Summertime Sadness: 11 Ways to Chase Away the Warm-Weather Blues

Depressive symptoms associated with seasonal depression tend to become noticeable during the winter's darker months. Yet, scientists warn that another kind of seasonal sadness occurs throughout the spring and summer months, and it is just as harmful.

Remember that everyone is different; although the winter is when most individuals suffer seasonal sadness, up to 30% of people will experience depression in the summer.

It is normal for those who suffer from summer-pattern SAD, sometimes known as "reverse SAD," to feel depressed for four to five months out of the year, even when the weather is pleasant throughout that time of year.

Recognize the Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder in the Summer

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) lists low energy levels, loss of interest in formerly pleasurable activities, trouble focusing, and feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness as symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Those who are prone to SAD in the summer may also be at risk for the following −

• Discontentment and agitation

• Anxiety

• Insomnia

• A decrease in appetite leads to a thinning of the body.

• Situations of aggression

Summer-season SAD may be diagnosed and treated by a medical or mental health expert if you exhibit the following symptoms &minnus;

• Exhibit severe depressive disorder symptoms

• Experience seasonal depression for at least two consecutive years

• Have more major depressive episodes throughout the summer than at any other time of the year

Advice for Fighting the Blues in the Summer

1. Recognize What Sets You Off In The Summertime

Identifying the causes of your summertime blues will allow you to hone in on the most effective methods of dealing with them.

Heat and humidity, financial pressures from the need for additional daycare or vacations, and body-image difficulties exacerbated by increased skin-baring apparel in warmer weather are all potential precipitating factors.

The anticipation of summer's joy might also serve as a catalyst. Expecting individuals to be happiest in the summer might make summer sadness more challenging. Because of this, those who suffer from seasonal depression may internalize their feelings of sadness even more deeply than usual.

According to some specialists, summertime blues have been linked to long hours spent in the direct glare of the sun.

2. Make A Schedule

Having a consistent schedule is one of the greatest ways to keep depression symptoms at bay, as anybody who has suffered from low emotions or depression knows. Terrible though it may be, summer has a way of unseating our routines and causing turmoil in even the most peaceful households. Maintaining a routine might help keep your life and emotions steady.

3. Make Sleeping A Top Priority

The longer summer days make obtaining a good night's sleep harder, which may hurt one's emotional and mental well-being. Installing blackout curtains or shades may make your bedroom more suitable for sleeping through the night. Highly sensitive persons (HSPs) rely on sleep as a reliable means of processing the vast amounts of information they take in daily. The more sleep you get each night, the better off you'll be, although many highly sensitive people need 9-10 hours.

4. Take Time For Yourself

Highly sensitive persons sometimes struggle with an overstimulated nervous system. Self-care is crucial to our balance and well-being as highly sensitive people. Self-care routines are crucial for getting through the warmer months sanely and easily if you are extremely sensitive, and summer is a season that produces difficulty and triggers for you. Supporting and assisting in soothing the nervous system and the body might be bodywork like massage, acupuncture, Reiki, or any other service that feeds you. If money is tight and you can't afford professional help, be creative and discover other methods to take care of your sensitive spirit.

5. Avoid Overheating

The summer's increasing heat and humidity inflame the body, mind, and emotions. Discovering techniques to relax and unwind might help alleviate frustration and pain. Going to the movies and sitting in the air-conditioned darkness may be a welcome relief, as can cooling down in a nearby body of water like a lake or pool. It's important to weigh the advantages of staying cool against the disturbing drone of the air conditioner if you live with someone with a low noise tolerance.

6. Sleep

The shorter summer hours, late-night summer picnics, and relaxing vacations might tempt you to extend your nighttime activities. Unfortunately, a lack of sleep is a typical precipitant of depression. Thus, try to force yourself to turn in at a reasonable hour.

7. Don't Let Your Workout Routine Go By The Wayside

A large body of research indicates that maintaining a regular exercise routine may aid in preventing depression. Hence, if the heat makes your typical pursuits unpleasant, consider different methods to keep moving and stave off the onset of seasonal affective disorder. To avoid the hottest parts of the day, it is best to begin your activities before sunrise or after sunset. Put some exercise gear down there where it's nice and cool. Joining a gym for the summer is a great way to stay in shape if you can't afford a full year's membership.

8. Don't Go To Extremes With Your Diet And Exercise Routine.

Don't try to start the summer off by following a strict diet and working out so you can wear last year's swimming suit. Unhappiness and worry are guaranteed outcomes. Instead, adopt a reasonable workout and eating routine. It's unlikely that you'll succeed on a very limited diet plan. The "failure" will make you feel even worse about yourself and add to the sadness you've been feeling all summer.

9. Take Precautions

Try your best to avoid letting responsibilities weigh you down. Maybe every Memorial Day or Fourth of July, you have a huge BBQ for all your relatives. So skip it this year if you're too stressed out. See if another family member can fill in as host. You shouldn't put yourself in danger of a summer depression by forcing yourself to conform to expectations.

10. Ponder The Reasons

Consider if there is a cause if you find yourself experiencing seasonal sadness every summer. Is there a sad memory from your past that comes to mind when you think about summer? Maybe the loss of a loved one or the end of a relationship. Is summertime a particularly difficult time for you? Have you ever suffered from depression before? You may have begun, subconsciously, to identify the summer with melancholy, and this association will only get stronger with each summer that you are miserable. Getting to the bottom of negative summer memories might help you stop the habit.

11. Speak With Your Doctor About Making Changes To Your Current Dosage

Talk to your doctor about adjusting your depression medication if you discover that the summer always worsens your symptoms. Your dosage might increase in the summer and gradually reduce in the autumn. It may be useful in preventing the seasonal affective disorder that often strikes during the summer.

Conclusion

You are not alone in finding the summer months less than stimulating. Spend the summer doing things you like and giving yourself lots of downtimes. Make room in your schedule and free your mind so you can start retraining your nervous system to respond more effectively to stress. Maintain your dedication to basic self-care techniques so that you can cool yourself throughout the summer's hottest days.