Quote of the day:
We all know the experience of sitting in bed feeling exhilarated one day and lackluster the very next. The issue is not whether we need to find a more fulfilling bed.
- Alexandra Katehakis
Seasons change. Days become shorter than usual and nights become longer. Light ceases to exist at times and gloom is the order of the day. And with the transition there is such a thing as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and according to the
NHS it's also sometimes referred to as "winter depression" just because its symptoms become more apparent with the tendency to be severe during the winter months. For those with the disorder it all starts during autumn as the days begin to get shorter.
The weather is not the only thing to affect our moods though. As it turns out a new study suggests that one-third of notifications that pop up on our smartphones cause a downturn in our moods leading to unhappiness. The research by Nottingham Trent University and published in the
IEEE journal found things such as general phone updates and wifi availability had the worst impact on mood. The researchers saying their findings show that it's possible to predict phone users' moods based on information they receive, and in the future it could be used to personalise notifications to adjust to the user's mood.
When you wake up in the morning your mood will determine how the rest of your day goes. However, you can't always tell how someone out there will affected your state of mind. It is a known fact that being around happy and confident people can be contagious -you go away feeling positive emotions. With a moody person the reverse is the case -you go away feeling frustrated. But understand that they may just be going through hard times -except if they are just generally moody, in which case it's pointless to take their toxic behaviour seriously. You see moods function differently. They come and go, a ladder of emotions governed by external factors mostly beyond our control. We can positively or negatively affect other people with our mood much in the same way that they can affect ours.
A mood is a temporary state of being-good or bad. There's a middle ground to be found in between. But in the end people will react differently to different things, including the weather.
Peace. Love. Light*
Current Listen: Carmen McRae - Bye Bye Blackbird
42 Comments
I suffer from SAD. I bought a SAD light and that does help. I don't pay any attention to my smart phone unless I want to call someone or am expecting a call. I think I might be one of those affected by that infernal beeping.
ReplyDeleteMe think, cell phones are the main culprit and main form of addiction ... makes me so mad/sad when I see peeps walking down the street and they just don't see me ... cuz they are busy talking on the phone ... even worse is blue tooth, where they have this lil speaker in their ear and are happily/ unhappily talking away in front of everybody ... a very surreal sight cuz it looks like they are talking to themselves ... When I was growing up, peeps that talk to themselves in public were considered crazy ... Anyway, got here via friend Blogoratti ... Hello from Alberta, Canada ... smiles ... Love, cat.
DeleteSharon, I'm glad you bought the light and that it helps you get through the moments. With smartphones, I find that I only use it when the need arises to call or text someone, or maybe use an app. The beeping can be quite bothersome indeed. Warm greetings to you.
DeleteI refuse to suffer from anything, friend B ... Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteCell phones are indeed the death of us, especially those with bluetooth earpieces like you mentioned, sigh. Alas, it's the world we live in. I feel you cat, I feel you. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteFirst, I hate gloomy weather. I could never live where that exists. 2 days of overcast and I'm sleepy and droopy and generally lackadaisical.
ReplyDeleteThat said, in general, mood is something we CAN control. I've taken a few classes on 'emotional intelligence', and they delve into this topic a lot.
Silver, I know that feeling of gloom and emptiness. And you are right we can control our mood, but it's often easier said than done for most. Emotional intelligence sounds...intelligent.
DeleteWarm greetings to you!
Hello, thanks for the information. Have a nice day
ReplyDelete"... a more fulfilling bed"... I like the idea... I am thinking... tempur-pedic mattress! : ))
ReplyDeleteFor some of us, the months of January and February are the worst.The good thing about SAD is that we do not have to take meds. Thirty minutes of sun exposure will help temporarily. So many times I find myself, covered from head to toe, except my face, sitting on a park bench, surrounded by snow on a sunny day.
I am one of those obnoxiously happy people. You know the kind... seeing the good side of everything. Weather, seasons, and other situations usually don't faze me too much.
ReplyDeleteI'm like you too. : )
DeleteI'm prone to S.A.D. and the special light helps. That and counting down until the first day of Summer. As of today, only 240 days! =^,.^=
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty much a happy person. Getting out and taking a walk first thing every morning sets me up for the day. It is hard not to be happy when you watch the sun rise and know you have another day to enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI thank God for every one.
