During the winter months, those of us who live in the northern hemisphere experienced shrinkage. No, not THAT kind of shrinkage. I’m talking about brain shrinkage. Your cerebellum got smaller through the winter months, and as the longer days take over, the part of your brain that controls fine motor movement is getting bigger again. Meanwhile, subcortical structures in your brain that control motivation, processing of emotions, and decision-making got larger during the winter and are now shrinking in size as the weather gets warmer.
What the heck is going on inside our skulls? Don’t be scared – it’s just your brain reacting to the seasons of the year. It’s been going on inside you since you were born – you just never noticed it because the change happens slowly over a long interval.
Some of the brain changes that are seasonal in nature are more obvious than others:
- Seasonal Affected Disorder is a mood change that happens in the winter. It seems to be related to the shorter day lengths, resulting in lethargy and even clinical depression in some people.
- More non-allergy-related headaches are reported during the spring and fall months.
- The month with the most births is March, meaning more children are conceived in June than in any other month.
The worst time of the year to take cognitive tests is during the fall and winter months, because the shrinking cerebellum reduces logical reasoning. The best time of year for optimal performance on cognitive tests is in the spring and summer. Plus, dementia symptoms are reported at a far higher rate in the fall and winter than in the spring and summer.
There are many theories around the physical and functional changes to our brains throughout the year, and scientists are still trying to work out the what’s and why’s. What’s good for us all to keep in mind is that our brain is a tool, just like our feet and our hands and our eyes are tools. Just as we learned to use those visible pieces of ourselves to enhance our lives, we can intentionally use our brain to create more success. Need some examples? Here are three episodes of the world’s second-shortest podcast to enlighten you in less than 90 seconds each:
Want to understand and cope with your life better? Here’s a Tiny Bite for that!
Want to make your sun shine whenever you’d like? Here’s a Tiny Bite for that!
Want to know the trick to controlling your mood? Here’s a Tiny Bite for that!
As for that brain shrinkage, don’t worry about it too much. What’s shrinking now will get bigger again in a few months, and what shrunk a few months ago is getting bigger as you read this. Take what you learned in those Tiny Bites podcast episodes and get out there and make today wagalicious!
Wags,
Sandy Weaver
Program Director, Center for Workplace Happiness
Want more? Come and play in the Wagalicious Life Online Community playground! Go to Wagalicious.Life. #veterinarian #petindustry #agriculture #leader #lawofattraction
