Barometric Pressure & Depression

Sleeplessness, feeling "blue" or low, and lack of energy are all symptoms of depression. Changes in barometric pressure are involved with weather changes--many of which are linked to depression.

Features

• A drop in barometric pressure often precedes weather changes such as cold fronts and storms, says USA Today, while high pressure often results in sunny days. The relationship between barometric pressure and depression is much more complex.

Expert Insight

• A 2004 study published by the Canadian Psychiatric Association found that sudden changes in barometric pressure were associated with increased emergency psychiatric visits. Suicide--depression's most severe symptom--was the cause of some of these.

Types

• Lack of sunlight is a major culprit for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), reports the Mayo Clinic. Thus, low barometric pressure may contribute to this type of depression by allowing more sunlight to be blocked by overcast skies during the winter months.

Considerations

• A rainstorm due to a drop in barometric pressure may result in a subsequent "drop" in mood when someone stays indoors to avoid the rain, but this bad day may not last. The amount of time symptoms of depression are present is a crucial factor to consider when examining the relationship between weather and psychology.

History

• A link between barometric pressure and depression has been considered for thousands of years. The Canadian Psychiatric Association reports that the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates once commented that warm and cold winds affected the moods of his patients.