Summer and I don’t get along. We never have. It’s just that I thought we had a deal: August. August was when summer got to soar into the 90s, cranking up all the humidity it wanted. In return, August was when I got to give up all hope of accomplishing anything of substance. I was okay with this.
I just never expected “August” to start in June.
It’s been a long time since I’ve lacked access to air-conditioning, and it’s not like I work a job that requires hours toiling outside. Yet I can’t seem to get out from under the pall of summertime. Even the few things I managed to enjoy back in May have been impacted. Early-morning coffee on the porch? Already too humid. New recipes making use of yummy seasonal produce? No appetite. I didn’t even bother hanging my usual outdoor plants this year — the heat had already moved in, and they seemed like nothing more than one more bunch of things I wouldn’t be able to keep alive. (Nothing says “Happy Summer!” more than a hanging basket filled with withered flowers.) Still, my inability to buck up and cope with summer seems precious, like something I could control if I really, really wanted to.
It turns out I’ve been beating myself up for no reason. Summertime blues are an actual thing: while the depression of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in winter is well known, there’s a summer version of it, too. It’s a little different from winter depression, where sufferers tend to sleep more, crave carbohydrates, and lose focus and interest in the world around them. Summertime blues are more about restlessness, anxiety, and lack of appetite. Because winter SAD is more common, it’s been studied extensively. It’s thought that shorter days mean less sunlight, and that less sunlight means the brain produces less mood-regulating serotonin and Vitamin D. More research is needed where summer SAD is concerned, but it’s possible that longer hours of daylight disrupt sleep patterns. There’s even a theory that increased pressure to have fun over what’s supposed to be a carefree time of year leads to depression when fun isn’t achieved. (The fun thing sounds like a stretch to me, but that may be because I gave up on having fun in summer a long time ago.)
All I know is that I like fall and winter. A lot. I love that the nights slowly get longer until December 21st, when the process reverses. I like the invigorating feel of cold weather. I like working hard during the day and cocooning when the night closes in. My circadian rhythms purr in the wintertime.
It won’t get better. This summer’s intense heat started earlier and has hung on longer than any previous year I can remember. Somehow, I’ll figure out a way to make it work, because I have no alternative. At the very least, I’ll try to grant myself grace when heat and humidity make it hard to think, much less accomplish anything. There have to be times when it’s ok to simply show up…
…which is what August is for.

I’m the yin to your yang on this one… (though check in again once hot flashes really start in earnest) but I relate, anyway. Functioning in a season that doesn’t suit you is challenging, whichever direction it goes. And the fact of societal pressure to ENJOY SUMMER!!!!!! is just another oppressive layer.
Have you ever read WINTERING by Katherine May? You really ought to.
Kristina, I haven’t read that but will look it up!
I wonder if our yin/yang thing has anything to do with geography? You’re further north than I am; of course that impacts our perception of the seasons. (Although I’m still the one who loved Iceland in December …)
Yes, summertime blues are too real but a good storm helps lighten the mood
For me, a good autumn helps lighten the mood!