Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder

Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects around one in 10 of us. Reverse SAD, much like winter SAD, is influenced by the weather, although it is the lighter and longer days that summer brings that is the main cause.

The increase in sunlight has a big impact on people’s mood; it can have a heavy influence on our melatonin production causing our serotonin levels play havoc with our sleep and body clocks.

Keeping your curtains closed is a small way that can help symptoms of Summer SAD. They’ll block out any unwanted additional sunlight as well as keeping rooms cooler. Decreasing the amount of sunlight will also help you to sleep better as your melatonin levels won’t change too dramatically.

The change in weather is also known to disrupt people’s daily routine as we’re probably more inclined to abandon the gym in favour of a drink in the sun. And although it can be a struggle to stick to your schedule in summer, try not to worry about maintaining a rigid routine. Maybe think about making a new one that’s more flexible. Exercising before work instead of after could be a good alternative. Or, if you find yourself unable to exercise, try getting off the bus or train before your stop and walk an extra 10 minutes on your commute.

One additional pressure adding to people’s summer anxiety is the endless stream of images and marketing messages telling us that we should be aspiring to a ‘bikini body’. We then can feel torn about whether to socialise or to work out, and might then struggle with internal guilt whichever decision we make. This diet culture negatively affects our body image and causes many people to dread the summer months.

When suffering with summer SAD you may also lack the motivation to engage with other people. Seeing everyone else enjoy themselves in the sun and on social media can increase our anxiety as we focus on unhelpful comparisons with those who appear to have achieved ‘body beautiful’ and look happy as a result. It’s important to remember that online especially, people tend to present an image of themselves that has nothing on reality.

If you miss a workout because you want some extra sleep or you want to go out after work don’t worry. Give yourself a break. Doing things that you enjoy is incredibly beneficial to your mental well-being.

Some common symptoms of Summer SAD can be:

- Loss of appetite

- Sleep loss

- Weight loss

- Increased energy

- Anxiety

- Irritability