Looking after your mental health in summer
When summer rolls around, people often look forward to the warm weather, longer days, holidays, and fun activities. However, for some, summer brings feelings of anxiety and depression, and heightens mental health challenges. When people think about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), it is often associated with the winter as the days get shorter and sunlight becomes limited. However, SAD can also affect people in the summer months as well. Summer Anxiety is a form of SAD that occurs during those summer months. Symptoms of SAD include, but are not limited to, the following during the summer:
Feeling on edge and/or moody
Increased feelings of sadness or depression
Feeling physically jittery, muscle tightness, and palpitations.
Experiencing an increase in panic attacks
Difficulty sleeping and/or a poor sleep schedule
Increase in rumination, worrying, and/or obsessing
Dreading holidays and other activities associated with summer to an atypical amount
Heat, longer daylight, disrupted routines and poor sleep can all affect how you feel. Summer can also bring pressure to travel, socialise and appear to enjoy every part of the season. Social media can make that comparison harder.
Keep a workable routine
Keep waking, sleeping and meal times reasonably regular where your circumstances allow. Choose movement that suits your body and the weather. A short walk or stretching indoors still counts.
Schedule downtime
You may feel pressure to make the most of every minute of summer. Put downtime in the calendar and use annual leave in the way that helps you rest, rather than filling it with another list of tasks.
Plan things to look forwards to
There is no ideal summer. Plan something that you want to do rather than copying someone else’s list. It might be a meal, a day trip, time at home or seeing one person.
Avoid spending too much time in the heat
Even though the sunlight has lots of benefits such as serotonin and Vitamin D, getting too much sunlight or spending too much time in the heat may be having negative effects on your wellbeing and catalysing your negative emotions. Try to avoid spending too much time in the heat by doing more indoor activities where you can hide from it and enjoy the chill of the air conditioner. Still make an effort to get outside some to gain the benefits of the sunlight and not feel trapped inside. Try going outside early or late in the day also to avoid the temperature highs and instead enjoy the slightly cooler air.
Maintain connections
Mental health difficulties can feel isolating, especially when other people appear busy. Keep contact with friends and family where you can. You might choose an activity you want to do together or meet earlier or later to avoid the heat.
Ask for help
Ask for the kind of help you need. That might be childcare during the school holidays, help with meals or housework, or a conversation with a therapist. Needing practical support is not a personal failure.
Ask for support
Speak to your GP or a mental health professional if changes in mood, sleep or anxiety persist or make daily life difficult. If you already have access to InsideOut®, you can use the app for guided support or ask for a conversation.
Author: Sydney Perks, Content Contributor at InsideOut®
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