Summer Stress
Summer and stress aren’t words we usually think of together. Work and stress, school and stress, even family and stress make sense, but summer is stereotypically thought of as a time to relax and play, with long days and a slower pace.
And for many it is, but more and more I’m hearing summer as a source of stress, anxiety, and even depression from patients, friends and myself. So what gives?!?
Lack of Routine
Humans are creatures of habit and rightly so. It’s easier to build habits and routines around what we do most frequently. For the majority of us that’s work and school, either our own school or our children’s school. So we spend time and energy setting up our lives in ways that keep us healthy and happy when school, work, church, bowling league or whatever are running on normal schedules. So when much of that changes to accommodate summer break or even just vacations of ourselves and coworkers, it can throw us all out of sorts. The very foundation on which we’ve built our routines shifts, and often they shift multiple times throughout the season.
If kids are involved, routine shifts are multiplicatively increased and can feel completely overwhelming.
The Heat
I’m not gonna lie; I love the heat. Like the hotter the better. I almost welcome the sense of not being able to do anything besides drink lemonade and keep myself cool.
I realize that’s not the case for everyone though. For many, the heat feels oppressive and limiting; like an uncomfortable, hot wet wool sweater. For others it’s even dangerous triggering migraines, dizziness or palpitations.
Feeling limited in our physical activities or just physically uncomfortable can definitely trigger anxiety and depression.
Too Much Daylight?!?
Sunlight is mood magic. It’s starts a whole cascade of neuro chemical goodness increasing levels of melatonin, serotonin, tryptophan and Vitamin D. Early morning sunlight exposure is something I recommend for almost all my patients dealing with depression, anxiety or sleep disturbances. And it works! So you wouldn’t think longer days with more sunlight would be a trigger for depression or anxiety.
But darkness is important too. In addition to recommending early morning sunlight exposure for most mental health and sleep problems, I also recommend two hours of darkness prior to sleep and a minimum of eight hours of sleep a night. Many places the math just doesn’t work! There’s just not ten hours of darkness especially as you move north. Cue sleep and even eating disturbances.
Isolation
Humans are social creatures. We crave connection. Connection is physically and emotionally protective, but it’s also one of the ways we get boosts of the feel good neurotransmitter dopamine.
For some people, socialization increases during the summer, but it can be hard to coordinate time with friends and family if everyone is out of their routines or limited by heat.
What to do about it?
I think like most other hard things in life, acknowledgment, understanding, and acceptance are at least half the battle. Knowing you’re not alone in feeling stressed during the summer, understanding the triggers and accepting the situation without judging yourself can alleviate much of the anxiety and sadness. From there, we can start my identify one or two specific triggers that lead you to feel worse in the summer and planning around them. If the shorter nights are affecting your sleep, getting blackout curtains is a great first step. If the lack of routine is the biggest hurdle, choosing one habit as a touch stone and building it into the day regardless of the schedule might help.
There’s really no one size fits all solution but lots of individual ones.
What if it’s more?
If you find that you’re experiencing more than summer stress and it’s affecting your daily activities, you may be struggling with anxiety, depression or another mental health condition. At White Pine Mental Health & Wellness, we can help. Whether it’s working to build habits that support your mental health or prescribing medications for conditions such as depression, anxiety, or OCD, we’re here to partner with you in feeling well.
If you’re located in Alabama, Idaho, or Florida, you can schedule and appointment for comprehensive psychiatric care by checking OUR CALENDAR, calling (208) 391-7280 or emailing for more information.