Re: Does the weather affect sleep patterns?

Dear Rob,
  I was unable to find any research on the influence of barometric pressure 
upon sleep.  One weather related variable that has been well studied is 
temperature--see, for example, "The effects of high and low ambient 
temperatures on human sleep stages" by EH Haskell, et al., in the journal 
Electroencephalography & Clin. Neurophysiol. vol 51, pp. 494-501, 1981.  It 
appears that cooler temperatures are more disruptive to sleep than warmer 
ones--no surprises there.  There is evidence that temperature-sensitive 
neurons in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus play a critical role 
in the initiation of sleep ("Neuronal discharge of preoptic area/anterior 
hypothalamic thermosensitive neurons:  relation to NREM sleep" Am. J. 
Physiol. 269:R1240-1249, 1995 by MN Alam, et al.).  
   Barometric pressure may influence the perception of joint pain by 
altering the pressure of synovial fluid within joints, and pain in turn 
could disrupt sleep.  But I don't think any actual study of this subject 
has been done.