Geomagnetic Activity and Depression
Geomagnetic activity (GMA!)
What is it and how does it affect the earth we live in, the animal and plant kingdom and us?
Geomagnetic activity (GMA!)
What is it and how does it affect the earth we live in, the animal and plant kingdom and us?
The solar wind originating from the Sun, hits our Earth with hot, magnetized collisionless plasma that carries a large amount of kinetic and electrical energy. Parts of this energy find their way into our magnetosphere creating geomagnetic activity, which are geomagnetic storms, sub storms and aurora.
We probably know it more as unsettled, active and stormy conditions or solar weather.
How does this affect our bodies? And our minds?
GMS storms or periods of high GMS activity are caused by large solar flares, which have also been linked to clinical depression and higher rates of suicide.
Inside all of us we have a body clock, you know from air travel how upset these get when you fly to a Country in a different time zone, our body clocks are so sensitive to change and the GMA storms can desynchronise circadian rhythms and the production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone (N-acetyl-5 methoxyptamine) that is naturally produced in our bodies by the pineal gland. It is produced especially at night to tell your body to go to sleep. Some people are given melatonin capsules when they are having trouble getting to sleep.
The pineal gland where the production of melatonin is produced is sensitive to magnetic fields, the pineal gland also regulates the circadian system, this system then relies on environmental cues to synchronise internal clocks. It is thought that magnetic fields may be one of these environmental cues.
Many animals can sense Earth’s magnetic field, when I worked as a veterinary nurse we often had dogs come into the surgery with owners fretting because of strange aggressive behaviour.
Can we sense it too?
A scientist called Shumilov looked at the activity in Earth’s geomagnetic field from 1948 to 1947 and found that it grouped into three seasonal peaks every year: one from March to May another in July and the last in October.
He found also that the GMS peaks matched up with the number of suicides in that period. It is believed that GMS health problems affect 10 to 15% of the population.
Psychiatrists have also noted a correlation between GMS activity and suicide rates.
Because GMS storms disrupt body clocks, could this be why some people suffer from S.A.D seasonal affective disorder or R.S.A.D reverse seasonal affective disorder, according to an article in the new scientist it could all actually be true.
Author Lillyrose
For more information on seasonal affective disorder please read the following.
http://healthmad.com/mental-health/s-a-d-seasonal-affective-disorder/
http://healthmad.com/mental-health/summer-sad-r-s-a-d-reverse-seasonal-affective-disorder/
Liked it
LoveDoctor | Dec 17, 2009 | Reply
Very well-written and interesting correlation between high levels of GMS activity and depression/ suicide. thanks for sharing. I am not a medical expert, but after reading your article I would say definitely does affect animals and humans to a certain extent.
Francois Hagnere | Dec 17, 2009 | Reply
Very interesting and I believe in this too.
Great post again Lilly! Thank you.
T. S. Lewis | Dec 17, 2009 | Reply
Very well written. I am amazed at how well you made scientific jargon seem interesting. I learned something new Thanks.
lillyrose | Dec 17, 2009 | Reply
hahah T.S… I have had comments before on how easy I make my articles to read, I just write them as if I were explaining to a young teenager because thats how I like to read, I hate complicated things and do need to know ‘Why and How”
Authoress Terry E. Lyle | Dec 17, 2009 | Reply
Very interesting article.
Guy Hogan | Dec 17, 2009 | Reply
I knew a little bit about these magnetic fields but I didn’t realize how great there impact could be. I learnt something new today.
ken bultman | Dec 17, 2009 | Reply
I knew something was wrong with my circadium rhythmn the other day when I was trying to sing Jingle Bells. Excellent article. You’ve been busy.
petercurtis97 | Dec 17, 2009 | Reply
very good article and interesting introduction.
STEVE666 | Dec 17, 2009 | Reply
Interesting read, Lisa.
Geomagnetic activity (GMA!)? I can see that going on my next sick-note!
redmail99 | Dec 17, 2009 | Reply
very interesting…
Katien | Dec 17, 2009 | Reply
Very interesting – it makes me want to know more about it.
deep blue | Dec 17, 2009 | Reply
Very well taken, Lisa. Just imagine yourself failing to sleep for several nights and you began to see and think differently. Nice post.
Cheers,
Will
Ruby Hawk | Dec 18, 2009 | Reply
it sounds possible, so many things we are not aware of. Interesting post.
Brenda Nelson | Dec 18, 2009 | Reply
I have suffered from Depression for years, it was particularly bad when I was younger, I had not heard of this specifically but was aware of the effects of the moon on depression and suicide rates. thanks for sharing.
mkd1788 | Dec 18, 2009 | Reply
very interesting info i found today…nice one
Wennie Estares | Dec 18, 2009 | Reply
hmmm. something intrigueg. But I still believe on man’s dispositions.
Papa Sparks | Dec 18, 2009 | Reply
People have always told me that I have a magnetic personality, but I once feared that I would end up like that child’s toy where you took a magnet and dragged the metal shavings to give the man a metal beard and mustache.
jaysonv | Dec 18, 2009 | Reply
wow..nice post.. very interesting.
lillyrose | Dec 18, 2009 | Reply
Papa, you are funny and I remember that game!
AlmaG | Dec 19, 2009 | Reply
That’s very interesting! I enjoyed reading this
Jane Jane | Dec 20, 2009 | Reply
a very interesting piece.
Ashley89 | Dec 20, 2009 | Reply
Great write! Thanks for sharing!
Geomorphosis | Dec 23, 2009 | Reply
PhoenixRox | Dec 23, 2009 | Reply
I had some idea about this. But this was very fascinating and I learnt more. Thanks!
XXElleXX | Feb 23, 2010 | Reply
If animals can sense the earth’s magnetic field, then why can’t humans? Very interesting stuff Lilyrose
lillyrose | Feb 23, 2010 | Reply
How do you know we don’t Elle? after all we humans ignore most of our instinctive feelings!