlight truly affects us
Though many people don't believe it, the lack of sunlight that occurs on rainy days does affect us.
Our bodies react to the pattern of lightness and darkness throughout the day. We were made to sleep once the sun goes down. Rainy days, because they are darker, trick our bodies into believing that it is nighttime.
This is due to our optic nerve. When the sun is out, it decreases the production of melatonin, which causes us to fall asleep. When it is rainy and overcast, the optic nerve doesn't decrease melatonin, which is one reason we don't want to get out of bed on darker days.
Serotonin, our natural mood elevator, can also affect our moods. Because it is produced in the presence of sunlight, it leaves us tired and in no mood to be active when the sun isn't shining.
We do not see as well when it is dark and rainy
Because our bodies are used to working around the sunlight and darkness, it can be hard to fight to desire to sleep when it is darker outside than usual.
This can be due to our eyes. When it is darker out because of rain, our eyes tell our brains that it is getting late and we should start preparing our body for bed. It can make it really hard to keep our eyes open.
Our Bodies Respond To Different Smells
We respond differently to various smells. When it is raining, our body notices a musky and refreshing smell. This immediately relaxes us and makes us want to stay in bed all day.
Our Bodies Feel the Low Atmospheric Pressure
Rain is due to low pressure in the atmosphere. Not only does this drop in pressure cause rain to fall, it also affects our bodies.
As the pressure falls, the oxygen levels decrease. When our bodies notice this change, our metabolism slows. When this happens, we become tired and our bodies just want to sleep.
We Also Respond To The Noise Rain Makes
Ask many people what their favorite or most memorable sound is. Many people will say the sound of rain on a roof or window.
This pitter-patter acts like a natural lullaby, which sends our bodies right to sleep!
Why does it work so well? Our world is so busy and full of noise that we are attuned to them. Our bodies respond to these different sounds in different ways. The steady pattern of rain just calms and relaxes us.
Our bodies are so attuned to the world that we live in that rain sends us right to sleep! They know to wake us up when the sun comes up and go to sleep when it gets dark. Our optic nerve stops melatonin production when the sun comes out. However, on rainy days, it doesn't do that, making us want to sleep the day away. Our eyes do the same thing, only reinforcing our need to stay in bed! The low atmospheric pressure slows down our metabolism and the sound of rain just wants to put us right to sleep.