Nature and man

The cat sings, eyes narrowed,

The boy is dozing on the carpet.

There's a storm playing outside,

The wind whistles in the yard.

A. Fet

Who doesn’t know the state of drowsiness on the eve of rain? When the eyes close by themselves, the head falls, and the body asks to lie down... In such cases they say - “towards the rain.”

Have you thought about why when it's raining, we always want to sleep and we feel tired and sleepy? Does rain really control our physiological and emotional desires?

Scientists approach the problem of “rain drowsiness” based on the laws of physics and biology. It is known that cyclones bring gloomy rainy weather - giant atmospheric vortices With low blood pressure at their center. Not only barometers, but all living things, and people especially, noticeably react to a drop in pressure.

To compensate for it, circulatory system forced to “adjust” - reduce arterial pressure and reduce the heart rate, in other words, slow down the heartbeat. This, in turn, leads to a decrease in the flow of oxygen into the tissues, which is not too dangerous for most organs.

However, the nervous tissue of the brain is extremely sensitive to the concentration of oxygen in the blood; even a slight lack of it leads to a decrease in brain activity. Therefore, during rainy, damp weather, many people feel that it would not hurt them to rest for an hour or two, or even better, to sleep.

About the same thing happens when you stay indoors for a long time: yawning appears, your head starts to hurt, and your thinking ability is lost. All this - sure sign Because the body is “suffocating”, it needs an additional portion of oxygen.

Subjectively, a person feels this as drowsiness, fatigue, and naturally associates it with rain. Add to this the grayness surrounding nature, lack of sunlight and the monotonous sound of rain, aggravating drowsiness..

This is especially true for hypotensive people, people with weakened immune system: despondency appears, the body begins to feel a little mopey, depression and pessimistic moods arise. Who among us hasn’t dreamed of sitting comfortably in a chair or lying down on a sofa during a rain or thunderstorm?

It is possible that the “magic” of rain lies in the monotony of the sound of falling drops. Drowsiness occurs even in a room where the sounds of falling drops are almost inaudible, but we still subconsciously catch them.

Moreover, we listen, trying to catch the so-called “rain music”.

Some hear “rustling”, others “noise”, others “knock”, and some hear the “clinking” of rain.

In any case, it fascinates, calms and... lulls you to sleep.

Scientists have conducted experiments that have confirmed that monotonous exposure to various sensory organs causes inhibition of reactions and a feeling of drowsiness. Like a lullaby, the monotonous sound of train wheels or the ticking of a clock pendulum, the sound of falling raindrops has a soporific effect. Plus, we should add that when it rains, it’s easier to breathe, it becomes a little cooler and fresher, which one can only dream of on especially hot and stuffy New York nights.

We can say that rain is a hypnotist, able to put almost everyone to sleep (whoever wants it).

There are people with a different reaction to rainy weather.

For people with a romantic character, when it rains, their mood improves, they receive some incentive for creativity and, most importantly, a general positive attitude.

There is also an opinion that spring rain is the most beneficial for humans.

Today it is difficult to imagine that just 100 years ago people specifically collected rainwater for washing and bathing. Then it was believed that if you wash your hair with this water, your hair will become silkier.

I wonder what will happen now if you wash your hair with such a specific “shampoo”?

However, there are several factors associated with rain that can negatively affect your health. As a result harmful emissions So-called “acid rain” has become common in the atmosphere from industrial enterprises and transport, especially noticeable near megacities. There are warnings associated with this - advice not to walk down the street during the rain without an umbrella, otherwise all kinds of chemical impurities can lead to negative health consequences. They can cause poisoning and even sometimes mutations.

In addition, heavy metal ions can negatively affect the liver and kidneys. And with the accumulation of toxins, the body can become intoxicated.

Manganese, contained in large quantities in rainwater, can cause symptoms of many diseases that are not immediately noticeable to the person himself and he, naturally, does not care about preventative treatment. Manganese negatively affects nerve cells, which subsequently leads to sleep disturbances, fatigue, and general fatigue.

