How to Manage Summer Sadness

Summer is a time we usually associate with fun and happiness, but what if you’re not feeling so sunny?

Many of us are familiar with short periods of sadness or even depression. Sometimes there is a good reason for those feelings: the death or serious illness of a loved one, financial stress, health problems, or estrangement from family or friends.

Sometimes when there doesn’t seem to be an event or reason for our blue moods, the trigger is simply a change of seasons. Many people feel “down” in the winter, when days are short, dark, and cold. For other people, summer is a tough time. If either of those seem to describe you, it might be seasonal affective disorder (SAD) that is impacting your mental wellbeing.

Summer-pattern SAD is less common, but it shares with its wintertime counterpart the same recurrent seasonal pattern, with symptoms lasting about four or five months of the year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

The NIMH list of SAD symptoms of depression include:

• Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood most of the day, nearly every day, for at least 2 weeks
• Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
• Feelings of irritability, frustration, or restlessness
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities
• Decreased energy, fatigue, or feeling slowed down
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Changes in sleep or appetite or unplanned weight changes
• Physical aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not have a clear physical cause and do not go away with treatment
• Thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts

According to the NIMH, people experiencing summer-pattern SAD may also experience:

• Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• Poor appetite, leading to weight loss
• Restlessness and agitation
• Anxiety
• Violent or aggressive behavior

What causes summer SAD?

Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by our brain’s pineal gland that helps regulate our sleep-wake cycles. One theory is that people with SAD experience changes in melatonin levels that disrupt those normal rhythms. As a result, people with SAD may have difficulty adjusting to seasonal changes in day length, leading to sleep, mood, and behavior changes.

But health experts also point to other factors. Extreme heat and humidity can leave us feeling fatigued and exhausted and less likely to get out and enjoy mood-boosting exercise. Summer days are long and you may find yourself getting less sleep. Some people feel stress and anxiety as a result of the changes in routine that summer can bring.

If summer leaves you with SAD symptoms, what can you do?

If possible, try to regulate your days and nights, and keep a consistent sleep schedule. Limit bright lights in the evening and create a cool, dark place to sleep. In the morning, expose yourself to enough sunlight to help you adjust to daytime activities.

Find ways to exercise anyway. If the heat bothers you, stick to inside walks—an air-conditioned gym or big office building is ideal, but even malls, big-box stores and museums can offer cool alternatives. Research continues to point toward staying active as an antidote for depression.

Social media may seem like you’re being actively social—but sometimes it does more harm than good. Put limits on your social media intake. Doomscrolling Insta and seeing others having summer fun can make you feel worse. Recent research shows an association between social media use and depression.

For more on how to improve your relationship with social media, check out our earlier deep-dive.

If you truly believe that your unhappy feelings are due to SAD, it will be helpful to remind yourself that summer itself will soon come to an end.

• A change of seasons—and a change in your mood—are right around the corner
• Plan for future activities and events that are likely to lift your spirits in the months to come

On the other hand, if you’ve tried to overcome summer sadness and are still concerned about mental health symptoms, check in with a healthcare provider who can can help you decide on the best treatment option and ways to prevent SAD depressive episodes.