Why does pressure decrease when air temperature rises? Why does a change in weather affect a person's well-being? The structure of the earth's atmosphere

If you are a person whose well-being can predict the weather, then this article is for you.

In my article, I want to talk about how fluctuations in temperature, air humidity and atmospheric pressure affect human health and how to avoid the negative impact weather conditions on your body.

Man is a child of nature and is an integral part of it!

Everything in this world has its balance and a clear relationship, in this case, we will talk about the relationship between weather conditions and human well-being.

Some people, often moving in temporary and climatic zones(frequent flights), the climate is constantly changing and they feel very comfortable at the same time.

Others, on the contrary, “lying on the couch” feel the slightest fluctuations in temperature and atmospheric pressure, which in turn negatively affects their well-being - it is this sensitivity to changes in weather conditions that is called meteorological dependence.

Weather-dependent people or people - "barometers" - are most often sick, suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system, often working a lot, constantly overworking and not resting enough.

Meteorologically dependent people include people with diseases of atherosclerosis of the vessels of the heart, brain and lower extremities, patients with diseases respiratory system, musculoskeletal system, allergy sufferers and patients with neurasthenia.

How do changes in atmospheric pressure affect

on a person's well-being?

In order for a person to be comfortable, atmospheric pressure should be equal to 750 mm. rt. pillar.

If atmospheric pressure deviates, even by 10 mm, in one direction or another, a person feels uncomfortable and this may affect his state of health.

What happens when atmospheric pressure decreases?

With a decrease in atmospheric pressure, air humidity rises, precipitation and an increase in air temperature are possible.

The first to feel the decrease in atmospheric pressure are people with low blood pressure (hypotension), "cores", as well as people with respiratory diseases.

Most often, there is general weakness, shortness of breath, a feeling of lack of air, shortness of breath occurs.

A decrease in atmospheric pressure is especially acute and painful for people with high intracranial pressure. They get worse migraine attacks. In the digestive tract, too, not everything is in order - there is discomfort in the intestines, due to increased gas formation.

How to help yourself?

The important point is to normalize your blood pressure and maintain it at the usual (normal) level.

Drink more fluids (green tea, with honey)

Don't Skip Your Morning Coffee These Days

Don't Skip Your Morning Coffee These Days

Take tinctures of ginseng, lemongrass, eleutherococcus

After a working day, take a contrast shower

Go to bed earlier than usual

What happens when atmospheric pressure rises?

When atmospheric pressure rises, the weather becomes clear and does not have sudden changes in humidity and temperature.

With an increase in atmospheric pressure, the state of health worsens in hypertensive patients, patients suffering from bronchial asthma and allergies.

When the weather becomes calm, the concentration of harmful industrial impurities in the city air increases, which are an irritating factor for people with respiratory diseases.

Frequent complaints are headaches, malaise, pain in the heart and decreased overall ability to work. An increase in atmospheric pressure has a negative effect on emotional background and often acts as the main cause of sexual disorders.

Another negative characteristic of high atmospheric pressure is a decrease in immunity. This is due to the fact that an increase in atmospheric pressure lowers the number of leukocytes in the blood, and the body becomes more vulnerable to various infections.

How to help yourself?

• Do some light morning exercise

• Take a contrast shower

• Morning breakfast should contain more potassium (cottage cheese, raisins, dried apricots, bananas)

• Do not overeat during the day

If you have increased intracranial pressure, take in advance medications prescribed by a neurologist

Take care of your nervous and immune system - do not start important things on this day

Try to make the most of this day physical strength and emotions, because your mood will leave much to be desired

Upon arrival home, rest for 40 minutes, go about your daily activities and try to go to bed early.

How do fluctuations in air humidity affect
on a person's well-being?

Low air humidity is considered to be 30 - 40%, which means that the air becomes dry and can irritate the nasal mucosa.

Dry air affects allergy sufferers and asthmatics.

What to do?

In order to moisturize the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, rinse through the nose with a slightly salty solution or ordinary non-carbonated water.

Now there are many nasal sprays that contain mineral salts, help moisturize the nasal passages, nasopharynx, relieve swelling and improve nasal breathing.

What happens to the body when air humidity rises?

Increased air humidity, it is 70 - 90%, when the climate is characterized by frequent precipitation. An example of weather with high air humidity can be Russia and Sochi.

High humidity adversely affects people with diseases respiratory tract, because at this time the risk of developing hypothermia and colds increases.

High humidity contributes to the exacerbation of chronic diseases of the kidneys, joints and inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs (appendages).

How to help yourself?

• If possible, change the climate to dry

• Reduce exposure to damp and wet weather

• Warm up when you leave the house

• Take vitamins

• Treat and prevent chronic diseases in a timely manner

How do fluctuations in air temperature affect human well-being?

For the human body, the optimum temperature environment, is 18 degrees, this is the temperature recommended for maintaining in the room where you sleep.

Sudden temperature changes are accompanied by a change in the oxygen content in the atmospheric air, and this significantly depresses a person's well-being.

Man is a living being who needs oxygen in order to live and naturally feel good.

At decline ambient temperature, the air is saturated with oxygen, and when it warms up, on the contrary, there is less oxygen in the air and therefore it is difficult for us to breathe in hot weather.

When rises air temperature, and atmospheric pressure decreases - first of all, people with cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases suffer.

When, on the contrary, the temperature drops and atmospheric pressure rises, it is especially difficult for hypertensive patients, asthmatics, people with diseases of the digestive tract and those who suffer from urolithiasis.

With a sharp and significant fluctuation in ambient temperature, by about 10 degrees during the day, a large amount of histamine is produced in the body.

Histamine is a substance that provokes the development of allergic reactions in the body in healthy people, not to mention allergy sufferers.

How to help yourself?

In this regard, before a sharp cold snap, limit the use of foods that can cause allergies (citrus fruits, chocolate, coffee, tomatoes)

During a strong heat, the body loses a large amount of fluid, and therefore drink more purified water in the summer - this will help save your heart, blood vessels and kidneys.

Always listen to weather forecasts. Possession of information about temperature changes will help you reduce the likelihood of exacerbations of chronic diseases, and maybe save you from the appearance of new health problems?!

What magnetic storms
and
How do they affect a person's well-being?

Solar flares, eclipses and other geophysical and cosmic factors affect human health.

You have probably noticed that over the past 15 - 25 years, along with the weather forecast, they talk about magnetic storms and warn of possible exacerbations of diseases in certain categories of people?

Each of us reacts to magnetic storms, but not everyone notices it, much less associates it with a magnetic storm.

According to statistics, it is during the days of magnetic storms that the greatest number of ambulance calls occur for hypertensive crises, heart attacks and strokes.

These days, not only the number of hospitalizations in cardiology and neurology departments is increasing, but the number of deaths due to heart attacks and strokes is also growing.

Why do magnetic storms prevent us from living?

During magnetic storms, the work of the pituitary gland is inhibited.

The pituitary gland is a gland located in the brain that produces melatonin.

Melatonin is a substance that, in turn, controls the work of the sex glands and the adrenal cortex, and the metabolism and adaptation of our body to adverse environmental conditions depend on the adrenal cortex.

Once upon a time, even studies were carried out in which it was proved that during magnetic storms the production of melatonin is suppressed, and more cortisol, the stress hormone, is released in the adrenal cortex.

Prolonged or frequent exposure to magnetic storms on the body can lead to disruption of biorhythms, which are also controlled by the pituitary gland. The result of this can be not only a deterioration in well-being, but also serious health problems (for example: neuroses, chronic fatigue syndrome, hormonal imbalances).

In conclusion, I want to say that people who spend little time outdoors suffer from weather changes more often, and therefore even slight weather fluctuations can cause poor health.

"11 ways to get rid of weather dependence"

1. Hardening

2. Swimming

3. Walking, running

4. Frequent walks in the fresh air

5. Healthy and nutritious food

6. Enough sleep

7. Correction of the emotional sphere (autogenic training, relaxation, yoga, massage, conversation with a psychologist)

8. Taking vitamins

9. Eat seasonal foods

10. Refusal of bad habits

11. Weight normalization

Tips for sudden weather changes

• Limit physical activity.
• Avoid additional both emotional and physical stress.

Control your blood pressure and do not forget to take the medicines prescribed by your cardiologist. Neurologist, pulmonologist or allergist.

• Do not overeat or abuse salt.
• Walk outdoors for at least 1 hour before bed.

With an increase in blood pressure, massage the neck and thoracic spine.

• Take tranquilizers.
• Don't forget about vitamins C and B.

