Warmer weather helps mood

WJBK - The clocks went back, which means darkness is setting in a little earlier.

That can make some people sad, but here's the good news: Fox 2 Weather Authority is calling for highs to be hovering around 70 degrees for the next few days! So, soak it in and smile.

Yes, it's November, but if you step outside over the next few days it's going to feel much different. So what can sunshine and 70 degrees do for us? Apparently a lot. A University of Michigan study found being outside in the pleasant weather can reset your mind.

Lead researcher Matthew Keller studied the impact of weather on mood with six-hundred people, and he found those whos pent at least thirty minutes outside in warm, sunny weather showed improved mood and memory skills.

Now here's the really interesting part, researchers find the optimal temperature for mood for most Americans is 72 degrees. Here in Michigan, however, our moods peaked at 65 degrees. So before the warm sunshine leaves us, find a way to get outside for 30 minutes and see how it makes you feel.

Reasearch does point out that people do feel a little more blue in the winter, and the most extreme example is Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is a recurrent depression that sets in during fall or winter. Until then, enjoy the warm weather.