How Environmental Stressors Affect Mood

Most people understand that weather affects the body we feel cold, lazy, sleepy, or tired depending on the season. But what many don’t realise is that weather also affects the mind, sometimes subtly and sometimes intensely.

In Indian cities like Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, and Lucknow, winter doesn’t just bring fog—it brings heavy smog, lower sunlight exposure, temperature dips, and isolation, all of which influence mental health.

Research across environmental psychology shows that changes in temperature, humidity, sunlight exposure, and air quality can increase irritability, stress, restlessness, and even panic-like symptoms.

Here’s how environmental stressors typically affect our mood:

• Low sunlight affects our circadian rhythm, leading to disturbed sleep, low energy, and increased sadness.
• Extreme cold makes the body conserve energy, which can feel like mental fatigue or burnout.
• Poor air quality makes breathing difficult, creating a sense of discomfort, helplessness, and anxiety.
• Reduced movement outdoors means less physical activity, increasing stress hormones.

In daily life, this looks like snapping quickly at family members, struggling to concentrate at work, feeling a strange heaviness in the chest, or waking up tired despite sleeping enough. Many clients at The Mind Veda report that winter is when their anxiety quietly spikes — but they don’t immediately connect the dots to weather.

Pollution, Breathing, and Emotional Distress

During winter, especially in North India, IQAir and SAFAR reports often show AQI levels between “Very Poor” to “Severe.” At these levels, the body experiences more inflammation, irritated airways, and reduced oxygen saturation.

This creates a biological stress response that looks similar to the early stages of anxiety:

• Shallow breathing
• Chest tightness
• Lightheadedness
• Irritability
• Difficulty relaxing
• Increased heart rate

For individuals who already struggle with generalised anxiety, health anxiety, or panic disorder, this can be extremely triggering.

Psychologically, there are two mechanisms happening:

1. Physiological discomfort → Emotional discomfort
   When breathing feels heavy, the brain interprets it as a threat. This activates the sympathetic nervous system — the same system involved in anxiety.
2. Pollution reduces the brain’s ability to regulate emotions
   Studies show long-term exposure to air pollution increases inflammation in the brain, which is associated with:
• higher anxiety
• irritability
• fatigue
• low frustration tolerance

This is why many people feel “on edge” during winter smog.

Children, the elderly, and people with asthma or previous mental health conditions are especially vulnerable. Even healthy individuals may feel suddenly more stressed or low without an obvious reason.

The Role of Lifestyle and Mindfulness

Weather and pollution don’t act alone — they interact with lifestyle habits. Most people unknowingly change their behaviour during winters:

• Reduced sunlight exposure
• Less exercise
• More time indoors
• Increase in caffeine or comfort eating
• Disturbed sleep cycles
• Higher screen time
• Less socialising

All these factors together create a mental-health dip.

Why sunlight matters

Low sunlight reduces serotonin (the mood-stabilising hormone) and increases melatonin (the sleep hormone). This is why winter is associated with:

• low motivation
• tiredness
• sadness
• irritability
• mood fluctuations

Some people also experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a seasonal form of depression triggered by reduced daylight.

Mindfulness and breath awareness

Because breathing becomes heavier in smog, mindfulness-based breathing becomes essential. Simple grounding exercises can prevent the body from misinterpreting environmental discomfort as danger.

For example:

• Taking slow breaths
• Feeling the body on the chair or bed
• Touching a warm object
• Naming five things around you

These techniques help regulate the nervous system and reduce panic-like sensations.

Balancing routine during winters

Clients at The Mind Veda often share that they lose routine during winter waking up late, skipping walks, feeling lazy, eating more sugar. These habits may feel comforting, but they increase internal stress.

A stable routine even if it’s slow and gentle helps the mind feel safe.

How to Protect Your Mind in Harsh Winters

You cannot control the weather, but you can reduce its psychological impact. Here are simple, science-backed, layman-friendly tools anyone can follow:

1. Prioritise breathing and air quality

• Use indoor air purifiers if possible
• Keep windows closed during peak pollution hours
• Practice slow-breathing exercises for 2–3 minutes every day
• Steam inhalation or warm showers can reduce airway irritation

Even small improvements in breathing reduce anxiety symptoms.

2. Get sunlight, even for 10 minutes

Sunlight between 7–11 AM improves mood and reduces melatonin. If going outside isn’t possible, sit near a window or balcony. Morning sunlight regulates:

• energy
• sleep
• concentration
• emotional stability

3. Move your body (gently counts too!)

You do not need a full workout even light stretching, indoor yoga, or a 10-minute walk improves blood circulation and reduces irritability.

Movement helps burn excess cortisol, the stress hormone.

4. Monitor caffeine intake

Coffee and chai feel comforting in winter, but excessive caffeine increases heart rate and worsens anxiety-like sensations. Keeping caffeine moderate makes a noticeable difference.

5. Maintain social contact

Colder months increase isolation and rumination. Regular short conversations with friends, family, or colleagues buffer emotional stress.

6. Warm foods = warm mood

Warm soups, dals, herbal teas, and protein-rich meals support emotional regulation. Avoiding excessive sugar helps prevent emotional crashes.

7. Create a calm indoor environment

A warm blanket, dim lights, soothing music, or a scented candle can signal the brain to relax.

Small sensory comforts matter during harsh winters.

How Therapy Can Help

Many people underestimate how strongly weather and pollution influence their mental health until symptoms become overwhelming.

Therapy provides clarity and tools such as:

1. Understanding your triggers

A therapist helps differentiate:

• pollution-driven physical discomfort
• weather-related emotional dips
• past anxiety patterns
  This awareness reduces panic and self-blame.

2. Cognitive restructuring

Anxiety during smog often comes with thoughts like:

• “I can’t breathe — something is wrong.”
• “What if I faint?”
• “This heaviness means I’m getting sick.”

Therapy helps challenge and reframe these thoughts so the body doesn’t amplify fear.

3. Breathwork and grounding training

Therapists teach techniques customised to your anxiety pattern especially useful when environmental factors are uncontrollable.

4. Lifestyle planning

Even small routine changes can improve mood drastically. A therapist helps build realistic, winter-friendly habits that fit your schedule.

5. Emotional regulation

Therapy strengthens your ability to stay calm even when external stressors are high a crucial skill for people living in highly polluted or extreme-weather cities.

At The Mind Veda, many clients experience winter anxiety without realising the environmental link. With therapy, they learn to understand their body’s signals, regulate their emotions, and build healthier winter routines.

Weather and air quality are not just physical experiences they deeply influence emotional well-being. If you notice your anxiety increasing during winters, it’s not “in your head.” It’s a real, biological, and psychological response.

And with the right tools, awareness, and support, you can protect your mind even during the harshest weather conditions.