« In such a context, this little element of joy is perceived in an even more intense way » – Liberation

The whole of France sighs with happiness under the rays of the sun. While the temperatures of this weekend oscillate between 21 and 23 ° C in most regions According to Météo Francevalues ​​sometimes 5 to 8 ° C above seasonal normal, the French benefit from their reunion with good weather.

Softness, light and First buds Revigorate the hearts while the memories of Grisaille of the year 2024 move away, historically weak In sunshine. In February, Liberty chronicized The consequences of a lack of sun also prolonged on the human body and mental health. This Saturday, April 5, while the blue sky envelops us in light, Fabrice Bak, founder and director of the first French cabinet of consultation in applied cognitive psychology, returns to the reasons for such a craze for spring.

Why do you feel better when the sunny days come back?

On the physiological level, there are very earthly reasons: exposure to the sun improves the production of serotonin In the brain. It is a neurotransmitter which is linked to the regulation of mood, anxiety. This is called the hormone of happiness. When the sunny days arrive, you feel more peaceful, more serene than in autumn-winter.

The sun also stimulates the production of vitamin D, essential on the physical level, but also mental. When you have a deficit in this vitamin D, you can develop mood disorders, depression, anxiety. Human naturally turns outside to solicit these elements. And the more we get out, the more we are In contact with naturewhich also has a very soothing effect. This helps reduce cortisol levels, stress hormone. Today, the world and the news are very anxiety -provoking. Being able to walk, picnic or sit on the quays of a river decreases the secretion of cortisol.

Finally, the first days of spring are A taste of summerwhat our brain generally associates with positive memories: holidays, evenings with friends, etc. All these elements promote a feeling of well-being.

Light also plays an important role …

Indeed. We know the impact of a lack of light, as in the Nordic countries where winters and nights are long. There, people can present lots, seasonal emotional disorders, much more marked. And when the sunniest months arrive, there is a renewed energy, of joie de vivre.

We dress in a lighter way, we turn to the outside, we are less connected to our mobile phone. A change in rhythm and activities begins and helps to delay the negative elements that can be felt in your personal, professional, even at society.

Is there a link with the gloom of the news?

The socio-economic context in which we are, we can’t do anything about it. There War in Ukrainethere economic crisiswe undergo everything we hear. It is extremely heavy on a daily basis. Faced with all this, rejoicing the good weather is something that costs nothing, which we can all benefit easily. In such a context, this little element of joy is perceived in an even more intense way.

Isn’t that a little artificial happiness?

Unfortunately, yes. The greater the pressure, the more the small pleasures like the good weather are overvalued. But if tomorrow the weather is spoiling, we will fall back quickly in past hassles. Paradoxically, people who are also happy with the return of the sun, it is an indicator of a society that is bad.

We do not see anything exceptional, if not the return of spring, but people need to counterbalance their inner discomfort and the suffering of everyday life. Besides, it is surprising to say that people are satisfied with these temperatures, higher than normal, without thinking of global warming which they do not want to hear talking about (27 ° C was noted in Paris this Saturday, while the monthly normal for summer months is 25 ° C, editor’s note). And when we say it, it’s like spoiling something that feels good.

Are people equal in the face of the influence of the weather on the mood?

For a long time, we talked about people who would be more or less sensitive. But no, there are not really proven elements in this sense. We know that the return of fall and bad weather can be associated with more marked depressive episodes, but it is not linked to a personality type. Anyone can be affected. In any case, the sun is there, as much as people take advantage of it in these difficult times.