Another dangerous component of rain is aluminum, which, when a critical dose accumulates in the body, becomes a kind of catalyst for various neurological diseases.

In addition to these components, rainwater may contain many more impurities that negatively affect human body, especially those with weak immune systems. Particularly concerned doctors recommend that after a walk in the rain, you must take a shower, and use various cleansers (shampoo, soap, gel, etc.).

Their advice does not end there: after this it is advisable to drink hot tea or milk. So take care of your health and remember that even seemingly harmless rains can have a bad effect on the condition of your body. Therefore, it is better not to check the quality of rainwater on yourself, look at the falling drops only from inside window.

And it’s even better if you can not resist the soporific effect of the rain and wait it out in a blessed sleep. Moreover, summer rains do not last long.

Mark Sofer

Doctors tend to consider increased sleepiness during rain to be a manifestation of a person’s weather dependence. Many people suffer from it. Some to a greater extent, others to a lesser extent. But the desire to sleep and not show your nose outside during a rainstorm, especially a cold, gray and prolonged rainstorm, as happens in the fall, has not only an emotional, energy-saving root cause.

There are also quite objective factors that cause this condition in us.

Why do you want to sleep so much when it rains?

When the skies cleared with rain, the atmospheric pressure immediately dropped, which means the partial pressure of oxygen also decreased. If this is so, then there is little oxygen in the air... this makes us drowsy and lethargic.

Particularly susceptible to this are weather-sensitive people, as well as those who are in under stress, weakened after illness, suffers from permanent fatigue. A separate group is people with VSD. - this is not a disease, but a complex of symptoms that arise due to disturbances (features) of the nervous system.
Weather dependent people during persistent rain may also experience other symptoms: often these are headache, nausea, irritability, weakness... often, pressure surges.

How to overcome drowsiness during rain?

In addition to the usual coffee, which may no longer help or you have drunk so much of it that it is better not to risk it anymore, you will need other ways to reduce drowsiness.

  • green tea does not chase away sleep as quickly as coffee, but the effect will last longer
  • tincture of lemongrass, ginseng root or eleutherococcus. Drink carefully, without overdose. These "herbs" are medicines, treat them with respect.
  • Get up more often to walk or, while no one is looking, to jump.
  • breathe deeply and ventilate as often as possible... fresh air will fill the blood with oxygen
  • give an invigorating massage: massage your hands, muscles of the head and neck, and, if possible, your feet
  • To combat drowsiness, essential oils of lemon, lavender, rosemary, jasmine, and pine are good - inhale and the drowsiness will go away.

Most of us really want to sleep in rainy weather. Constant sleepiness prevents you from working normally and doing your usual activities. Why do you feel sleepy when it rains, and how to deal with drowsiness in this case?

Why do you want to sleep when it rains?

The human body is more or less susceptible to weather changes. Some people have pain in their joints before it rains, others have pain in their joints due to the weather. Some become irritable, while others, on the contrary, are overcome by increased drowsiness. All this is our body’s reaction to changes in weather conditions.

When it rains, atmospheric pressure decreases. Against this background, the partial pressure of oxygen decreases. This means that less oxygen enters the body. People with weakened immune systems and those with chronic diseases are most sensitive to weather changes. Meteosensitivity can manifest itself with various symptoms - from headaches and daytime drowsiness to tachycardia and exacerbation of neuroses. This is why many of us experience increased sleepiness when it rains.

How to deal with drowsiness in rainy weather?

If you really want to sleep in the rain, but there is no such opportunity, you will have to fight the onset of drowsiness. Coffee - far from it the only way cheer up. There are more useful and effective means for this.

Invigorating drinks, essential oils, special massage and fresh air will help you cope with daytime sleepiness. Choose the most suitable ways to combat drowsiness and combine them.

