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Just as we were getting into the swing of socially distanced meet-ups in parks and gardens, the June sun disappeared and the heavens opened.
Boris Johnson has already urged members of the public to avoid going inside if they get caught in the rain with members of another household. “We relaxed the rules on meeting outside for a very specific reason, because the evidence shows that the risks of transmission are much lower outdoors,” he said in Wednesday’s Downing Street briefing.
So with more dreary weather coming up, should you cancel your (safe) social plans altogether? Absolutely not, we say – it’s time to embrace the rain.
Instead of perceiving a rainy day as disappointing, why not see it as a chance to practise mindfulness?
As Ian Banyard, founder of Cotswold Natural Mindfulness, told the New York Times: “The human body is largely made of water, and yet so many of us feel uncomfortable walking in the rain and getting wet. That need not be the case. Walking mindfully in the rain is a wonderful opportunity to get closer to nature, and our true nature.”
Pause a conversation with pals to listen to the sound of rain trickling down a drainpipe, welcome the freshness of droplets touching skin, and inhale the delicious scent of water meeting earth.
Rain taps into each of our senses, making it the perfect weather to get us out of our heads and into the present moment – something that’s been proven to boost mental health. “Mindfulness meditation has been shown to affect how the brain works and even its structure,” states the Mental Health Foundation.
“People undertaking mindfulness training have shown increased activity in the area of the brain associated with positive emotion – the pre-frontal cortex – which is generally less active in people who are depressed.”
If mindfulness isn’t your bag, race your mates to the shelter of a tree, grab your brollies, dig out your brightly coloured mac, wear wellies to splash in puddles, and laugh as your mascara runs down your face. Rain presents a chance to be a bit silly – and we can all benefit from having a laugh in difficult times.
Laughing triggers a beneficial hormonal response in the brain, neuroscientist Professor Sophie Scott previously told HuffPost UK. You get a change in adrenaline – the flight or fight neurotransmitter – and, in turn, become more relaxed.
“You also get an increase in the circulating endorphins, meaning it feels good to laugh,” she said. “Over a longer time scale, you then get a reduction in cortisol – the stress hormone.”
The rain also doesn’t need to stop you getting outdoors to exercise – especially if you’re among the many people who’ve discovered a love of running during lockdown. If you haven’t tried it before, a rainy run can be gloriously refreshing and makes sinking into the bath or the sofa afterwards feel that much sweeter.
If all else fails this weekend, remember the joy you’ve found from socially distanced meet-ups in recent weeks. Are we going to let a little bit of rain dampen our spirits? Not on our watch.
