Sadness in Summer: How Heat Can Affect Your Mental Health
We all know about the Winter Blues; how the nights and days get darker, the weather becomes miserable and we find ourselves sleeping and eating more than we socialise. A lot of people find their mood is lower and their anxiety increased due to the change in season. Yet, I’m the opposite: I love Winter. I love the dark nights and dull days, the battering rain and cold winds. I love Winter because I absolutely detest Summer.
The sun is high in the sky, you can’t wear long sleeved tops without feeling uncomfortable, having to wear sunglasses so you aren’t blinded by the sun; not to mention the countless trips to the beach to get sand stuck in your shoes. Oh yes, how exciting… Pfft.
The majority of people enjoy Summer, but there are a few of us that struggle to cope in the Summer, looking at the sun as if it’s an asteroid ready to hit us straight in the face like a sweaty ball of sadness.
So I pondered, wondering whether the stress and sadness I felt in Summer was because of the overwhelming feeling of discomfort in my body that would get too warm to handle, or the worrying about sweat and my mask of make-up sliding off my face as the day went on. So I did a little digging and found the following out:
Heatwaves may be associated with an increase in drug and alcohol abuse.
General anxiety usually decreases with a rise in temperature.
Low mood and depression symptoms heighten with a rise in temperature.
High humidity levels lead to people struggling to sleep despite many feeling sleepier during the day, as well as lower energy levels and motivations.
With a rise in temperature, even that of a couple of degrees Celsius, there is a rise in mental health related emergency department visits and suicide rates.
A Lack of Sleep Impacts Our Ability to Regulate Emotions
There is a lot of advice out there talking about Sleep Hygiene and the importance of getting the right amount of sleep in each ‘category’ (such as deep sleep and R.E.M. sleep.) That’s something we’ll talk about in more depth further down the line.
We all know by now that sleep is an important part of our daily routine (let’s be honest, the older we get, the more we realise that ‘all-nighters’ are no longer possible. Teenagers, make the most of it!) The more sleep we get, the happier and less grumpy we are. Getting the right amount of sleep helps us deal with situations and stop unnecessary situations occurring, stay attentive and process information, be more likely to share our point of views (lack of sleep causes us to be more conservative in opinion and less likely to challenge people, as we avoid creating long discussions), and allows us to regulate emotions and be more aware of responding to conversations and situations without being bias or letting emotions take over.
The latter of that list is the most appropriate in terms of mental health. When we don’t sleep as well in the Summer, it impacts on our emotional regulation, or ability to respond to situations or circumstances in a calm and less reactive manner. Let’s be honest, if you’ve had a rough night’s sleep and someone ticks you off at work, you’re going to spend the rest of the day annoyed or argue with the person. This also applies to our own perspective of ourselves. When someone makes a comment about your personality, reaction to a situation, appearance etc, you’re more likely to hold that comment in your head and take it personally.
Mental Illness Makes Summer More Difficult
If you’re like me, you might have a mental illness that is affected by a surge in heat. There are many illnesses, both physical and mental, that can become more difficult to manage. Although it is seen that general anxiety decreases with a rise in temperature, anxiety and other symptoms that come with several mental illnesses can increase. To name a few:
Eating Disorders - if you are dealing with a restrictive eating disorder, the risks increase during the summer. Your body loses water with a rise in temperature, meaning you are more likely to suffer from dizziness and fainting spells in the warmer weather if you’re restricting and limiting your food and water intake. Some people with eating disorders also struggle with clothing (similar to the discussion below about body dysmorphia.) In the summer, it’s also a risk to wear more clothing as again, it will increase your body temperature and increase the risk of dehydration. A lot of people with eating disorders wear layers of clothing to conceal weight loss or hide their body shape. On the other hand, it can be difficult to see other people going around in less clothes and showing off ‘ideal’ body types, increasing the pressure of losing weight.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - some people with O.C.D. do have thoughts about their cleanliness and this can be impacted by heat. If you are sweating more and aware of the rise in your body temperature, it can become extremely difficult to feel ‘clean’. During humid Summers, you can come out of the shower and feel clammy five minutes later. It can severely impact on someone’s routines and rituals.
Bipolar Disorder - in the treatment of bipolar disorder, routines have been proven as a helpful way to manage the illness and reduce the likelihood of symptoms one may experience. During the Summer, the days become longer and people are more likely to stay up later and have difficulty sleeping, thus, disrupting that routine as well as their internal body clock. Poor sleep can be a trigger for episodes in Bipolar Disorder, making Summer a high risk time for relapses.
Depression - it’s tough seeing friends, family and neighbours out in the sunshine, socialising, going on adventures and smiling. When you’re in a state of depression, there’s something about listening to children outside your window whilst you lie in bed, knowing you won’t get up unless you have to pee. It makes you sadder, knowing that you’re missing out on all the things everyone else is doing. It’s the opposite of a motivator, and makes you want to isolate more (well, it did for me.) I was less likely to check social media and reply to messages from friends, because I knew my feed would be full of holiday photos and picnics in the park.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder - the reason I hate Summer the most is because of my Body Dysmorphia. I struggle with my body image and looking at myself in the mirror in the winter with chunky jumpers and jeans on, so the idea of short sleeves and shorts makes me feel sick. I feel incredibly disgusting due to the rise in temperature, fearing that the amount that I sweat is because of the weight on my bones and feel myself growing in inches with every droplet. I could cry when I see the weather getting ‘better.’ The shorter the sleeves I wear, the more I pick at my skin to make it smoother. The hotter I get, the more I attempt to fix my make-up. It’s a minute-by-minute struggle and it consumes me in the Summer.
How To Help Yourself
Stay hydrated. Seems simple right? If you’re not a person to drink ample amounts of water during the Winter, you’re going to feel the effects once the Summer comes in. Get into the habit of drinking enough water to keep your body hydrated. This can help alleviate lethargy, headaches and your general wellbeing, including your skin and nail health. Start with the small things.
Keep cool. Not as in “down with the kids” cool but as in make use of air conditioning and fans, keeping your windows open and shutting curtains/blinds to stop the sun blaring into your room and building heat.
Stay in touch. You might be inclined to stop socialising when the weather improves, due to the sun being out. Please don’t isolate yourself. It might seem hard to get out and about, particularly on hot days if you’re not a lover of the sun. Talk to your friends if they’re wanting to go out, arrange to go somewhere with shade or arrange a time in the day where the temperature isn’t at peak. Even if you don’t feel like going out, keeping in touch over the phone or by social media.
Do you struggle to cope in the Summer or do you find an improvement in your mood with a rise in temperature? Let me know below!
Until next time, stay happy, stay healthy and stay positive. And remember, someone out there cares about you, so if you need help or feel like chatting, reach out.
Beth
