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Summer Anxiety is Real: Tips for Managing It (Part 1)

Ronit Levy • Jul 24, 2021

After long winters, most of us look forward to warmer days, more sunshine, and lots of opportunities to have fun. However, social gatherings, vacations, changes in routine, and physical responses to heat can make any pre-existing anxiety or depression worse. In this 2-part post, you’ll learn what summer anxiety is, the most common reasons for it, and how to manage it.  Hopefully, you can learn to manage symptoms, decrease overwhelm, and enjoy some of what summer has to offer. 


person walking alone on beach because of summer anxiety and depression

Summertime Anxiety is Real


Year after year, I hear so many patients tell me that summers are really hard for them and/or their kids.

 

There are so many benefits to summer. Some common benefits include:

  • Spending more time in nature.
  • Exercising more.
  • Being more social. 
  • Spending more time outdoors and getting the amount of Vitamin D our bodies need to boost our mood, brain functioning, immune system, and bone health. 

 

Despite these positives that should be supporting better health, there are common summer anxiety symptoms people experience:


  • Feeling moodier and on edge.
  • Increased sadness or depression. 
  • Feeling physically jittery, muscle tightness, and palpitations.
  • Experiencing more frequent panic attacks. 
  • Struggling to sleep. 
  • Dreading vacations and get-aways. 
  • Worrying and/or obsessing more.  

 

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, please know you’re not alone.  The lack of structure, fear of missing out, changes in routine, and physical sensitivity to heat and humidity can make anxiety and depression worse in the summer. 



girl sitting on a rock by a lake because anxiety got worse during summer

Why can anxiety get worse in the summer?


There are four main reasons that anxiety can spike during the summer: 


 

1) Change of schedule and routine:

 

People with anxiety, whether chronic and severe or currently flared up, need structure, routine, and predictability. A nervous system that is on alert 24/7 is counting on the fact that certain things won’t change. It’s really basic stuff too, like what time you wake up and eat, daily schedules, and going to the same places every day.

 

Routine and predictability make it easier for a nervous brain to get stuff done because it has less to think about. It’s doesn’t have to plan for possible worst-case scenarios or deal with anything new. The more you change, the greater the chance this system will go into overdrive.

 

How can doing something fun be hard?

 

Easy, your brain isn’t used to it. Even if it’s what you do every summer.

 

Objectively, it’s a fun activity. As far as your brain is concerned, you just changed the rules of the game. Your brain is used to school or work and a particular schedule. 

 

Any new activity requires more physical, emotional, and mental effort. That means you have to work harder until you get used to it. That’s why you’re exhausted after something that “should” be fun.


2) Not enough structure:


If someone is stressed, you would think that time off with nothing to do would be great! Unfortunately, that’s the opposite of what they need.  Too much unstructured time can make an anxious brain worse. 

 

During the other three seasons, days are shorter. We generally have to do more in less time. Kids, teens, and young adults are in school which provides structure and routine. Adults are working outside the home and/or keeping the family afloat managing schedules, errands, etc. 

 

The places we visit and activities we do on a daily basis help us establish a rhythm and routine that is soothing. Even if we don’t like our routine, familiarity tends to help keep us calm. 

 

As soon as you take away levels of activity and responsibility, the anxious brain has time to get lest in a storm of worries. 



3) The pressure to have fun:


There is a lot of hype around how fun summer is and all of the great stuff you could and should be doing: Pools, festivals, concerts, beaches, day trips, bike rides, parties, etc. Social media makes this worse.  All you see are pictures of friends and family having a great time. 

 

The pressure to have fun during summer as well as seeing others enjoying themselves can make you feel like a failure.  That’s when you start to beat yourself up over everything you’re not doing.  This makes your anxiety even worse. It can even lead to depression. 


 

4)  Seasonal Affective Disorder in Summer (i.e., Summer Anxiety): 

 

We’re used to hearing that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) happens in winter months as a result of shorter days and less sunlight. About 4-6% of the U.S. population struggles with SAD.  Of this group, about 10% experience summer anxiety and depression. 

