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Summertime means longer days and warmer weather, as well as a rare and unusual seasonal mood disorder for some. SB Arts Media \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\nA right ray of sunshine? Meh.<\/p>\n
While most people find warm, sunny weather a welcome relief after brutal arctic winters with record-breaking blizzards, not everyone looks forward to those clear-sky, 80-degree days.<\/p>\n
In fact, some people are pretty miserable in the summer \u2014 tired, touchy and impatiently waiting for cooler temps and shorter days to come back around.<\/p>\n
Summertime means longer days and warmer weather, as well as a rare and unusual seasonal mood disorder for some. SB Arts Media \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
Most people are familiar with seasonal affective disorder<\/a> (SAD), a seasonal depression that results in a lower mood during the winter for about 5% of people.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s also possible to experience this type of clinical depression in the heat of summer, a condition known as summer seasonal affective disorder.<\/p>\n Also called reverse seasonal affective disorder (RSAD) or summer depression, the condition effects an estimated 0.57% of people, an analysis of multiple studies<\/a> found.<\/p>\n While not a formally recognized medical diagnosis, those who develop the summer blues often have the same signs and symptoms<\/a> as winter depression.<\/p>\n Showing up in late spring<\/a> or early summer, these can include anxiety, irritability, insomnia, fatigue, restlessness, lack of motivation and social isolation.<\/p>\n They may also experience a loss of appetite in the summer (compared to eating more in the colder months).<\/p>\n So what causes people to be down in the dumps when it\u2019s just so gorgeous outside?<\/p>\n Some studies suggest that both winter and summer SAD are caused by melatonin levels, the hormone that maintains the sleep-wake cycle.<\/p>\n Those with winter depression produce too much melatonin, while those with the summer disorder produce too little. Less melatonin could be the result of disrupted sleep from high temperatures, longer daylight hours and shorter nights.<\/p>\n Summer can also bring stress<\/a> like the holiday season does, with planning travel and vacations or worrying about how much money is spent.<\/p>\n The warm weather may also bring about anxiety over the fear of missing out on social events, or dealing with worsened body image that might come with wearing less clothing.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring (these months), you feel like you should always be doing more \u2014 whether that\u2019s being more out and about, being active and doing all the things you see people do online,\u201d Sophia Marren, a summertime sadness sufferer, previously told The Post.<\/p>\n \u201cIt makes me feel like I\u2019m not doing enough and falling behind in life because I\u2019m not \u2018enjoying it\u2019 as much as others\u2026You feel less adventurous, less financially stable and less fun.\u201d<\/p>\n Other causes can include changing schedules for those with seasonal occupations like teachers, seasonal allergies linked to inflammation or more alcohol consumption that can fuel feelings of anxiety and depression<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, it\u2019s the combination of heat, extra daylight and allergies,\u201d said Lachrista Greco<\/a>, a 40-year-old writer and librarian who was diagnosed by her psychiatrist several years.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t there be a summer SAD?\u201d she added. \u201cIt makes sense to me that some people thrive during the summer and others thrive during the winter\u2026Some of us would prefer to lie down in a gentle, soft snowpile rather than be burned alive by the sun.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/tired-sweating-woman-wipes-forehead-130954392.jpg\")
Summer seasonal affective disorder hits in the warm summer months with many of the same signs as winter depression. Goffkein \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n