Atmospheric air is an environment that constantly surrounds a person, through which his primary vital needs are satisfied. The role of air in the occurrence and treatment of diseases was emphasized by Hippocrates. F.F. Erisman noted that any changes in the physical or chemical properties of the air easily affect the well-being of a person, violating the harmonic balance of our body, i.e. health.

Ecological role air environment for humans is as follows:

1. air delivers oxygen to the body;

2. accepts carbon dioxide and gaseous metabolic products;

3. affects thermoregulation;

4. through the air, the sun's rays act on the body;

5. air is a reservoir of harmful gases, suspended solids and microbes that affect a person.

In this topic, we will consider the impact on human health of the physical factors of air: temperature (T), humidity, atmospheric pressure, air velocity, ionization and solar radiation. It should be immediately noted that physical factors, unlike chemical factors, act on the body only complex.

Physical properties atmospheric air- temperature (T), humidity, atmospheric pressure and speed of movement are meteorological factors of the air. The measurement of their physical parameters is carried out with special devices: temperature - with a thermometer, humidity - with a psychrometer and hygrometer, air velocity - with an anemometer (in the atmosphere) and catathermometer - in a dwelling, atmospheric pressure - with a barometer. Hygiene assessment meteorological factors is carried out according to the degree of their impact on the body, for which integral indicators are used: temperature reaction - changes in T of the skin of the forehead (normal - 33-34 ° C) and hands (30-31 ° C), the amount of sweat evaporation (weight change) , pulse rate, respiration, blood pressure and subjective sensations of a person, for example, on temperature changes - on a 5-point scale: cold, cool, good, warm, hot; to the light - brightness, brilliance.

Air temperature depends on the time of year, climate zone, time of day, intensity of sunlight and the underlying surface of the earth. The sun's rays passing through the atmosphere do not heat it. The heating of the air comes from the heat transfer of the soil, which absorbs the sun's rays. Warm air rises to give way to cold air - this movement is called convection- it contributes to the movement of air masses and uniform heating of the surface layers of the atmosphere. The hygienic significance of air temperature lies in its effect on the body's heat exchange. Moreover, not only the absolute values ​​of air temperature, but also the amplitudes of its fluctuations are of hygienic importance. In humans, heat is generated as a result of oxidative processes in cells and tissues, and its normal existence is possible at a constant body temperature. Due to the complex mechanism of thermoregulation with the environment (in children under 7-8 years old it is imperfect), the body maintains a thermal balance. The most favorable for the well-being of a person is T-18-22 o C (for men - 20 o C, for women - 22 o C) and the amplitude of its fluctuations is 2-4 o C during the day.

Air humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. Depends on the climate zone, season of the year and proximity water basins: in a maritime climate, there is more moisture than in a continental or desert climate. The degree of air humidity is determined by three indicators: absolute, maximum and relative humidity. Absolute humidity - the amount of water vapor in grams per 1 m 3 of air at a given temperature. Maximum humidity - how much water vapor can be contained in the air at a given temperature, measured in g per m 3. Relative humidity is the ratio absolute humidity to the maximum, measured in%. Optimal parameters for health relative humidity - 30-60%. The hygienic value of humidity is in its effect on human perspiration, which, by affecting body temperature, maintains its constancy. With an increase in humidity - in warmth a person becomes hot, in the cold - cold, chilly.

Atmosphere pressure is the pressure of the atmospheric column of air as a result of gravity. At sea level, the pressure is constant: per 1 cm 2 - 1.033 kg or 760 mm of mercury. The hygienic value of atmospheric pressure is in maintaining blood pressure (BP). An increase or decrease in pressure affects human physiology. For a healthy person, these changes are imperceptible, but for a patient they are sensitive: changes in pressure are signaled by well-being. At increase in pressure the partial pressure of oxygen increases (% of it remains the same): the pulse and respiratory rate slow down, the maximum blood pressure decreases and the minimum blood pressure rises, the vital capacity of the lungs increases, skin sensitivity and hearing decrease, there is a feeling of dryness of the mucous membranes (in the mouth), intestinal motility increases and gas outlet; blood and tissues absorb oxygen better, which improves performance and well-being. With an artificial increase in pressure (in divers), the dissolution of atmospheric nitrogen increases, which dissolves well in fats, nervous tissue and subcutaneous tissue, from where it slowly exits during decompression. When a diver quickly rises from a depth, nitrogen boils and clogs the small vessels of the brain, which causes the death of the diver, which requires him to be slowly removed from the depths. But even under normal operating conditions, divers cannot avoid vascular nitrogen embolism - their joints hurt and hemorrhages are frequent.

pressure drop causes a decrease in the partial pressure of oxygen, and when climbing mountains and a decrease in its concentration. There are symptoms of "altitude sickness": drowsiness, an increase in maximum blood pressure and a decrease in minimum blood pressure, heaviness in the head, headaches, apathy, depression; the dissolved nitrogen released into the blood in the form of pain in the joints and itching acts. In the city, the atmospheric pressure is lower than outside the city or on the plain, and the partial pressure of oxygen is lower. This determines the manifestation of symptoms of "altitude sickness" in people moving to the city from their summer cottage or from the countryside: shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, nausea, and nosebleeds occur.

air movement- is determined by the speed of its movement and the direction of the wind. Wind speed is measured in m/s. Good health is maintained when air moves at a speed of 0.1-0.3 m / s - this is the norm for residential premises. The lower limit of air movement from the hygienic side is determined by the need to blow off the enveloping person

SW FROM

from where it moves, and is called rumbo m. A graphical representation of the frequency of wind in a given area in the direction of parts of the world is called wind rose. For example, in fig. No. 1 shows a wind rose with a prevailing NE wind. The wind rose must be taken into account by architects when building residential areas and industrial enterprises: residential areas should be located on the windward side in relation to industrial enterprises.

In addition to meteorological factors, the quality of the air environment is characterized by air ionization and solar radiation.

Air ionization It is formed under the influence of electric discharges, radioactive elements, UV and cosmic rays. AT clean air light negative ions predominate, while heavy positive ions predominate in polluted water. Polluted air in cities is less ionized than in rural areas and resort areas. Negative ions enter the dwelling from the street, and already in the window opening they make up only 20% of the street concentration. In multi-storey buildings, they are actively absorbed by concrete walls, dust, CO2, moisture, higher air temperature. In this case, instead of negative ions, the number of positive ions increases. It is stuffy for a person, it seems that there is “little air”, but in reality there are few negative ions. Therefore, the level of ionization of the dwelling is an indicator of the purity of the air. The hygienic role of negative ions - they negatively charge red blood cells, they absorb and give off oxygen better, metabolic processes in tissues go better, acidosis decreases - mental work improves, efficiency increases, old age recedes. Mice in a 5-liter jar, which is served ambient air, passed through the electrodes, die after 2 hours, while the controls with ordinary air live. Therefore, air ionizers such as Chizhevsky's lamps are used in dwellings. For medicinal purposes, air ionization is used to treat hypertension and bronchial asthma. Therefore, for a healthy lifestyle, it is advisable for people to be in the fresh air more often, and not sit out in an apartment.

Solar radiation. We owe life to the sun - it is a source of heat and light. Sunlight is a stream of electromagnetic vibrations, which, passing through the Earth's atmosphere, is partially absorbed, scattered, and only 43% reaches the soil. Sunlight affects the body with all parts of its spectrum. Visible part It has a general biological effect on the body, on the organ of vision, the central nervous system and through it on all organs. But different areas of visible light act differently: red rays excite; yellow, green - soothe; purple - oppressive. With a lack of light, vision strains and deteriorates (sharpness and speed of discrimination). High brightness - blinds and tires, and with prolonged exposure (snow) causes inflammation of the retina. Invisible part of the world: infrared and ultraviolet - very biologically active. infrared radiation is divided into 1) long-wave and 2) short-wave. Long-wavelength is absorbed by the surface layer of the skin and causes it to warm up, a burning sensation is felt. Shortwave is not felt and penetrates into the deeper layers of the skin, causing burns and general overheating of the body. In production, short-wave radiation causes changes in the cornea of ​​​​the eye, up to cataracts. At noon, short-wave radiation prevails, so sunbathing at this time is dangerous. UFL have the highest biological activity. In the spring, under their influence, metabolism, immunity, and working capacity increase. They have an anti-rachitic effect, tk. under their influence, vitamin D is synthesized in the skin, which improves calcium metabolism and blood formation, and the resistance of capillaries. Without UV radiation, rickets occurs in children, and osteoporosis in adults: calcium depletion of bones, leading to their fragility, teeth decay (caries). This condition is called “light starvation” - it is often of professional origin: among miners, among people sent to the North, and also among people who rarely go out into the fresh air. Prevention of hypovitaminosis D: exposure to the sun, irradiation with UV lamps, taking calciferol. UV lamps also have a bactericidal effect - they kill microbes, which is used in medicine to destroy them with the help of UV lamps. Window glasses weaken UV radiation, so they need to be cleaned more often from dust. UV radiation has a harmful effect on the eyes, causing their inflammation (photophthalmia) - an occupational disease of welders, as well as climbers, residents of mountainous and arctic regions. Prevention: use of protective shields, black glasses, etc.

