Jump to content
Thunder?
Local
Radar
Hot?
IGNORED

Why do so many people find thunderstorms relaxing?


Lauren

Recommended Posts

Posted
  • Location: The North Kent countryside
  • Weather Preferences: Hot summers, snowy winters and thunderstorms!
  • Location: The North Kent countryside

I'm one of those people who can feel so completely alive durng a thunderstorm but find them incredibly relaxing too. I know that people finding storms relaxin and using the sounds as sleep aids is incredibly common and I was wondering if anyone knew the science behind it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Napton on the Hill Warwickshire 500ft
  • Weather Preferences: Snow and heatwave
  • Location: Napton on the Hill Warwickshire 500ft

For me the associated heavy rain, I feel less guilty doing nothing ie going shopping, mowing the lawn etc Re sleep aid can drown partners snoring out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire
  • Weather Preferences: Sunshine, convective precipitation, snow, thunderstorms, "episodic" months.
  • Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire

One factor is that you may end up focusing your attention on the thunderstorm and being fully present, and therefore relegating thoughts about potentially stressful matters.

Edited by Thundery wintry showers
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Warsaw, Poland. Formerly London.
  • Weather Preferences: Four true seasons. Hot summers and cold winters.
  • Location: Warsaw, Poland. Formerly London.

It could be the negative ions generated. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_air_ionization_therapy

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Cleeve, North Somerset
  • Weather Preferences: Continental winters & summers.
  • Location: Cleeve, North Somerset

Don't know if relaxing is the operative word for me haha, I get rather excited. However, just the sound of rain when going to bed is quite nice to listen to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Edmonton Alberta(via Chelmsford, Exeter & Calgary)
  • Weather Preferences: Sunshine and 15-25c
  • Location: Edmonton Alberta(via Chelmsford, Exeter & Calgary)

i never met anyone who finds t-storms relaxing...must be missing something here

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: The North Kent countryside
  • Weather Preferences: Hot summers, snowy winters and thunderstorms!
  • Location: The North Kent countryside
3 hours ago, cheeky_monkey said:

i never met anyone who finds t-storms relaxing...must be missing something here

It is a pretty common feeling. There are literally thousands of videos on YT of storm sounds for relaxation. A lot of people on here have said they are relaxing.

 

I do as well as finding them exhilarating. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
  • Location: Wellingborough, Northamptonshire

I find them anything but relaxing, if we get a thunderstorm I'm running from window to window around the house in joy!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Leeds
  • Weather Preferences: snow, heat, thunderstorms
  • Location: Leeds

I wouldn't say I find them relaxing but I do understand where you're coming from. Personally, thunderstorms remind me a lot of childhood - pushing up the living room chair to the window and watching as the storm unfolds in front of me, or resting my head on the windowsill.. your mind focuses on that and nothing else at the time.

My mum finds them relaxing because she likes the sound of rain and thunder at night - helps her sleep apparently. 

Edited by cheese
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Bedfordshire 33m above mean sea level
  • Weather Preferences: Snowy and thundery.
  • Location: Bedfordshire 33m above mean sea level

Never found storms to be relaxing, up and down, every window peered though, outside watching running back in when it rains. get a good workout when we get our yearly storm.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Belper, Derbyshire
  • Weather Preferences: Thunderstorms
  • Location: Belper, Derbyshire

If a storm is in progress then I am far from relaxed, full of adrenaline and excitement. However, I find the sound of rain on the windows relaxing and the sound of thunder and rain very relaxing if its recorded. If it's actually happening I feel compelled to watch it and film it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Haute Vienne, Limousin, France (404m ASL)
  • Weather Preferences: Warm and sunny with night time t-storms
  • Location: Haute Vienne, Limousin, France (404m ASL)

I'm now have mixed emotions about storms. I love watching them over our hills here in Limousin and often sit out in the garden when there are such storms - it is indeed very relaxing and grounding. When they are overhead, I can get quite anxious as I've had a lightning strike on my phone line here and I would not want a repeat experience - the event itself was terrifying and the aftermath of ongoing diagnosis and repairs with no phone was very stressful. I'm much more relaxed when my OH is here because it's quite daunting being alone when the power goes out as we tend to lose everything - power, phone and 3/4G. Don't forget we got the full force of the supercell(s) of July 2015 right over our house in the Aire Valley too...spectacular, but I'm glad I wasn't alone.

