![]() ![]() When schedules are disrupted, moods swings can occur. Systematic eating schedules help with regulating our moods. And for those who feel miserable, it is common to lose a gusto for eating. It may be hard for the sun worshipers among us to understand, but the high temperatures of summer can feel oppressive and uncomfortable for some. Quite simply, the lack of sleep in the summer contributes to depression or depressive symptoms. Decreased levels of melatonin due to too much of a good thing (the summer sun) impact our mood. An excess of bright light can slow melatonin production which our body needs to get ready to sleep, and this, in turn, causes insomnia.Īs mentioned earlier, Vitamin D is called the “Sunshine Vitamin.” Its counterpart is the “feel-good hormone” known as serotonin – a precursor of melatonin. The disruption of our internal circadian clock is the cause. It’s rarely mentioned, but there is now some increasing awareness of the downside of too much light. Timing Is EverythingĪn abundance of sunlight plays a surprising role in the depression that springs from summer SAD. Our smartphones fill with photos, texts, and tweets from people having “fun-in-the-sun.” For some, it might start to seem like everyone is at the beach, having a great time, leaving those stuck at home suffering from summer SAD feeling isolated and depressed. Magazine covers, streaming services, and social media can also add to the stress, bringing on the FOMO effect – Fear Of Missing Out. Sometimes summer SAD leads to significant anxiety and even anger. Instead of oversleeping, many suffer from insomnia and a lack of appetite, which causes unwanted weight loss. In the summertime, the symptoms of SAD are often the exact reverse – marked by an acute sense of restlessness and agitation. And for many, over-eating and weight gain is another hallmark of the disorder. If you are someone you know has experienced winter SAD, the key symptoms are lower energy, oversleeping, feeling tired, and listless during the daytime. So while you may hear more about winter SAD, the Summertime Blues are real and Summer SAD (aka “reverse SAD”) affects people too. ![]() All of which can affect metabolism and mood. When daylight hours shrink and the nights become long and cold, or snowy weather keeps people indoors, the body produces less Vitamin D (the so-called “Sunshine Vitamin”). SAD is perhaps best known as a major depressive disorder affecting about 5% of the US population during the cold winter months. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is real, and it can make the summer months hard to endure for those who suffer from it. In fact, some dread those long daylight hours and soaring temperatures. It may come as a surprise to some, but not everybody welcomes the arrival of summer. Since the summer of 1958, when Eddie Cochran first sang “ there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues,” many other artists (from The Who to Alan Jackson) have covered the song and kept it a staple on the radio.īut what are the “ Summertime Blues,” and is it really true there is no known cure? Long Hot Summerīeyond popular songs, our culture consistently tells us that we should eagerly anticipate the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. ![]()
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