ZU Magazine is a publication of ZU Media. The following is an article from Issue 5: Revolution.
Staff Writer | Nicole Johnson
The Earth’s revolutions are more important to society than one would think. Of course, these revolutions keep the world spinning — literally— but they can also have a dramatic effect on the human body and health.
As Earth makes its way around the sun, the weather changes. Excessive heat or excessive cold does things to the human body that can dramatically affect one’s health.
Here’s a quick elementary school reminder. The Earth “rotates” around its axis once every 24 hours, or what’s known as a full day. A “revolution” is the 365 days it takes the Earth to completely make its way around the sun. During these 365 days, the Earth is facing the sun from different positions.
This action takes place in the big, wide universe while everyone is going about their day-to-day lives. It may seem trivial, but the revolutions can actually be monumental in quite a few ways.
Without the Earth making these revolutions, the warm-weather-lovers wouldn’t be able to enjoy summer, and the leaves would not change color in the fall. No one would be able to bundle up with a book by the fire in the winter, and no one would be able to experience the beauty of flowers blooming in the spring.
Perhaps you could live happily facing the sun forever (technically, you can’t, but that’s a different topic altogether). However, serious health issues have been linked to changes in the weather.
According to studies done by the University of Florida, fatal heart attacks and strokes peak during the winter months. Blood vessels constrict to maintain body temperature in the winter. This causes blood pressure to rise because there’s less room for the blood to circulate throughout the body.
Seasonal Affective Disorder, conveniently shortened to “SAD,” can make living in colder climates a challenge for many people. Those who suffer from SAD may be particularly affected by the lack of light during the darker, winter months. Studies have found that when SAD sufferers are exposed to light, particularly during the morning hours, they tend to feel better.
Though many people claim to be a little down in the dumps when the weather turns cold, Oregon State University psychologist David Kerr said, “SAD does exist, but our research suggests that what we often think of as the winter blues does not affect people nearly as much as we may think.”
According to Dr. Kerr, it’s common to feel dismal during the winter because the sun is not out as much, but this does not always mean someone has SAD. It’s advised that someone experiencing extreme sadness during winter months consult a doctor.
Headaches and migraines are more common in the summers, potentially because of exposure to bright sunlight.
Photo by Zach Rowlandson on Unsplash
According to Montefiore Medical Center, nearly 1 million Americans are facing the debilitating pain of cluster headaches (headaches that last 30 minutes to three hours) due to Earth’s shift towards the sun. They’ve proven that the human biological rhythm is tied to the Earth’s rotation, making some individuals suffer from head pain.
Asthma can also be affected by cold and warm weather and affects one in 12 Americans.
A study done by the doctors at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan reviewed emergency room visits due to asthma during 2004-2005 and matched the data with climate records for temperature, proving the connection.
According to Dr. Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, cold, dry air is a common asthma trigger and can cause bad flare-ups, especially for people who play winter sports and have exercise-induced asthma. Hot, humid air can also be a problem. In some places, heat and sunlight combine with pollutants to create ground-level ozone, a strong asthma trigger.
The Children’s Hospital of Michigan study also shows that people with allergies and asthma should be vigilant about controlling their symptoms regardless of the season. People with asthma should follow the normal protocols of avoiding extreme temperatures, staying away from pollen and smoke, staying calm and relaxed, and doing nasal and chest exercises. These habits are especially encouraged during weather changes.
Staying aware of these changes brought on by the Earth’s revolutions can help someone keep an eye on their blood pressure, seek help if they’re experiencing symptoms of SAD and keep their asthma under control when the weather abruptly switches from warm to cold or cold to warm.