How autumn determines your mood

If it's pouring down from the sky and you have to cycle through half the city: crying. That after 139 rain showers you still haven't bought a decent raincoat: silly.

Autumn in our country is simply gray, dull, and especially wet. But what does science say about the seasons? How does autumn affect our mood? There is such a thing as Seasonal Affective Disorder. It actually means that you feel depressed in a certain season. Most people experience this in winter, but it can certainly occur in the autumn, especially because the days become darker again and summer suddenly ends. According to statistics, one in three people suffers from this. Women are fifty percent more likely to experience these kinds of issues when the weather changes than men.

So why do we feel a bit blue in autumn? Particularly the sudden lack of daylight and sunshine is the culprit. You are used to that summer sun for weeks and even months, and being outside a lot. That stops quite abruptly and suddenly you get very little vitamin D. This makes you tired more quickly and you become more easily irritated.

It also happens that many people find autumn very busy. All schools demand a lot from parents at this time because the year has just started, just like studies and employers. It feels like a new start for companies in September, so it's hard work in the fall. This can lead to more burnouts or anxieties about whether you are doing everything right.

What can you do about it? Make sure you get all the daylight you can. Go outside, even on a dreary Sunday, and feel that sun – even if it's behind the clouds. Also, make sure your bedroom is nice and dark in the evening so you fall asleep quickly. What also helps is to keep meeting up with friends and family. You might feel like curling up on the couch and binge-watching Netflix until you can't see straight, but that ultimately doesn't help to ease your autumn blues. Get out, do something fun with your friends, and have a good time.

And well. Don't worry so much about everything. Rain shower 140 on the bike? Bring it on. After that, I really deserve that piece of filled speculaas. The best remedy for any bad mood.