Last month we discussed mental health and its effects on our mood, so along those lines let us talk about how the weather affects our health, specifically spring storms. Weather’s impact on your body is varied, in fact there is a whole scientific study devoted to it: biometeorology. Figuring out exactly what weather does to the body is not an exact science because it affects people on an individual level. As climate change continues around the world, the impact on our health will continue. One of the biggest changes is blood pressure. Annually, more than 3 million Americans are diagnosed with high blood pressure. As spring storms roll through, the changing pressure systems change our blood pressure, causing a host of health consequences to follow. Some of the health consequences are low and high blood pressure, joint pain, severe headaches, and sinus pressure, depending on the barometric pressure. Asthma and allergies may get worse during thunderstorms, when the pollen-laden wind causes problems for those with respiratory conditions. Individuals with diabetes can have more trouble controlling their blood sugar during spring storms. Finally, to end where we started, weather does impact our mental and emotional health. People living in temperate climates tend to rank their own happiness higher than those who experience extreme weather such as spring storms. We are all looking forward to calm sunny days.

The Nurse