Why do you want to sleep on rainy days?

The gray sky, low clouds, the monotonous sound of rain – on cloudy and damp days, even the most active and energetic feel lethargy, apathy and drowsiness. For a long time, this condition was explained by a decrease in atmospheric pressure: because of this, the oxygen content in the air decreases, less oxygen enters the tissues and organs, hypoxia occurs, and the body begins to save energy. But today, scientists believe that inclement weather affects not only the cardiovascular system, but also almost all the senses. Here are a few more reasons why you sleep so well in the rain.

Light and smell

Chief among these reasons is the lack of sunlight, according to chronobiologists, specialists in biorhythms. On dark days, our biological clock fails: the body does not understand that it is time to wake up. Normally, exposure to sunlight stops the production of melatonin, the hormone that makes us sleep at night. And on a gloomy rainy morning, the body does not receive the signal it needs to switch to wakefulness. In addition, studies have shown that bad weather negatively affects mood and overall well-being: without light, we are more likely to feel tired and depressed. Another reason is the soothing scent. During dry periods, plants produce special oils, possibly slowing down the development of seeds when there are not enough resources for their growth. When it rains, vegetable oils are washed out and mixed with geosmin, a substance produced by soil bacteria. The result is a complex aroma with a relaxing effect, which we perceive as the smell of damp earth. Its effect is enhanced by ozone that appears in the air after a thunderstorm: lightning destroys ordinary diatomic oxygen molecules and forms new ones – triatomic ones. These molecules are unstable, they rather quickly decompose into ordinary and active atomic oxygen. It is he who gives the characteristic sharp-fresh “smell of ozone”, including stimulating the sense of smell.

What else to read on the topic

• Why do hotels sleep so sweetly, the secret is in the mattress?
• 7 easy tips to help you fall asleep on a plane
• What to do if there is a lot of noise in the next hotel room – 5 good tips

Sound

Drowsy often associated with the sound of rain, and not in vain. The rhythmic tapping of drops on a roof, ground, or umbrella is sometimes referred to as pink noise: it is believed that light with similar frequency characteristics would turn out to be exactly that color. This is a kind of background sound, which, like “white noise”, covers almost the entire range audible to humans – from 20 to 20,000 Hz.

At the same time, “pink noise” sounds quieter at high frequencies, which, according to studies, can reduce brain activity and improve sleep quality: three-quarters of the participants in the experiment on the effect of “pink noise” on the body slept more peacefully under the rustle of rain. Why an umbrella turns inside out in strong winds: Bernoulli's law.

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