How weather conditions affect the body depends on its adaptive abilities: someone reacts to them, someone does not notice at all, and there are those who, by their well-being, can predict the weather. It is believed that people with an unbalanced nervous system - melancholic and choleric people - are especially clearly susceptible to weather conditions. In sanguine and phlegmatic people, it most often manifests itself either against the background of a weakened immune system, or in a chronic disease. However, meteosensitivity as a diagnosis is typical just for those who already suffer from some kind of illness. As a rule, these are pathologies of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, diseases nervous system, rheumatoid arthritis.

What weather factors affect our well-being? Head of the Department of Neurology of the 122nd Clinical Hospital, Professor Alexander Elchaninov refers to the most significant meteorological factors: air temperature, humidity, wind speed and barometric (atmospheric) pressure. The human body is also influenced by heliophysical factors - magnetic fields.

Air temperature

It has the most noticeable effect on a person's well-being in combination with air humidity. The most comfortable is the combination of temperature 18-20C° and humidity 40-60%. At the same time, fluctuations in air temperature within 1-10°C are considered favorable, 10-15°C - unfavorable, and above 15°C - very unfavorable. - explains Professor Elchaninov. - Comfortable temperature for sleep - from 16°С to 18°С.

The oxygen content in the air directly depends on the air temperature. When cold, it is saturated with oxygen, and when it warms, on the contrary, it is rarefied. As a rule, in hot weather, atmospheric pressure also decreases, and as a result, those suffering from diseases of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems do not feel well.

If, against the background of high pressure, the air temperature drops and is accompanied by cold rains, then hypertensive patients, asthmatics, people with kidney stone and cholelithiasis suffer it especially hard. Sudden changes in temperature (8-10 ° C per day) are dangerous for allergy sufferers and asthmatics.

extreme temperatures

According to Sergey Boytsov, director of the State Research Center for Preventive Medicine, people with a normal thermoregulation mechanism, which actively participates in the cardiovascular system, which increases blood circulation directly under the skin, feel best in abnormal heat. But if the air temperature exceeds 38 degrees, it no longer saves: the external temperature becomes higher than the internal one, there is a risk of thrombosis against the background of centralization of blood flow and blood clotting. Therefore, in the heat, the risk of stroke is high. Doctors advise in abnormal heat to be in a room with air conditioning or at least a fan as much as possible, to avoid the sun, unnecessary physical exertion. The rest of the recommendations depend on the state of health of the person.

An anticyclone is an increased atmospheric pressure that brings with it calm, clear weather, without sudden changes in temperature and humidity.

A cyclone is a decrease in atmospheric pressure, which is accompanied by cloudiness, high humidity, precipitation and an increase in air temperature.

In extremely frosty weather, the body can supercool due to increased heat transfer. Especially dangerous is the combination of low temperature with high humidity and high speed air movement. Moreover, due to reflex mechanisms, a feeling of cold occurs not only in the area of ​​its influence, but also in seemingly distant parts of the body. So, if your legs are frozen, your nose will inevitably freeze, a feeling of cold will also appear in your throat, as a result of which SARS, diseases of the ENT organs develop. In addition, if you are cold, say, while waiting for public transport, another reflex mechanism is activated, in which a spasm of the kidney vessels occurs, circulatory disorders and a decrease in immunity are also possible. As a rule, extremely low temperatures cause spastic-type reactions. Any procedures and actions that increase blood circulation help to cope with them: gymnastics, hot foot baths, sauna, bath, contrast shower.

Air humidity

At high temperatures, air humidity (air saturation with water vapor) decreases, and in rainy weather it can reach 80-90%. During the heating season, the air humidity in our apartments drops to 15-20% (for comparison: in the Sahara Desert, the humidity is 25%). Often it is the dryness of home air, and not the high humidity on the street, that causes a tendency to colds: the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx dry out, reducing its protective functions, which makes it easy for respiratory viruses to “take root”. To avoid increased dryness in the nasopharynx, it is recommended for allergy sufferers and those who often suffer from ENT diseases to wash with a solution of lightly salted or non-carbonated mineral water.

With high humidity, those suffering from diseases of the respiratory tract, joints and kidneys are more at risk of getting sick, especially if the humidity is accompanied by a cold snap.

Humidity fluctuations from 5 to 20% are assessed as more or less favorable for the body, and from 20 to 30% as unfavorable.

Wind

The speed of air movement - the wind is perceived by us as comfortable or uncomfortable, depending on the humidity and temperature of the air. So, in the thermal comfort zone (17-27C°) with a quiet and light wind (1-4 m/s), a person feels good. However, as soon as the temperature rises, he will experience a similar sensation if the air movement becomes faster. And vice versa, when low temperatures high wind speed increases the sensation of cold. The daily periodicity has both the mountain-valley wind and other wind regimes (breeze, hair dryer). Importance have day to day fluctuations wind regime: the difference in air speed within 0.7 m/s is favorable, and 8-17 m/s is unfavorable.

Atmosphere pressure

Weather-sensitive people believe that atmospheric pressure plays a major role in their response to the weather. This is both so and not so. Because basically it affects our body in combination with other natural phenomena. It is generally accepted that a meteorologically stable state is observed at an atmospheric pressure of about 1013 mbar, that is, 760 mm Hg. Art., - says Professor Alexander Elchaninov.

If, with a decrease in atmospheric pressure, the oxygen content in the atmosphere decreases sharply, humidity and temperature increase, a person’s blood pressure drops and blood flow decreases, as a result, breathing becomes difficult, heaviness appears in the head, work is disrupted of cardio-vascular system. When atmospheric pressure drops, hypotension feels worst of all, which is manifested by severe pastosity (swelling) of tissues, tachycardia, tachypnea (frequent breathing), that is, symptoms that characterize the deepening of hypoxia (oxygen starvation) caused by low atmospheric pressure. In hypertensive patients, this weather improves well-being: blood pressure decreases and only with increasing hypoxia does drowsiness, fatigue, shortness of breath, ischemic heart pains appear, that is, the same symptoms that hypotensive patients immediately experience in such weather. When the temperature drops with an increase in atmospheric pressure, the oxygen content in the air increases, hypertensive patients feel bad, because their blood pressure rises and the blood flow speed increases. Hypotonic patients live well in such weather, they feel a surge of strength.

Solar Activity

We are the children of the sun, if it weren't there, there would be no life. Thanks to the notorious solar wind and changes in solar activity, the Earth's magnetic field, the permeability of the ozone layer, and the standards of meteorological conditions change. It is the sun that influences the cyclical work of the human body, which works in accordance with the seasons. We have an innate need for a certain amount of sunlight, sunlight and warmth. No wonder during the short winter light day almost everyone suffers from hyposolar syndrome: increased drowsiness, fatigue, depression, apathy, decreased performance and attention. We can say that the number sunny days per year for the organism is much more important than a change in, say, atmospheric pressure. Therefore, residents of coastal, for example, Mediterranean countries, or highlands, live more comfortably than Petersburgers or polar explorers.

Weather in the house

We cannot influence the weather conditions. But we can reduce the health risks associated with the influence of the external environment. The main thing to remember is that meteorological sensitivity does not manifest itself as an independent problem, it is like a carriage behind a steam locomotive, it follows a certain disease, most often chronic. Therefore, first of all, it must be identified and treated. In case of an exacerbation of the disease against the background of bad weather, you should take the medicines prescribed by the doctor for the main pathology (migraine, vegetovascular dystonia, panic attacks, neuroses and neurasthenia). And besides, in accordance with the weather forecast, you need to work out certain rules of behavior for yourself. For example, the “cores” react sharply to high humidity and the approach of a thunderstorm, which means that on such days it is necessary to avoid physical exertion and be sure to take the medicines prescribed by the doctor.

