For many of us summer is the sun, beaches and BBQ’s with friends, but for those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder (a circular depression, usually associated with winter) is the season of insomnia, bad mood and disappointment in life, writes likar.info.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, approximately 5% of the US population experience seasonal affective disorder (sad) and every tenth case takes place in the summer. At that time, like the rest splashing in the water and enjoying cocktails on the sun loungers, people suffering from SAR, looking forward to the end of the season.
The symptoms of summer SAR can be easily confused with normal stress, so we offer you to familiarize yourself with the six summer signs of depression and ways to combat it.
You don’t want sunlight
When people think of seasonal affective disorder, they imagine a dark, disturbing mood, cold winter. In the case of the summer SAR, the opposite is happening, says Dr. Sanam Hafeez is a licensed clinical neuropsychologist from new York. Plenty of natural light can reduce melatonin production (the hormone that plays a role in regulating mood) in the body and cause serious changes in mood or depressed.
If you find that your reaction to sunlight is similar to the reaction of the vampires, sunglasses and staying in the shade will be able to help you.
Sleep problems
In winter, the ATS can make people feel sluggish, but in the summer, on the contrary, to get more energy before bedtime. Continuous daylight disturbs and delays the usual sleep cycle, which can lead to insomnia.
The light outside doesn’t mean you can’t fool your body, consider in the American Academy of sleep medicine. Two hours before bedtime, draw the curtains, dim the lights and create an atmosphere that helps you relax and sleep.
The heat makes you cranky
Heat combined with humidity makes the summer unbearable at times for people with ATS. You can feel irritated, agitated, or antsy because of the heat and high temperature.
Spend more time in cool places, take a cold shower. If you are in a situation where it is not possible (e.g. at a picnic), use one of the techniques of concentration or meditation. For example, take five deep breaths, each time counting to three.
You are constantly experiencing anxiety
There are many things that can cause anxiety in people with SAR, namely, hot weather, sticky body of people around, screaming kids, a lot of tourists and endless invitations to summer events.
In this case, it will help planning. Plan your day so that spend more time in air-conditioned rooms and attend events that occur at night, when the street is not so hot.
You have a bad appetite
Constant agitation or anxiety often leads to loss of appetite. Chronic stress triggers a surge of hormones that affect the digestive system, which ultimately reduces the feeling of hunger.
You may not feel hunger, but your body still needs nutrients. Always have on hand healthy snacks that you can eat during the day. And if you want to prevent overheating, do not refuse a cold, refreshing and nutritious smoothie.
When summer ends, you feel better
Symptoms usually subside when the weather gets cooler and the days shorter. Easy way to know whether you have a summer cap, to look back and ask yourself: “What I feel when summer begins? When it comes time to buy summer clothes? Or when you start to plan your summer vacation?”. If all these memories are connected with fear, the cause may be seasonal affective disorder.
If all of the above tips do not bring you any benefit and you still feel bad, talk to a professional in the field of mental health. Perhaps it will help by using techniques such as cognitive behavioural therapy (identifying negative thoughts and replacing them positive) and activation of behavior (the definition of seasonal activities that you really like and focus on them).
