4 Reasons Rainy Days Make You Feel Sleepy

There might be nothing less motivating than a rainy Monday.

If rainy days just make you want to curl up on the couch and nap, you are not alone.

There is actually quite a bit of science behind your lazy mood on a rainy day, with four major reasons you can point to when all you want to do is lay down.

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Weather can truly affect your mood (for better or for worse), but what is it about the rain that makes you so sleepy?

The experts have spoken and here's what you need to know.

Reasons Rainy Days Make You Feel More Tired

1. You Don't Sleep As Well on Rainy Nights

A study by the University of Rochester Sleep Laboratory in New York showed that on rainy nights people tend not to get as good a night's sleep.

That lack of sleeping as soundly or for as long can cause you wake up exhausted and rundown. Then throughout the day you just continue to be plain, old tired.

READ MORE: New Bedford Schools Address Students' Poor Sleeping Habits

2. Too Much Melatonin

Melatonin is the hormone that helps regulate the wake-sleep cycle. The more melatonin your body is producing means the more tired you will be.

But melatonin is also reliant on light, which is why we sleep at night. When the sun comes up in the morning it suppresses the melatonin production and wakes us up.

But when it's cloudy and rainy, your melatonin production remains higher, so you are sleepier.

3. Too Much Serotonin

On the flip side, as the cloudy skies cause your body to overproduce melatonin they also cause your brain to underproduce serotonin.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is linked to happiness. Though the food you eat has a lot to do with serotonin production, sunlight does a bit too.

When we have less sun, we make less serotonin which can lead to feelings of depression and lack of motivation.

READ MORE: 5 Signs You May Need Help With Depression

4. Soothing Sounds

If sound machines have taught us anything, it's that the sound of rain drops falling is extremely soothing.

Turns out that is because raindrops like to form a pattern as they fall. That pattern can become rhythmic and once the rhythm gets in your head its like an internal lullaby soothing you all day long.

Sure that soothing rain is nice on a nature sounds playlist, but during the day it can leave you ready for bed when you need to be up and at 'em.