How the long rains are quietly affecting your mood
By Dan Kauna, May 1, 2026April and May arrive in Nairobi with the smell of wet soil, grey skies, and a peculiar heaviness that is hard to name.
You sleep longer, cancel plans more easily, and find yourself staring at the ceiling at 7 pm wondering why you feel so flat. You are not imagining it.
The long rains are doing something to you.
Seasonal mood shifts are well-documented globally.
A 2002 study published in The Lancet found that serotonin production in the brain rises and falls directly with the duration of bright sunlight, meaning overcast skies are not just inconvenient; they are neurological.
Research from tropical climates, including a study conducted in Thailand at a latitude comparable to East Africa, has found that rainy season patterns produce their own distinct mood disruptions, separate from the winter-darkness model more commonly discussed in Western literature.
Why does your brain slow down in the rain?
Sunlight regulates serotonin, the chemical in your brain that keeps your mood stable and your energy levels consistent.
When cloud cover is heavy for days on end, serotonin production dips.
Your body also produces more melatonin (the sleep hormone), making you feel drowsy and sluggish even after a full night’s rest.
For Nairobians specifically, the long rains compound this in practical ways. Traffic worsens dramatically, adding hours to commutes and leaving people arriving home exhausted and irritable.
Cold, damp evenings push people indoors and away from the social interactions that normally lift their spirits. Gyms empty out. Evening walks stop.
Plans get rained out and rescheduled indefinitely.
The result is a quiet but real cycle of low energy, reduced motivation, and mild social withdrawal that can last weeks.
What you can actually do about it
The good news is that small, deliberate habits go a long way. Here is what works.
Get light, even when it is cloudy. Open your curtains the moment you wake up. Step outside during any dry window in the morning, even for ten minutes. Natural light helps regulate your serotonin and signals to your body that it is time to be awake. A short walk around your estate in the morning makes a real difference.
Keep your social commitments small but consistent. You do not need to go out every evening. But cancelling on everyone for two weeks straight is what tips low mood into genuine isolation. Commit to one in-person meetup a week, coffee with a friend, a weekend lunch, and protect it regardless of the weather.
Move your body indoors. Exercise is one of the most reliable mood stabilisers available. If outdoor workouts are off the table, a home workout, a YouTube yoga session, or even a brisk walk keeps the endorphins flowing.
Watch your diet. Cold weather and comfort food go together naturally, but heavy, carbohydrate-dense meals eaten without enough movement will deepen the sluggishness. Balance your comfort meals with vegetables, adequate protein, and water. Staying hydrated in cool weather is easy to forget.
Talk about it. Many Nairobians carry rain-season low moods silently, assuming everyone else is fine. They are not. Naming what you are feeling reduces its weight considerably.
The rains will pass, as they always have, giving way to the dry warmth of June. Until then, be a little gentler with yourself, and a little more deliberate about the habits that keep you well.