The first thing I do when I wake up is exercise, which helps put me in a good mood for the rest of the day :) But I am sad when summer is over and the colder weather starts to creep in. Have a great day!! Big hugs :)
ReplyDeleteLisa
A Mermaid's Crafts
Looks really interesting! Thanks a lot for sharing)
ReplyDeleteI have avoided upgrading to a smart phone. I see no need to be that connected.
ReplyDeleteExercise lifts my spirits. A hike works wonders!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, I always am mindful during winter to keep my energy and mood up because it i so easy to slip into a rut during winter. It is really interesting about 1/3 of cell phone notifications... yikes!
ReplyDeletexoxo Falasha
Bite My Fashion
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It's no coincidence that there is rain in the air and I feel down.
ReplyDeleteI feel excited ( the walking dead is about to start)
ReplyDeleteIt's so sunny where I live, I actually am most happy when it's raining and moody outside. I agree, the beginning of your day can effect your entire day!
ReplyDelete-Emily www.coatandcoffee.com
Fortunately for me, it's rare my moods are anything but good. I love to smile and brighten the days of others around me. Feel so sorry for the folks who suffer with SAD.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
When I first wake, I gives praise and thanks to God. Depending on life circumstances, I sometimes have to reiterate that multiple times throughout the day, but it usually works for me. :)
ReplyDeleteGood one! Our day began with everything going wrong so I looked at my husband while we were in line at the bank and said, "we can either go home and forget about all the things we were going to do today, or else we can go on with it and just look at each other and laugh." He liked the latter and we said, "go big or go home; we'll go big." The day turned out wonderfully. LOL Have a wonderful evening.
ReplyDeleteIt's been sunny and beautiful lately, so I imagine a lot of people here, including myself, are in a really good mood. Most days I'm feeling quite content, which is wonderful. I do have some off days but that's okay.
ReplyDeleteWhat type of mood am I in? It depends on the day and the circumstances. I try to start out with a smile, but sometimes it's an upside down smile.
ReplyDeleteLight, peace & love
We all have moods, but must make a choice as to how proceed with our day.
ReplyDeleteI normally wake up in a good mood, but making a choice on how we react to things definitely controls your moods.
ReplyDeleteI find that tiredness affects my mood. When I get cranky, I often notice that I am also tired.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's good that I don't get notifications on my phone. I only allow texting and phone calls to pop up. Everything else--email, alerts, etc--I have to physically go into the app to get.
ReplyDeleteHi Blogoratti - I have to say the closing in of the darker nights makes wanting to sleep longer feel a good idea ... I can't stand text messages coming through reminding me of things - real messages are fine ... interruptions irritate and disturb me. Such is life - but in some ways I wouldn't be without the phone - yet I seem to manage without one most of the time. Couldn't be attached to it ... then I would be SAD!!! Cheers Hilary
ReplyDeletefor me: it feels good to be retired and not forced to leave the house in dark hours... makes my life much better!
ReplyDeletethanks for visiting my blog:)
I like the shorter days for some reason, and normally when first waking up, I'm in a good mood. As I age, I try to focus on the positive as much as I can. Not always successful, but I strive every day. Great post! Hugs...RO
ReplyDeleteso very true. I am a person that sunshine makes my mood happy and gray days bring me down. when it is raining I don't want to do anything at all, inside or out. and I like the ladder of emotions is effected by external happenings. so true.. things other people do can drag us down
ReplyDeleteMy mood was pretty down last week but I'm feeling much more up this week. A nice change in weather, with cooler days and nights coming in has probably helped me with that
ReplyDeleteSadly true, I have some minor difficulties to adjust to the "bad time of the year".
ReplyDeleteAnd I´m so tired lately...
Luckily I have funny colleagues, though!
I am in a very good mood ...
ReplyDeleteI try to stay focused on the positive, even when some days the positives may seem tiny!
All the best Jan
lol, I love the slightly annoyed expression :)
ReplyDeleteI swear, I always leave my house in a good mood, but then, some body odour on the train wafts through my nose, and my good mood becomes non existent!
ReplyDeleteI have opposite SAD. I love when the days get shorter and it gets darker and gloomier outside. Rainy days are my favorite as well. Too much sun and too many days in a row without rain effect me in a negative way. : )
ReplyDeleteA nice change in weather, with cooler days and nights coming in has probably helped me with that
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