Drinks against increased sleepiness

If a cup of coffee doesn't help you wake up, periodically brew yourself some green tea. It contains more caffeine than coffee. And although green tea does not act as quickly, its effect is stronger and lasts longer.

Another way is to drink tincture of lemongrass, ginseng root or eleutherococcus. But just follow the dosage indicated in the instructions.

Massage and fresh air will help with daytime sleepiness

Try to move more. Even if you have a sedentary job, get up often to walk a little. Ventilate the room: fresh air will fill the blood with oxygen, which will give the brain energy.

During your working day, periodically do an invigorating massage: massage your hands, muscles of the head and neck, and if convenient, your feet. This way you stimulate biologically active points that are useful for brain function.

Essential oils as a way to combat drowsiness

To combat daytime sleepiness, essential oils of lemon, lavender, rosemary, jasmine, and pine are often used. If you really want to sleep, just smell the bottle or oil-scented napkin.

If you have an aroma burner, light it for 15-20 minutes with the windows closed.

Answered by Elena Frolova, head of the health center

When the sky is overcast, sometimes one cup of coffee is not enough. Thoughts spin around the pillow, and focus on business meeting succeeds with great difficulty.

There are several reasons for this. The first is a lack of oxygen in the blood. When falling atmospheric pressure our body lowers blood pressure and reduces heart rate. The oxygen concentration in the blood drops, which affects the activity of the nervous tissue of the brain - it also decreases. As a result, drowsiness occurs.

The second reason is related to the level of melatonin, the “night hormone”. The appearance of the sun blocks the production of the latter in the body, while the cloudy sky disrupts the biological clock - the body simply does not understand why it is forced to stay awake when it is dark outside.

The rain itself has a soporific effect. The falling of drops creates a uniform noise, it is also called white. In addition to the sound of rain, these include the rustling of leaves, wind, the roar of a waterfall and other monotonous sounds. They allow you to relax and fall asleep faster.

Drowsiness after rain appears due to increased formation of ozone in the air. In addition, the smell of the earth is to blame. All herbs, plants and trees contain volatile aromatic substances. Rain washes them away, mixing them with geosmin, an organic substance produced by bacteria that is responsible for the earthy smell. This creates a special aroma with a relaxing effect.

True, some plant aromas, on the contrary, cause a surge of vivacity. These include the smells of lemon, rosemary, lavender, jasmine, and pine. Try putting it in the room essential oil any of these plants will make you sleepy!

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Answered by Elena Frolova, head of the health center

When the sky is overcast, sometimes one cup of coffee is not enough. Thoughts are spinning around the pillow, and it is very difficult to concentrate on a business meeting.

There are several reasons for this. The first is a lack of oxygen in the blood. When atmospheric pressure drops, our body lowers blood pressure and reduces heart rate. The oxygen concentration in the blood drops, which affects the activity of the nervous tissue of the brain - it also decreases. As a result, drowsiness occurs.

The second reason is related to the level of melatonin, the “night hormone”. The appearance of the sun blocks the production of the latter in the body, while the cloudy sky disrupts the biological clock - the body simply does not understand why it is forced to stay awake when it is dark outside.

The rain itself has a soporific effect. The falling of drops creates a uniform noise, it is also called white. In addition to the sound of rain, these include the rustling of leaves, wind, the roar of a waterfall and other monotonous sounds. They allow you to relax and fall asleep faster.

Drowsiness after rain appears due to increased formation of ozone in the air. In addition, the smell of the earth is to blame. All herbs, plants and trees contain volatile aromatic substances. Rain washes them away, mixing them with geosmin, an organic substance produced by bacteria that is responsible for the earthy smell. This creates a special aroma with a relaxing effect.

True, some plant aromas, on the contrary, cause a surge of vivacity. These include the smells of lemon, rosemary, lavender, jasmine, and pine. Try putting the essential oil of one of these plants in your room - it will instantly take you away from sleep!