Four benefits of going out in the rain

From its distinctive smell to the negative ions it releases, rain has some fascinating benefits for our bodies – especially when it comes to our mood.

4 hours ago
Ally Hirschlag

It was the sixth straight day of the heat index topping 100F (38C) in New Milford, Connecticut, when the sky turned a sickening shade of puce. I was leading an outdoor theatre workshop, and noticed campers gawking at an ominous, miles-long shelf cloud advancing overhead. Then a thunderclap shook the ground, and lightning stretched across the sky like a jagged web.

We heard the rain before we felt it, then suddenly we were drenched in a torrent of heavy raindrops. No one could hear each other, so I motioned to a nearby covered platform for laundry bags, and my students and I made a run for it. Soaked and laughing, we fell into the laundry pile and watched the storm rage on. After 30 minutes or so, the sky cleared, and the air felt astonishingly clean and cold. The strong, distinctive smell of rain was overwhelming.

As we walked back to rehearsal, the grass and trees looked greener and healthier somehow. Everyone seemed lighter, smiled more easily, and I felt as if a brain fog had finally lifted. Was it due to the heat wave breaking or the adrenaline of the dash to shelter, or did the rain have some hand in our collective better mood?

"Humans are more sensitive to the smell of rain than sharks are to blood"

It turns out that after decades of studying the elements of rain's potential mood-boosting abilities, scientists have found some decent evidence to support it. And it's not the only benefit of rain: research shows rain also removes harmful substances from the air, while its unmistakable smell may even enhance our memories.
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https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260415-why-going-out-in-the-rain-gives-your-mood-and-brain-a-boost

As a pluviophile, you'll get no complaints from me. 🌧❤️