• Everyone who, when changing climatic conditions well-being changes, it is important to treat your health more carefully on such days: do not overwork, get enough sleep, avoid drinking alcohol, as well as physical exertion. Postpone, for example, every morning jog, otherwise, say, in hot weather, you can run away from a heart attack, resorting to a stroke. Any emotional and physical exercise in bad weather, this is stress that can lead to failures in autonomic regulation, heart rhythm disturbances, jumps in blood pressure, and exacerbation of chronic diseases.
• Keep track of atmospheric pressure to understand how to control blood pressure. For example, at low atmospheric hypertension it is necessary to reduce the intake of drugs that reduce blood pressure, and for hypotensive patients - take adaptogens (ginseng, eleutherococcus, magnolia vine), drink coffee. And in general, it should be remembered that in summer, in warm and hot weather, blood is redistributed from the internal organs to the skin, so blood pressure in summer is lower than in winter.
• Residents of St. Petersburg, like any other metropolis, spend most of their lives indoors. And the more time we “hide” in comfort from external climatic factors, the more the balance between the human body and the environment is disturbed, its adaptive capabilities decrease. We should increase the body's resistance to adverse weather changes. Therefore, if there are no contraindications, train the autonomic nervous and cardiovascular systems. A contrast or cold shower, Russian bath, sauna, walking tours will help you with this, preferably before going to bed.
• Organize physical activity for yourself - with them, blood pressure rises, the level of oxygen in the tissues decreases, metabolism, heat generation and heat transfer increase. Well train the cardiovascular and respiratory systems brisk walking for 1 hour, easy running, swimming. Trained people easily endure changes in the weather, which have a similar effect on the body.
• It is recommended to sleep with the window open. Moreover, sleep should be sufficient - when you wake up, you should feel that you have had enough sleep.
• Monitor the level of humidity and artificial lighting in the apartment.
• Dress "for the weather" so that the body is comfortable in all weather conditions.
• If you notice that you feel dependent on the weather, forget about traveling to distant countries “from winter to summer” or “from summer to winter”. Disruption of seasonal adaptation is dangerous even for healthy people.

Irina Dontsova

Dr. Peter

The main factor in creating an optimal microclimate is the air temperature (the degree of its heating, expressed in degrees), which to the greatest extent determines the influence of the environment on a person.

Under natural conditions of the Earth's surface, the temperature of the atmospheric air varies from -88 to + 60 °C, while the temperature of the internal organs of a person, due to the thermoregulation of his body, remains comfortable, close to 37 °C. When performing heavy work and at high ambient temperatures, the human body temperature can rise by several degrees. The highest temperature of the internal organs that a person can withstand is 43 ° C, the minimum is 25 ° C.

Humidity also has a significant impact on the microclimate.

Air humidity is characterized by the following concepts:

absolute humidity (BUT), which is expressed by the partial pressure of water vapor (Pa), or in weight units in a certain volume of air (g / m 3);

maximum humidity (F)- the amount of moisture at full saturation of air at a given temperature (g / m 3);

relative humidity (R) expressed in %, P \u003d A / Fx \ 00%.

High relative humidity (the ratio of water vapor content in 1 m 3 of air to their maximum possible content in this volume) at high air temperature contributes to overheating of the body, while at low temperature it increases heat transfer from the skin surface, which leads to hypothermia of the body. Low humidity leads to intense evaporation of moisture from the mucous membranes, their drying and cracking, and then to contamination with pathogenic microbes.

The optimal microclimate for a particular person is determined only on the basis of his subjective assessments. It is well known that the subjective sensation of heat or cold depends not only on climatic conditions, but also on factors such as body constitution, age, gender, severity of work, clothing, etc. Therefore, in practice we are talking, usually about ranges optimal temperatures and air humidity.

Normal thermal well-being takes place when the heat release of a person is completely perceived by the environment. If the body's heat production cannot be fully transferred to the environment, the temperature of the internal organs rises, and such a thermal well-being is characterized by the concept of "hot". Otherwise - "cold".

Thus, the thermal well-being of a person, or the heat balance in the “human-environment” system, depends on the temperature of the environment, mobility and relative humidity of the air, atmospheric pressure, temperature of surrounding objects and the intensity of physical activity.

For example, a decrease in temperature and an increase in the speed of air movement contribute to an increase in convective heat transfer and the process of heat transfer during the evaporation of sweat, which can lead to hypothermia of the body. An increase in the speed of air movement worsens health, as it contributes to an increase in convective heat transfer and the process of heat transfer during sweat evaporation.

The parameters of the microclimate of the air environment, which determine the optimal metabolism in the body and in which there are no unpleasant sensations and tension in the thermoregulation system, are called comfortable or optimal. The zone in which the environment completely removes the heat generated by the body, and there is no tension in the thermoregulation system, is called the comfort zone. Conditions under which the normal thermal state of a person is violated are called uncomfortable. With a slight tension in the thermoregulation system and slight discomfort, acceptable meteorological conditions are established. Permissible values ​​of microclimate indicators are established in cases where, according to technological requirements, technical and economic principles, optimal standards are not provided.

The fact that the weather is directly dependent on the pressure of the earth's atmosphere, people noticed a few centuries ago. It is no coincidence that an aneroid barometer has been used for centuries to predict it. And, of course, they knew how the weather depends on atmospheric pressure.

Today, everyone knows that in areas of high atmospheric pressure, which are called anticyclones, the weather is better. That is, there is usually no precipitation in the anticyclone area, and the sun is shining. In a zone of low atmospheric pressure, called a cyclone, the weather is worse. In the cyclone area, it usually rains or snows, and the sun hides behind clouds or clouds.

That is, a decrease in atmospheric pressure is a harbinger of bad weather, and its increase indicates its possible improvement. "Possible" because the weather is affected by many factors and atmospheric pressure is only one of them.

Meteorological dependence: weather factors affecting well-being

The human body exists in constant interaction with the environment, therefore, all people, without exception, are characterized by meteosensitivity - the ability of the body (primarily the nervous system) to respond to changes in weather factors, such as atmospheric pressure, wind, solar radiation intensity, etc.

The main factor that is responsible for the weather on Earth is the Sun. Its rays warm the atmosphere, but do it unevenly. This happens, firstly, because the Earth rotates, and secondly, because the axis of its rotation is inclined to the plane of the orbit by 66 ° 33. This explains the presence of five climatic zones, and the change in seasonal temperatures, as well as fluctuations in night and daytime temperatures, notes Dr. Tatyana Lagutina in her book 200 Health Recipes for Weather-Sensitive People.

The amount of atmospheric pressure, the evaporation of water, and hence the humidity of the air, the amount of gases, and most importantly, the amount of atmospheric oxygen in the surface layer depend on how warm the surface of the earth and atmospheric air are in a particular region of our planet. Since the pressure of atmospheric air in different areas of the Earth is never the same, air is in constant motion, moving from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. As a result of air movement, wind, cyclones, anticyclones are formed, clouds are formed, precipitation falls, that is, weather is created.

Sometimes huge, up to several thousand kilometers in diameter, vortices are observed in the atmosphere, which are called cyclones and anticyclones. During the passage of such eddies over a certain territory, stable weather is established, the characteristic features of which are deviations from the average seasonal indicators of atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity and atmospheric oxygen.
The cyclone brings with it a sharp change in the weather, increased wind, a decrease in atmospheric pressure, temperature, and an increase in humidity. There are bad weather, cold snap, cloudiness appears, depending on the season it's raining or snow.

An anticyclone, on the contrary, leads to an increase in atmospheric pressure and a decrease in air humidity. The weather is clear, sunny, without precipitation, frosty in winter, hot in summer, winds blow from the center to the periphery.
Depending on the influence of a particular weather on a person's well-being, 5 types of weather conditions are distinguished.

Indifferent type - minor changes in the atmosphere that do not affect the state of health and well-being of a person.

Tonic type - the establishment of such weather conditions that favorably affect the well-being of a person. Such weather is especially good for the well-being of patients suffering from chronic oxygen deficiency, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and chronic bronchitis.

Spastic type - a sharp cold snap, accompanied by an increase in atmospheric pressure. Such weather, as a rule, leads to an increase in blood pressure, the occurrence of vasospasm, headaches and heart pain, and angina attacks.

Hypotensive type - a decrease in atmospheric pressure, which leads to a decrease in vascular tone, and consequently, to a decrease in blood pressure. On such days, hypertensive patients experience an improvement in well-being.

Hypoxic type - an increase in temperature and a decrease in the amount of atmospheric oxygen in the surface air layer. Such weather is especially unfavorable for patients with cardiovascular and respiratory insufficiency.

So, speaking about the influence of weather on human well-being, it is necessary to take into account many factors, which include temperature, humidity and air composition, pressure, wind speed, solar radiation fluxes, long-wave solar radiation, type and intensity of precipitation, atmospheric electricity, atmospheric radioactivity, subsonic noise.