 

Summer Anxiety is a form of Seasonal Affective Disorder that happens during the summer. Experts believe that summer SAD may be due to too much sunlight. This throws off our circadian rhythm, our body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. As a result, people with summer SAD, struggle to sleep as much as they need to.  There’s also evidence that struggling with higher temperatures and humidity contributes to summer anxiety.




family holding hands in ocean at beach for how to survive summertime anxiety

How to Beat Summer Anxiety


The most important thing to remember is that you and/or your kids are the exact same people all year long.

 

Summertime does not equal personality transplants even though we’re all supposed to be carefree.

 

If you want to have a good summer, plan around who you are, not around who you think you should be.  This includes getting extra help and support to help you navigate struggles. 


 

person drawing heart in sand for how to deal with summertime anxiety

5 Steps For Dealing with Summertime Anxiety


Whether you are a parent with an anxious child or are struggling with anxiety yourself, here are four steps you can take to increase the chances that you’ll enjoy summer: 


 

1) Stick to structure and routine:

 

You don’t have to be as rigid as the Marines. Try to wake up, eat, and go to sleep at around the same time. Make sure there is something to do that gets you out of the house on most days. For every one new thing or place you try, keep three to four tried and true activities in your day.




2) Schedule downtime:

 

Summer does not mean you have to be busy all of the time. Schedule time on a daily basis to rest and relax. This can be as simple as going for a short walk.  It’s also ok if you and/or your kids spend time in the afternoon or evening watching tv. 

 

You are not lazy if you spend part of your day resting. You may be saying, “but you told me that unstructured time isn’t good!” I’m talking about time-limited breaks that give you the chance to have some fun and blow off steam. 



3) Plan things you can look forward to: 


If getting through a regular day is difficult, make sure to plan ways to reward and reinforce your efforts. We are more likely to try something, especially if it’s new or hard, if we know there’s a prize at the other end. 

 

Adults might look forward to going to a movie on the weekends, hiking a favorite trail, or trying a new restaurant. For kids, a reward can be going to a movie, scheduling a play date, or spending time at the pool or playground. 



4)  Avoid spending too much time in the heat: 


If you have Seasonal Affective Disorder in the summer, it’s important to avoid heat and humidity. This doesn’t mean being trapped indoors all day.  Instead, make plans based on when you’re likely to feel your best. For example, schedule get-togethers for cooler times like the early morning or evening. There are also lots of indoor activities in which you can have fun while managing your body’s heat sensitivity with air conditioning. 




5)  Get the help you need:


Regardless of whether you deal with summer anxiety every year or happen to be struggling this year, get the help you need. This can include:

  • Scheduling activities outside the home and/or arranging for a summer helper to keep kids entertained. 
  • Getting extra help with cooking and cleaning.  Eating healthy and feeling good about where you live help boost your mood. 
  • Schedule sessions with a therapist.  Meeting with a therapist will give you the time, place, and privacy to discuss your thoughts, feelings, and struggles. Especially in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, you can learn tools to cope with overwhelm. 
  • Consider speaking with your doctor or a psychiatrist about medication to treat anxiety and/or depression. 




two women on mountain top raising their arms because managing summertime anxiety

Make the most of summer


Summer anxiety is something that many of us experience. The season can bring on overwhelming feelings and make it difficult to enjoy the fun activities we were looking forward to or even just sitting outside for a while. It can be hard when you see others having more fun than you are, but there’s no need for anyone to feel this way! 

 

There are specific reasons why people may have summer anxiety, so identify what brings your own symptoms on. Once you know what triggers your distress, take steps towards managing those symptoms.


Make sure you check out Part 2 of this post. Learn how to manage
anxiety while away on vacation so you can enjoy any summer getaways.




Please contact us to set up an appointment. 

We can help give you information, a map for next steps, and hope that you can have the life you want.

 

Wishing you the best,

Dr. Levy

Director

Bucks County Anxiety Center

 


Dr. Ronit Levy is a clinical psychologist and director of Bucks County Anxiety Center in Newtown, PA. She specializes in treating teens and adults struggling with anxiety due to Anxiety Disorders, OCD, chronic illness, and life events. Dr. Levy trains and supervises other therapists and presents on mental health in the community.


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