Edited by Spikecollie
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: The North Kent countryside
  • Weather Preferences: Hot summers, snowy winters and thunderstorms!
  • Location: The North Kent countryside

It's funny because I get so excited when we have a storm, but I could equally lie in bed and drift off into a deep sleep hearing one outside. Come to think of it I do't think anything else makes me feel quite so energised and relaxed at the same time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Carmarthenshire
  • Location: Carmarthenshire

It depends on the type of storm as well.  I guess that an elevated MCS with mainly distant CC lightning and continuous heavy rain could well be relaxing although these are few and far between here.  We're more prone to thundery hail showers and short sharp pulse storms in autumn and winter off the Atlantic, which usually involve the odd random loud close CG strike followed by heavy hail and sudden gusty winds - certainly can be exciting but not too relaxing :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Newton Poppleford, Devon, UK
  • Weather Preferences: Snow, Thunderstorms, High Winds.
  • Location: Newton Poppleford, Devon, UK
On 10/4/2016 at 17:03, Dami said:

Never found storms to be relaxing, up and down, every window peered though, outside watching running back in when it rains. get a good workout when we get our yearly storm.

Yes, I'm exactly the same. I find that I'm exhausted after a thunderstorm after feeling excited and running outside to enjoy it but also indoors to check the rainfall radar and back outside again etc.

Edited by Grimers
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: The North Kent countryside
  • Weather Preferences: Hot summers, snowy winters and thunderstorms!
  • Location: The North Kent countryside
9 hours ago, virtualsphere said:

It depends on the type of storm as well.  I guess that an elevated MCS with mainly distant CC lightning and continuous heavy rain could well be relaxing although these are few and far between here.  We're more prone to thundery hail showers and short sharp pulse storms in autumn and winter off the Atlantic, which usually involve the odd random loud close CG strike followed by heavy hail and sudden gusty winds - certainly can be exciting but not too relaxing :)

Yes, I think you're right. The heavy yet more distance ones are sooooooo relaxing, but the loud, flashy close ones are exciting.

 

Welcome back, Grimers, lovely to see you again :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Newton Poppleford, Devon, UK
  • Weather Preferences: Snow, Thunderstorms, High Winds.
  • Location: Newton Poppleford, Devon, UK
10 hours ago, Lauren said:

Welcome back, Grimers, lovely to see you again :)

Why, thank you! Thought I'd give it another shot! Changed my ways! :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Haute Vienne, Limousin, France (404m ASL)
  • Weather Preferences: Warm and sunny with night time t-storms
  • Location: Haute Vienne, Limousin, France (404m ASL)
8 hours ago, Grimers said:

Why, thank you! Thought I'd give it another shot! Changed my ways! :D

Hi there William. I last posted to wish you "Happy Birthday" but you didn't get back in those "troubled times".

How are you?

Nice to see you back...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Newton Poppleford, Devon, UK
  • Weather Preferences: Snow, Thunderstorms, High Winds.
  • Location: Newton Poppleford, Devon, UK
58 minutes ago, Spikecollie said:

Hi there William. I last posted to wish you "Happy Birthday" but you didn't get back in those "troubled times".

How are you?

Nice to see you back...

Hi Spikecollie, thanks for the message, I did see it but at the current time I was in a bit of a "mess", everything's better now so don't worry.

I'm doing well thanks, I hope you are well too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Horsham, West sussex, 52m asl
  • Location: Horsham, West sussex, 52m asl
On Friday, October 07, 2016 at 09:33, Grimers said:

Why, thank you! Thought I'd give it another shot! Changed my ways! :D

i missed that, i wondered why you had a new profile, were you a naughty boy william?:acute:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Newton Poppleford, Devon, UK
  • Weather Preferences: Snow, Thunderstorms, High Winds.
  • Location: Newton Poppleford, Devon, UK
1 minute ago, bobbydog said:

i missed that, i wondered why you had a new profile, were you a naughty boy william?:acute:

Just a new start that's all. :)

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Bradford, Wilts - 273ft asl
  • Location: Bradford, Wilts - 273ft asl

I find them exciting but not relaxing anymore after the plume storms of 2014 badly damaged a house near me and caused the loudest bang I've heard in my life with sparks going through the upstairs light.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: King’s Lynn, Norfolk.
  • Weather Preferences: Hot and Thundery, Cold and Snowy
  • Location: King’s Lynn, Norfolk.

Depends on the type of storm I suppose. If it's a supercell or a strong MCS, it is far from relaxing, and instead gets you charged with adrenaline as it can be dramatic, I.e storm force winds, large hail etc. However, if it is an embedded storm or one with very infrequent activity and mainly steady rain, then yes, it's very relaxing! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...