Atmosphere pressure

Atmospheric pressure is the pressure exerted by an air column per unit area. Traditionally, it is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). A pressure of 1 atmosphere is considered normal, capable of balancing a column of mercury 760 mm high at a temperature of 0 ° C at sea level and a latitude of 45 °.

Depending on geographical conditions, time of year, day and various meteorological factors, the value of atmospheric, or barometric, pressure varies. So, if we do not take into account natural disasters, annual fluctuations in atmospheric pressure on the earth's surface do not exceed 30 mm, and daily fluctuations - 4–5 mm.

The role of atmospheric pressure in the formation of weather is very large. It is responsible for the strength and direction of the wind, frequency and amount precipitation and temperature fluctuations. So, a decrease in pressure is followed by cloudy, rainy weather, an increase - dry, with a strong cooling in winter.

A sharp change in atmospheric pressure causes drops in blood pressure, fluctuations in the electrical resistance of the skin, as well as an increase or decrease in the number of leukocytes in the blood. So, at low atmospheric pressure, the electrical resistance of the skin significantly exceeds the norm, the number of leukocytes increases, the pressure in the stomach and intestines increases, which leads to a high standing of the diaphragm. As a result, activity is disrupted gastrointestinal tract, the work of the heart and lungs is difficult.

As a rule, atmospheric pressure drops that do not go beyond the norm do not affect the well-being of healthy people. The situation is different with sick or overly emotional natures. With a decrease in atmospheric pressure, for example, in people suffering from rheumatism, pain in the joints worsens, in hypertensive patients the state of health worsens, doctors note a sharp jump in angina attacks. People with increased nervous excitability with sharp jumps in atmospheric pressure complain of a feeling of fear, insomnia and a deterioration in mood.

Air temperature

Air temperature is responsible for the heat exchange processes occurring between the human body and the environment. Temperature effects are perceived by a person as a sensation of heat or cold. Moreover, from this point of view, it is associated not only with solar energy and its intensity, but also with wind speed and air humidity. Comfortable conditions for a healthy person, that is, when he does not experience either heat, or cold, or stuffiness, depend on the climatic zone of his residence, season, socio-economic conditions and age and cannot be unambiguously determined.

Moreover, the well-being of a person is affected not so much by temperature indicators as by its day-to-day fluctuations. So, a slight change in temperature is a deviation from the average daily norm by 1–2 °C, a moderate one by 3–4 °C and a sharp one by more than 4 °C. It is generally accepted that the optimal conditions for a person are those under which he feels an air temperature of 16–18 ° C at a relative humidity of 50%.

The most dangerous for people are sudden changes in temperature, as they are usually fraught with outbreaks of acute respiratory infectious diseases. Science knows such a fact, when during one night the temperature rose from -44 ° C to +6 ° C, which occurred in St. Petersburg in January 1780, 40 thousand inhabitants fell ill in the city.

Human vessels react most quickly to fluctuations in air temperature, which, narrowing or expanding, carry out thermoregulation and maintain a constant body temperature. With prolonged exposure to low temperatures, excessive vasospasm often occurs, which, in turn, in people suffering from hypertension or hypotension, as well as coronary heart disease, can cause severe headaches, pain in the heart area, and blood pressure jumps.

High temperature also negatively affects the work of the human body. Its detrimental effect is manifested in a decrease in blood pressure, dehydration of the body, and a deterioration in the blood supply to many organs.

Air humidity

The same air temperature with different indicators of its humidity is perceived by a person in different ways. So, with high humidity, which prevents the evaporation of moisture from the surface of the body, heat is difficult to tolerate and the effect of cold intensifies. Besides, wet air several times increases the risk of infections transmitted by airborne droplets.
Insufficient humidity leads to intense sweating, as a result of which, according to acceptable standards, a person can lose up to 2-3% of his weight. Together with sweat, a large amount of mineral salts is excreted from the body. Therefore, their stock in hot and dry weather must be constantly replenished with salted sparkling water. Profuse sweating dries up the mucous membranes. As a result, they are covered with the smallest cracks, into which pathogenic microorganisms penetrate.

In practice, to determine the humidity of the air, it is customary to use the term "relative humidity". This is the ratio of absolute humidity (the amount of water vapor in grams contained in 1 m3 of air) to the maximum humidity (the amount of water vapor in grams required to saturate 1 m3 of air at the same temperature). Relative humidity is expressed as a percentage and determines the degree of saturation of the air with water vapor at the time of observation.

The optimal indicator of relative air humidity for a healthy person is 45–65%.

People suffering from hypertension and atherosclerosis are especially difficult to endure days characterized by high humidity (80-95%). In rainy and inclement weather, the approach of an attack in such patients can be determined by the pallor that appears on their face.

High humidity, which heralds the approach of a cyclone, is usually accompanied by a sharp decrease in oxygen in the air. Lack of oxygen worsens the well-being of patients with chronic diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, as well as the musculoskeletal system.

Healthy people, although to a lesser extent, also experience oxygen deficiency, which can manifest itself in them in the form of increased fatigue, drowsiness, weakness, etc.

Especially dangerous high humidity combined with high temperatures. Such a meteorological combination makes it difficult to transfer heat and can cause heat stroke and other disorders of the body.

Wind direction and speed

Wind, or air movement, along with temperature and humidity, affects the heat exchange that occurs between a person and the environment. In hot weather, the wind increases the release of heat, having a beneficial effect on well-being, and at low temperatures, it enhances the effect of cold, leading to a cooling of the body. So, with an increase in wind speed by 1 m / s, a person perceives the air temperature 2 ° C lower.

In summer, we feel good at wind speeds of 1–4 m/s, but already 6–7 m/s bring us into a state of mild irritability and anxiety.

However, it is not the wind speed that is the decisive factor in the impact on human body. From this point of view, it is necessary to take into account all the sudden changes that, as a rule, accompany the movement of air masses: pressure, temperature, humidity, electric potential. That is why, along with the classical definitions of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, strength and direction of the wind, modern meteorologists have put forward another concept - "air mass". This is a certain volume of air that has the same physical and chemical properties. The air mass can spread over hundreds of kilometers and be over 1,000 meters thick. It forms at the equator or the poles, where, unlike at other latitudes, the atmosphere is relatively calm.

For a long time it remains motionless, acquiring the peculiarities of the climate of the place of its origin. Then the air mass begins to move, setting the weather that it absorbed in the process of formation and which is fundamentally different from the meteorological conditions of the territories along its path.

When 2 air masses collide, they do not overlap, although the lighter warm air tends to rise. Their dividing line forms an acute angle with the soil. In meteorology, this line is called a front, and the displacement of one air mass by another is called the passage of a front, which brings a change in the weather.

The confrontation between two air masses, preceding the victory of one of them, lasts about a day. Weather-sensitive people are able to pick up the very first signs of an impending collision between two air masses, which explains their ability to predict the weather.

Healthy people practically do not feel the passage air front. However, this does not mean that it does not have any effect on the biological processes occurring in their body. Doctors have established that at this time, for example, the properties of blood change. Shortly before the collision of two air masses, the rate of blood clotting increases, and when a cold front passes, blood clots dissolve faster. The air mass of tropical origin affects the amount of urine excreted, the activity of the endocrine glands, the content of sugar, calcium, phosphates, sodium and magnesium in the blood.

Windy days exacerbate chronic diseases, especially if they affect the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. For people with a nervous or mental pathology, such weather can cause a feeling of anxiety, unreasonable longing and anxiety.

The establishment of certain meteorological conditions also affects the chemical composition of the air. Its main component, without which most biological processes are impossible, is oxygen. In the atmosphere, its content is 21%, although this figure may vary depending on geographical conditions. Thus, in rural areas, the oxygen content, as a rule, exceeds 21.6%, in the city it is approximately 20.5%, and in large metropolitan areas it is even lower - 17–18%. However, under adverse weather conditions, the amount of oxygen in the air can drop to 12%.

A healthy person practically does not feel the decrease in the oxygen content in the air to 16–18%. Signs of oxygen deficiency (hypoxia) appear in most cases when the oxygen content drops to a level of 14%, and the figure of 9% threatens with serious disturbances in the functioning of vital organs.

The decrease in the amount of atmospheric oxygen, and, consequently, its entry into the body, is largely facilitated by increased air humidity, accompanied by high temperature. To compensate for the lack of oxygen in such conditions, a person has to breathe more often.

