12 Symptoms Of Weather-Sensitive People

Beware the weather monster!  

I am a weather monster.  Perhaps I should rephrase that:  “I am a monster when the temperature and humidity are high. “  That statement is not an exaggeration, ask anyone who knows me.

Some of them will be polite and deny this declaration; these are the people I especially love for their willingness to accept me and their proclivity for denying unpleasant facts.  

Other people will nod sagely in agreement and then quote you chapter and verse of all the times they witnessed the monster.  These are the people I actively avoid because, hey, I’m expert enough at finding my flaws.   Also, I find those people to have little or no sense of humor.  If I ignore you, that’s probably why.  If we are related, that is why I rarely visit you.

I am extremely weather-sensitive and have been for many, many years.  If the humidity is high (inside and/or outside) I can be found dripping sweat while simultaneously shivering from the cold.  I will also be anxiety-ridden and perhaps depressed, fatigued, listless, and/or irritable.  When those symptoms apply to me it spells:  m-o-n-s-t-e-r.

Behavioral changes

Although the weather can affect anyone, those especially sensitive to the weather often suffer from fibromyalgia, MS, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or asthma.  Air temperature extremes (cold or hot) can cause discomfort, but it is more likely that a combination of temperature extremes and humidity extremes cause the most discomfort.  

Weather changes can affect your well-being and may worsen the symptoms of existing disorders, in particular pain.  In fact, as far back as 1981 the New York Times published an article about the affect wind-created ions, as in the Santa Ana winds, had on behavioral and emotional states, (read the article at http://nyti.ms/1okoA7R).

12 Weather Sensitivity Symptoms

Here are 12 symptoms to look for in weather-sensitive individuals. You may notice that weather-sensitive people become irritated and have exaggerated symptoms a day or two before a major weather front arrives.  I find that I absolutely cannot sleep during the night before a major storm (rain or snow).  And I can usually predict with amazing accuracy when a system is approaching simply by ticking off the number of severe symptoms I experience at such times. (Notice the first symptom listed)

1. Increased irritability and aggressiveness
2. Anxiety
3. Depression
4. Listlessness
5. Fatigue
6. Lack of concentration
7. Sleep disorders
8. Headache and migraine
9. Heart and circulation irregularities
10. Nausea
11. Dizziness
12. Scar pain/phantom pain and rheumatic pain.

If someone you care about has more than one of the symptoms, crank up the A/C this summer, offer them lots of water to keep them well hydrated and stand by with extra TLC.  I promise, you will be appreciated and revered.

**P.S. add another symptom:  screaming at your dog for neurotic barking (well, she stopped barking; nothing else worked and she was working on my last nerve.)