Under normal circumstances, online poker is a game that attracts more attention during the winter months. And as people are required to remain home much more this year, that is truer than ever.
Poker pros, like most people, prefer to spend their summer outdoors. According to statistics, during the warmer season, there is a drop of 20% in the number of online poker players, as people are less prone to remaining indoors.
However, during the winter months, as the weather turns bleak and uninviting, you are more likely to stay home. And since the entertainment options are rather limited when you remain indoors, people are more inclined to spend their time online.
But while poker players are drawn to online venues when the weather turns bad, that doesn't mean their poker play is at its best during the winter.
How does the weather affect you and your ability to play poker? And what can you do about it? Now is your chance to get answers to those questions.
How Cold Weather Affects Our Poker Play
According to studies, exposure to cold weather can greatly affect our cognitive functions and mood. One study, for example, showed that exposure to 10֠C weather negatively affects working memory and executive functions, which are an important part of playing poker.
But since most players play poker online in the warm environment of their homes, winter is less likely to affect your cognitive abilities. However, staying indoors doesn't stop dreary weather from affecting your mood.
When the skies grow darker and temperatures drop, spirits are often lower than usual. Some people might even show signs of irritability, sleeping difficulties, agitation, and difficulties in concentration. All those traits can affect your ability to play poker, as this is a game that requires a lot of focus and a calm state of mind.
Scientists believe that numerous factors cause your mood to plummet when the weather gets cold.
First of all, as the exposure to sunlight is reduced in the winter, Serotonin (a chemical your body produces) levels drop, which affects your mood. Also, less sunlight can disturb your circadian rhythms, aka your internal body clock, and that can also cause you to feel down.
Another possible reason for feeling low as winter comes lies with disruption of Melatonin (a sort of hormone) levels. That can affect both your sleeping patterns and your mood, and we all know that a good night's sleep is crucial if you want to do your best at the poker table.
Dealing with the Effects of Winter
Now that you know how the weather can affect your mood, only one question remains: what can you do about it?
- Relax – One of the first things you can do to improve your mood is to try and reduce your stress levels and relax. You can meditate, listen to music, do some yoga or any other calming activity.
- Create a stress-free cocoon – If you want to maximize your ability to focus on poker, you can create an environment devoid of stress factors. Find a quiet room, close the shades, turn the light on and put some relaxing background music. Do anything that will help you to forget about the weather outside and think you're on vacation someplace exotic.
- Remember why you're playing – When your mood is down, it is hard to remain positive – especially if you lose at poker. Reminding yourself why you love the game will help you deal with the unproportioned feeling of failure. You can write down motivational phrases and place them near your computer, watch well-known poker games, and do anything to get your confidence in yourself back.
Keep Smiling and Play Poker Online!
Winter is fast approaching, so now is the perfect time to prepare yourself and get ready to face the challenges ahead of you. Are you ready to start playing poker?