We've had a weekend of rare good weather in Ireland when it's sunshine rather than rain which dominates the weather charts. Clinical psychologist Dr Malie Coyne from NUI Galway joined the Morning Ireland team on RTÉ Radio 1 for a 99 with sprinkles and sauce and to discuss how good weather can impact our mood. (This piece includes excerpts from the conversation which have been edited for length and clarity - you can hear the discussion in full above).
"I think it's a lot to do with the associations we have with sunshine, in terms of holiday time and leisure time and being able to actually do the activities that we want to do", says Coyne. "It has amazing health benefits as well, with vitamin D triggering the production of serotonin.
"You can be in the sun for even 15 to 20 minutes and you start to increase your production of serotonin, that's your feel good hormone, which boosts your mood. Then, the production of melatonin is increased, which means that you actually sleep better at night so it's actually helping your to regulate your circadian rhythm. Plus we're so used to unpredictable weather that it's actually great to have a few days of sunshine where we can plan our days."
Of course, it's not all fun and games. "We have a fear of the sun so we always have to be careful not to spend too much time in the sun without having sun cream and making sure our children are wearing it as well. The sun has become associated with some negatives. We've heard about climate change and there is the question of cancer risks, but I guess you also have to try and balance that with positives such as mental well-being
"It's incredible the health benefits the sun can have in terms of your immune system and the production of Vitamin D and reducing stress. Even just spending a few minutes each day knowing 'OK I'm going to go for my walk' and get out there can actually do you a lot of good - and it's going to help you sleep at night too."
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