Lack of oxygen leads to a slowdown in metabolic processes, even practically healthy people complain of weakness, fatigue, distracted attention, headache, depression.

sunlight

Many people are well aware of the state of depression, bordering on depressive, which they experience in a rainy autumn or the same rainy winter, when the sun hides behind clouds for several days. The reason for this mood should be sought not in bad weather, but primarily in the lack of light.

Interestingly, it is impossible to deceive the body with the help of artificial lighting on such days. Even if you spend the whole day in a room with a large number of lamps on, the body will still recognize the substitution, since the spectral composition of sunlight and artificial lighting is significantly different.

A person's eyes are part of his brain, which needs a stream of light impulses in order to work quickly and productively. Receptors of the retina, reacting to a light stimulus, send signals to the central nervous system - to the hypothalamus. He, in turn, with the help of the mechanism of hormonal and nervous regulation, carries out seasonal restructuring and adaptation of the body to changing meteorological conditions. However, this transition period the body is most vulnerable and painfully reacts to any "abnormal" action of various environmental factors.

A large role in the synchronization of biological rhythms depending on the illumination is assigned to the pineal gland - the pineal gland located in the brain. With its help, even blind people at the level of biorhythms are able to feel the change of day and night. In addition, the pineal gland produces many biologically active substances that are involved in the regulation of immunity, puberty and fading (menopause), menstrual function, water-salt metabolism, pigmentation processes, aging of the body, as well as in the synchronization of sleep and wakefulness cycles. There is reason to believe that the influence of unfavorable meteorological conditions on the pineal gland explains the causes of meteopathy and desynchronosis (violation of the physical and mental functions of the human body under the influence of changes in its daily rhythms).

Magnetic storms

Magnetic storms are strong disturbances of the Earth's magnetic field under the influence of enhanced solar plasma flows. They occur quite often, 2-4 times a month, and last for several days.

A calm geomagnetic environment has practically no effect on a person's well-being. But from 50 to 75% of the population react to magnetic storms the globe. Moreover, the beginning of such a reaction depends on each individual and on the nature of the storm itself. Thus, most people begin to experience various kinds of ailments 1–2 days before a magnetic storm, which corresponds to the moment of solar flares that caused it.

Scientists have established another curious fact. Almost half of the inhabitants of our planet are able to adapt to magnetic storms that follow one after another with an interval of 6-7 days, and practically stop noticing them.
Electromagnetic fluctuations that occur in the process of changing the geomagnetic background, combined with low-frequency sound vibrations that occur during the passage of cyclones, disrupt biorhythms. And most of all, this violation concerns mid-frequency biorhythms, close to them in frequency. This phenomenon is called forced synchronization, which causes a deterioration in human well-being.

Manifestations of forced synchronization can be very different: jumps in blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia, difficulty breathing, etc. Moreover, serious health problems occur in people suffering from chronic diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Receptors located on the walls of large blood vessels pick up electromagnetic vibrations and disrupt the functioning of the vascular system. A spasm of blood vessels develops, the movement of blood in small vessels slows down, the blood thickens and there is a risk of blood clots, the blood supply to vital organs is disrupted, and the amount of stress hormones in the blood increases. This explains the fact that during the days of magnetic storms the number of heart attacks and strokes, sudden deaths increases sharply.

No less than the vascular system, during the period of geomagnetic disturbance, the pineal gland, one of the main regulators and synchronizers of human biorhythms, suffers.
AT recent times the media often publish long-term forecasts of unfavorable days for a week, a month, or even a year. This is just a tribute to fashion, which has nothing to do with science. According to the Center for Predictions of the Geomagnetic Situation of the Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism and Radio Wave Propagation Russian Academy Sciences, a magnetic storm on Earth can be predicted only 2-3 days in advance, not earlier.

Manifestations of meteosensitivity

The dependence of the human body on the weather is so great that, along with the term "meteosensitivity", which characterizes mild symptoms of malaise that occur under the influence of environmental factors, doctors introduced another one - "meteorological dependence" to refer to more serious condition caused by extreme weather fluctuations.

Meteorological dependence, or meteopathy, the main signs of which are a sharp deterioration in well-being and unmotivated mood swings, affects from 8 to 35% of the inhabitants of our planet.

It is not yet possible to determine a more accurate figure, since scientists have not yet established criteria that would distinguish the body's normal response to weather changes from pathological ones.

In its most general form, we can say that meteorological dependence manifests itself as severe headaches, insomnia, or, conversely, increased drowsiness, weakness, which leads to fatigue, mood changes. People with cardiovascular disease may experience a sharp increase in blood pressure, and in more severe cases- Pain in the region of the heart. With a sharp change in the weather, many chronic diseases and previous injuries.

To denote the reaction of the human body to meteorological changes in the environment, doctors use another term - "meteoneurosis", by which they define a type of neurotic disorder associated with weather changes. In meteoneurotics in bad days there is a sharp deterioration in well-being: irritability, depression, shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, etc. are observed. However, if you measure their temperature, pressure and other indicators, they will be in absolute norm. As a rule, meteoneurosis is observed in people with increased emotionality, or is an external manifestation of internal mental failures.

What happens in the body when the weather changes

The human body responds to any change in weather with rapid changes in hormone production, platelet count in the blood, blood clotting, and enzyme activity. This is nothing more than a protective reaction of the body, with the help of which it adapts to new meteorological conditions and which practically does not affect the well-being of a healthy person.

However, more than half of the inhabitants of the Earth "feel" the weather. Such meteorological sensitivity is explained by the fact that the body of these people is already in a state of pre-illness, which prevents the launch of the adaptation mechanism. Moreover, overweight, endocrine disorders during puberty, pregnancy and menopause, head injuries, flu, tonsillitis, pneumonia, and chronic fatigue contribute to increased weather sensitivity.

How does the body react to each specific change in the weather?

With a sharp drop in air temperature, even healthy people feel some discomfort. Their skin becomes covered with small pimples, increased tension and trembling are observed in the muscles, skin vessels narrow, and cold diuresis (frequent urination) often begins. All these are manifestations of the “regular” reaction of the body, which, having tuned in to heat, again finds itself in the cold.
If the weather does not change in the near future and the unseasonable cold sets in for a long time, a decrease in immunity may occur. As a result, there is a sharp increase in the number of acute respiratory diseases and exacerbation of chronic ones - bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, tonsillitis, sinusitis.

At a consistently high temperature, sweating increases, the heartbeat and breathing become more frequent, and the amount of urine excreted decreases. In addition, along with sweat and exhaled air, a large amount of water-soluble vitamins and mineral salts (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium) is excreted from the body. As a consequence, even in healthy people there is weakness, headache, apathy, drowsiness, intense thirst.

Until now, scientists are not ready to describe in detail the process of the impact of meteorological factors on the human body. One of the most likely assumptions today is a sharp change in blood volumes in the systemic and pulmonary circulation.

In a small circle (heart - lungs), venous blood flows from the heart to the lungs. In the capillaries of the pulmonary vasculature, which permeate everything, even the smallest, bronchi, it is enriched with oxygen and returns to the heart again.
In a large circle, oxygenated blood flows through all vessels, including the smallest capillaries, oxygenates all muscles and tissues, and then returns to the heart and lungs.

With an increase in atmospheric pressure, the pressure in the pulmonary vessels increases, and blood is forced out of the small circle into the large one. With a decrease, on the contrary, blood rushes into the small circle, which means that it becomes less in the large circle.
Thus, both an increase and a decrease in atmospheric pressure lead to the same result - an imbalance in the body.

Manifestations of meteosensitivity in various diseases

If healthy people react to weather changes in almost the same way or do not react at all, then people with chronic diseases have their own set of symptoms corresponding to sudden changes in temperature, pressure, oxygen content in the air, etc. Moreover, such a “barometer”, depending on specific disease as the main one will be guided by different parameters.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system

The well-being of people suffering from cardiovascular diseases, as a rule, begins to deteriorate rapidly a few hours before a sharp change in temperature and atmospheric pressure. Moreover, an attack of angina pectoris can be caused even by a change in the direction of the wind. During a magnetic storm, blood pressure rises in the cores and coronary circulation is disturbed, which often leads to a hypertensive crisis, stroke and myocardial infarction. However, the most unfavorable factor for this category of patients is high humidity. And on the eve of a thunderstorm, doctors register an increase in cases of sudden death.

Hypertensive patients react most acutely to changes in the weather in spring. In summer, it is difficult for them to endure windless heat, but in winter and autumn, their body is more tolerant of changes in meteorological indicators. Typical manifestations of meteotropic reactions in people with hypertension: jumps in blood pressure, headache, tinnitus.

