Summertime Depression: Seasonal Affective Disorder is a Year-Round Experience

You might have heard of, or experienced, seasonal affective disorder (also known as SAD) during the colder months of the year. Common symptoms of SAD are irritability, changes to your sleep patterns or the way you eat, and worsening of anxiety or depression. If you’re reading that and thinking “that sounds familiar” but it is the Summer and you dismiss your symptoms, we’re here to tell you that SAD can also happen during the sunnier, warmer months.

Our brains and bodies like routine: it makes things feel in control and predictable. So, any time there are changes introduced—like hotter weather, later sunsets, or change to homelife—it is understandable that our system would react in a certain way, no matter if it is Winter or Summer. There are a number of reasons why Summer SAD can happen, but here are two big ones:

Day-to-Day Disruptions

You might be planning vacations (hello travel stress!) which can add to your mental load or are having to navigate having kids home on school break. This can even look like weekends full-to-the-brim with social gatherings or events. These changes can have a ripple effect in your life that might mean going to bed later (resulting in less or not as quality sleep), bumping your routine of groceries and laundry (things that set you up for success), drinking alcohol more often, or even feeling more crunched at work when you know you’re taking time off. It can be challenging to find some calm in your day-to-day and keep up with the change in routine.

Pressure to “Make the Most of the Season”

There is a lot of expectation to show up at this time of year: backyard BBQs, pool days, cottage weekends… There seems to be an idea that we have to make the most of the Summer before the weather gets cooler again. But if you’re saying “yes” to every invite you are leaving no time for yourself. Not only are you showing up for others and not for yourself, but this can pile on the stress around food and your body: Will people say something about my weight? What I choose to eat? It creates a lot of pressure!

Here are a few things you can do to support yourself at this time of year:

• Show yourself some grace and remind yourself that this is a season, it won’t last forever.
• Carve out some time to recharge in the way that feels best to you—gardening, reading, hiking, a colouring book, whatever!
• Set boundaries with how you spend your time. For example, you can prioritize events you actually want to attend (saying “no” to others that don’t feel good), limit social media (and its comparison trap), or find times to put your phone on do not disturb.
• Lessen thoughts and feelings about your body by dressing for the season (and here’s how to worry less about being in a bathing suit).
• See how you can slow down. If you can, add an additional vacation day when you return from travelling to set yourself up. See if you can add on daycare after the kids are in camp so you don’t have to rush from work to pick up. Find quiet moments—before you get out of the care, in the bathroom, a lunch hour walk—to take a few deep breaths to calm your system.

If you’re feeling stuck, reach out to your doctor or contact us and we’ll see how we can best support you through this season.

💛 Your peace awaits.