Both hypertensive patients and hypotensive patients equally painfully perceive sudden changes in atmospheric pressure.

Respiratory diseases

Patients suffering from respiratory diseases (especially chronic bronchitis and bronchial asthma) endure the worst of all a sharp drop in air temperature, strong winds and relative humidity of more than 70%. In addition, this category of patients reacts heavily to changes in atmospheric pressure, and it does not matter whether it rises or falls, and to a low oxygen content in the air. The response to such meteorological "aggression", as a rule, is general weakness, shortness of breath, coughing, and in especially severe cases - suffocation.

Magnetic storms have the same adverse effect, changing biological rhythms. Moreover, some patients feel their approach, and their health worsens on the eve of a magnetic storm, while the body of others reacts to it after. Doctors state with regret the fact that the possibility of adaptation of patients with chronic diseases of the respiratory system to the conditions of magnetic storms is practically zero.

Joint diseases

Although there are many examples of joint pain and aches, especially in cold and wet weather, the mechanism that causes these symptoms is still not understood.

Currently, scientists are inclined to believe that the most typical sign of the influence of weather on the health of people suffering from diseases of the joints and the musculoskeletal system is atmospheric pressure, which, of course, is also influenced by the surrounding air. A decrease in atmospheric pressure on the eve of a thunderstorm can provoke swelling of the periarticular tissue, which, in turn, causes pain in the joints.

Diseases of the nervous system

It has already been mentioned above that sharp fluctuations meteorological parameters first of all, they have a detrimental effect on the work of adaptation mechanisms, knocking down biological rhythms. And if in healthy body distortion of biorhythms leads only to a subtle change in well-being, which does not affect the general state of health, then with existing disorders of the autonomic nervous system, a person can feel very bad. The number of people with problems of the autonomic nervous system has been steadily increasing recently, and this is mainly due to the action adverse factors modern civilization: stress, haste, physical inactivity, overeating or, conversely, malnutrition and many others.

Different reactions to the weather, when, for example, diametrically opposite medical indicators can be observed in people with the same disease under the same meteorological conditions, are explained by the unequal functional state of their nervous system. Pronounced meteosensitivity is noted in people with a weak (melancholic) and strong unbalanced (choleric) type of nervous system. But sanguine people, who have a strong balanced type of nervous system, begin to feel the weather only when the body is weakened.

A special category of people who react painfully to the weather are the so-called meteoneurotics, in whom, in the absence of chronic diseases, their mood is directly dependent on the state of the weather. Doctors found that the cause bad mood, unmotivated fatigue, apathy, etc., caused by certain meteorological indicators, should be sought in childhood memories. If the parents of the child, who for him, undoubtedly, were an indisputable authority, often quarreled in rainy weather or, on the contrary, looked tired and broken, then a logical chain formed in the baby’s head: it’s raining outside - people are angry and unfriendly in the rain - such a day can bring nothing good.

Meteoneurosis can also be congenital. People with this type of meteoneurosis have a genetic need for a certain amount of sunlight and heat.
Traditionally, solar warm weather- it's good. However, there are meteoneurotics who can hardly endure such grace and look forward to the onset of rainy cloudy weather that lifts their spirits. And the point here is not in physiology, but in personality traits. That is why it is not doctors who help to get rid of meteoneurosis, but psychologists, who, of course, need the help of the patient himself, who has firmly decided to get rid of the dependence of his mood on the vagaries of the weather.

mental illness

Especially hard people suffering from mental illness endure magnetic storms and windy weather. In addition, their condition can deteriorate significantly before a thunderstorm or snowfall. Aggravation of the depressive state is observed at abnormally high temperatures in winter, which are the reason for the establishment of cloudy and slushy weather, as well as with a long absence of the sun in summer.

With sudden changes in the weather or prolonged exposure to anomalous meteorological factors, the human body works to the limit of its capabilities, but it should be remembered that this in no way causes serious mental disorders. Depression, suicidal ideation and exacerbation of mental illness occur for a variety of other reasons (physiological, psychological and social), and meteorological factors play only the role of a catalyst.

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Dependence on the weather: how to survive?

Hostile whirlwinds blow over us and change - either atmospheric pressure, then humidity, then the concentration of oxygen in the air, then some other vital indicator. Because of this, people have headaches, cramps, rumbling in the stomach, can’t sleep, and in general ... Every year more and more Russians fall into the category of “weather-dependent”. Why? And what to do with it?

We immediately inform you that there is no official diagnosis of “meteorological dependence”. Rather, this is the average value of three conditions - weather sensitivity (when a person is subject to weather fluctuations to a slight degree), meteorological dependence itself (when a change in weather causes a noticeable deterioration in well-being) and meteopathy - a severe dependence on weather phenomena, forcing a person to take medicine or see a doctor. It is generally accepted that the more chronic diseases a person has and the weaker the immune system, the stronger the reaction to the weather. However, not all doctors agree with this ...

Most researchers argue that of all the races living on the planet, Caucasians suffer the most from weather dependence. Especially living in temperate continental climatic zones - in the center of Europe, in the European part of Russia and Central Siberia. In about 10% of cases, meteorological dependence is inherited (more often through the maternal line), in 40% it is the result of vascular diseases, and in the remaining half, doctors include health problems that have accumulated over a lifetime - from birth trauma to obesity and stomach ulcers ...

Meteorological dependence in children is almost always a consequence of severe pregnancy, prematurity or postmaturity, or difficult childbirth. Alas, most often the ailments received in this period remain with a person for life.

The most insidious diseases that can lead to meteorological dependence during life are chronic respiratory diseases (tonsillitis, tonsillitis, recurrent pneumonia), atherosclerosis, autoimmune diseases (for example, diabetes), hypotension and hypertension.

It is interesting that people with different ailments react differently to various changes in the weather - and it often happens that, for example, for some, the bright sun is a holiday and a feeling of a surge of strength, while for others it is an occasion to urgently drink painkillers and go to bed ...

High atmospheric pressure This means - rising above 755 mmHg. Information about the current atmospheric pressure can always be obtained from the weather forecast. Who does it badly if the column rises above the mark of 750 - 755 mm? Firstly, asthmatics and people with mental disabilities who are prone to violent manifestations. Asthmatics sharply lack oxygen, and in the second category, anxiety increases sharply. The "cores" do not feel well either, especially those diagnosed with angina pectoris. But hypotensive and hypertensive patients tolerate increased absolute pressure relatively normally - however, only if it reached its indicators gradually, and did not jump by 20 mm over several hours. And most importantly - then it did not fall sharply ...

How to improve your condition during such a period? First, avoid physical activity - sport requires a lot of oxygen supply. Secondly, in an affordable way to dilate blood vessels and thin the blood - with the help of medicines, hot black tea or, if there are no contraindications, a serving of alcohol (cognac or red wine).

Low atmospheric pressure Also not a gift ... Absolute atmospheric pressure below 748 mm Hg carries with it significantly more problems. Firstly, it becomes very bad for hypotensive patients - they have no strength, they are drawn to sleep, feel sick, dizzy. Hypertensive patients are not much better - they begin to knock in the temples, the headache intensifies. People with heart rhythm disturbances - tachycardia, bradycardia, arrhythmia also have a hard time.

However, the main problem low atmospheric pressure - a strong deterioration in well-being in people with a tendency to depression and suicide.

However, doctors say that it is easier to neutralize the effects of low pressure than high pressure: you just need to provide yourself with fresh air (no time or energy to walk - open the window) and long sleep, and preferably also daytime. The ideal time for a siesta in winter is from 10 to 12 noon, in summer - from 14 to 16 hours. It is important that you wake up at least three hours before dusk.

You can correct your well-being with the help of nutrition - eat something moderately salty, for example, a piece of herring or a salted tomato. This will have a good effect on the ionic balance in the body.

Snowfall In fact, snowfall snowfall is different. We will consider the classic one - when snow flakes fall in almost calm weather. For 70% of people, this weather does not bring anything bad. But for those who suffer from vegetovascular dystonia, snowfall can be a very unpleasant period: improperly functioning brain vessels can respond to the weather with dizziness, a feeling of stupor, and even nausea.

To prevent this from happening, at the very beginning of the snowfall, take the usual vascular preparations, as well as means to increase tone - ginseng tincture, succinic acid or eleutherococcus extract.

storm front This is perhaps the most annoying weather phenomenon in terms of well-being. Moreover, according to statistics, the legendary "thunderstorm in early May" is the most dangerous. An abnormal electromagnetic field, which always precedes a thunderstorm, can affect people with an unstable psyche so strongly that it can provoke a relapse of manic-depressive psychosis. It is hard on the eve of a thunderstorm for ladies of menopausal age - they are exhausted by "hot flashes", sweating and hysterical mood.

Avoiding the effects of thunderstorms is almost impossible. The only thing that can really ease the tension a little is the opportunity to hide somewhere underground. So if you have a suitable underground restaurant or shopping center nearby - welcome!

Heat Heat tolerance is directly related to wind strength and relative humidity. The windier and wetter, the harder it is. It is generally accepted that the average Russian begins to feel discomfort if the air temperature exceeds 27 C and the relative humidity is 80%. The exception is coastal regions, where the heat is more easily tolerated. Worst of all, at high air temperatures, people with autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders, and those who have suffered a traumatic brain injury feel the worst.

There are only two ways to defeat the heat - drink a lot of water (preferably mixed with pomegranate or apple juice) and take a cool shower as often as possible - not so much for hygienic reasons, but to activate the nerve receptors of the skin responsible for thermoregulation.

Cold snap Doctors believe that a decrease in air temperature by more than 12 degrees Celsius within 12 hours is not capable of in the best way affect a person's well-being. At the same time, it is no less important in which particular range this cooling occurred: if, for example, the temperature dropped from +32 to +20 C, then nothing particularly bad will happen. But if the spread of readings is about 0 C or in a sharp "minus", then problems cannot be avoided.

Worst of all, such weather affects people with diseases of the vessels of the brain and heart, as well as those who have had a heart attack and stroke.

Wind Strong wind, as a rule, accompanies the movement of air masses of different densities. Surprisingly, adult men hardly react to it, but women have a hard time - especially those prone to migraines. Children also react badly to the wind, especially babies under 3 years old. By the way, for some people the wind brings a significant improvement in well-being - in particular, it becomes much easier for asthmatics to breathe.

If you do not tolerate the wind, take note of the old folk recipe: mix equal proportions of honey, lemon and nut butter and take a tablespoon several times during a windy day.

Calm It may seem strange, but completely calm weather can also be a source of problems! Complete calm causes anxiety in people suffering from schizophrenia, as well as in adolescents and people 45-60 years old: due to age-related hormonal fluctuations.

Doctors cannot accurately explain the cause of the problems, and so far they are of the opinion that it is associated with the lack of mixing of air layers, which is why the concentration of pollution reaches a maximum at a height of 1-1.5 m above the ground.

If they are right, then you can alleviate the condition in an air-conditioned room or just near a fan.

Doctor's opinion Marina Vakulenko, therapist:

Half a century ago, such a thing as "meteorological dependence" in relation to the entire population did not exist. Experienced doctors, for example, knew that during a period of low pressure, the well-being of newly operated patients, women in labor, and during the bright sun and hard frost it is worth waiting for the influx of so-called "violent" mentally unhealthy people. But mass weather dependence was not considered. Even now, doctors of the classical school believe that, at least in half of the cases, “meteorological dependence” is the result of meteoneurosis, when a person who has heard something about “magnetic storms” and the like, after reading another forecast, begins to wind himself up.

Normal atmospheric pressure varies from 750 to 760 mm Hg. Art. For a year it can change by 30 mm, and for a day - 1-3 mm. Many people complain that they feel worse when the weather changes, calling themselves weather dependent. Also, similar symptoms occur in people with hypertension and hypotension.

Blood pressure shows how intensely blood is pushed out of the heart and how vascular resistance occurs. Mainly influenced by changes in anticyclones or cyclones. Symptoms vary depending on whether the person has high or low blood pressure.

Hypotensive patients usually suffer from low atmospheric pressure, but this does not affect hypertensive patients so much. But if the high temperature is accompanied by high humidity, the state of health often worsens and the pressure rises. This is the reason why it is harmful for hypertensive patients to play sports in the heat.

When climbing a mountain or immersing in water, the effect of atmospheric pressure on blood pressure is noticeable. Climbing to altitude often requires an oxygen mask. Symptoms such as respiratory pathology, nosebleeds, and rapid heartbeat are observed.

People who suffer from high blood pressure often faint because of this. During immersion in water, an increase in atmospheric pressure occurs, which can also harm hypertensive patients.

It is necessary to dive to depth through locks in which the pressure changes slowly. At high atmospheric pressure, the gases that are present in the air dissolve in the blood, which is called "saturation". Decompression provokes their exit from the blood. The process is called "desaturation".

When lowering under the ground or water in violation of the sluice mode, a supersaturation with nitrogen will occur. This can lead to decompression sickness. It consists in the penetration of gas bubbles into the vessels, which lead to the appearance of embolism in large quantities.

This problem is expressed in painful sensations in the joints and muscles. In the advanced stages, the eardrums burst, dizziness appears, and labyrinthine nystagmus develops. The disease can lead to death.

A cyclone appears due to warm air and water evaporating from the ocean. The weather changes, becomes warmer, there are rains, high humidity. The amount of oxygen in the air decreases and carbon dioxide increases. The cyclone has a bad effect on people with diseases of the heart and blood vessels. It is expressed as a decrease in atmospheric pressure.

The anticyclone is expressed in clear, dry weather without wind. The air is standing, there are no clouds. This can take up to 5 days. If the duration exceeds 14 days, warm time year, fires often start due to abnormal heat and drought. An anticyclone is expressed by increased atmospheric pressure.

If atmospheric pressure exceeds 760 mm Hg. Art. , there is no wind and precipitation - an anticyclone is coming. At this time, there are no sudden temperature jumps, harmful impurities in the air increase.

This weather has a negative impact on patients suffering from high blood pressure. The ability to work decreases, throbbing pains in the head are observed, the heart hurts.

You can also see symptoms such as:

1. Tachycardia;
2. General deterioration of well-being;
3. Tinnitus;
4. The area of ​​the face is covered with red spots;
5. Blurred eyes.

The anticyclone has a particularly bad effect on pensioners suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system of a chronic nature. The risk of a crisis increases, especially with indicators of 220120 mm Hg. Art. It can also lead to coma, thrombosis, embolism.

The cyclone also has a negative effect on high blood pressure. Outside the window there is increased humidity, rain, cloudy weather. The air pressure drops to less than 750 mmHg.

Hypertension patients often take medicines, therefore, low atmospheric pressure can cause the following symptoms:

• General deterioration of well-being;
• Headache;
• Dizziness;
• Drowsiness;
• Deterioration of the digestive tract.

With an anticyclone, hypertensive patients should not go in for sports, pay more attention to rest. Eat better low-calorie foods, eat more fruits. If heat is observed during the anticyclone, physical activity should be excluded. You need to make sure that the air conditioner is working in the room.

With a cyclone, you need to drink plenty of fluids, herbal decoctions. You need to sleep well, on awakening you can drink coffee or tea. You need to check the pressure readings on the tonometer several times during the day.

The anticyclone renders negative impact on hypertensive patients, but also hypotensive patients sometimes suffer from unpleasant symptoms. This can be explained by the adaptive properties of the body. If hypotensive patients have at least a slight increase in pressure (even if for ordinary people this indicator is the norm), they tolerate it very badly.

The cyclone is bad for the health of hypotensive patients. They show symptoms such as:

• Slowing down the speed of blood flow;
• Deterioration of blood supply to tissues and organs;
• Pressure drop;
• Weakened pulse;
• respiratory pathology;
• Dizziness;
• Weakness;
• Drowsiness;
• Nausea;
• Spasmodic head pain;
• The heart rate becomes faster.

Complications from the influence of a cyclone are a hypotonic crisis and coma.

To improve well-being, you need to raise blood pressure. A sound sleep will help with this, when you wake up, you can drink a drink with caffeine, take a contrast shower. During the negative effects of the cyclone and anticyclone, you need to drink more water, you can use ginseng tincture. Hypotension patients are very well influenced by hardening procedures.

A negative reaction to weather changes manifests itself in three stages:

1. Weather sensitivity - the appearance of weakness, which is not confirmed by medical research.
2. Meteorological dependence. Symptoms: decrease or increase in blood pressure and heart rate.
3. Meteopathy is the most difficult stage.
4. Meteopathy is a negative reaction of the body to changes in weather conditions. Negative reactions begin from a slight deterioration in well-being and end with severe pathologies of the myocardium, causing lesions fabrics.

The duration of symptoms and their intensity depend on weight, age, chronic diseases. Sometimes they can last a week. Meteopathy affects 70% of patients with chronic diseases and 30% of ordinary people.

If hypertension is combined with meteorological dependence, ailments can be affected not only by changes in atmospheric pressure, but also by other environmental changes. Such people need to be especially attentive to weather forecasts.