{"id":43425,"date":"2024-07-17T15:57:21","date_gmt":"2024-07-17T19:57:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/?p=43425"},"modified":"2024-07-17T15:57:21","modified_gmt":"2024-07-17T19:57:21","slug":"is-summer-anxiety-real","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/is-summer-anxiety-real\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Summer Anxiety Real?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"GoodTherapySummer is known to be a time of relaxation, vacations, and mood-lifting weather. But despite the leisurely pace of living, the season can also bring a sense of anxiety and stress, as routines become less defined, hot weather takes a physical toll and the logistics of trip planning add more to the to-do list. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s normal to feel simultaneously excited and anxious during the summertime, and understanding why and how to mitigate the latter can help you enjoy the season to the fullest.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Anxiety during the summer<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Heat<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The hallmark of summertime is a hot summer day. Basking in the sun and spending time outdoors is a surefire way to release endorphins and absorb vitamin D, but living in areas with particularly grueling heat \u2014 or enduring unusual heat waves \u2014 can have the opposite effect.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

High temperatures put us at risk of heat stroke and dehydration, leading to known physical health risks, and such weather depletes energy levels, leading to more frequent feelings of exhaustion and even cabin fever due to staying indoors more frequently.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But there are even more sinister effects of prolonged heat exposure. According to a <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> published in JAMA Psychiatry, \u201c mental health-related emergency department visits found an 8% increase in mental health visits on the hottest days of summer compared with the coolest days. The increase ranged from 5% to 11% across different disorders.\u201d Substance abuse, mood, and anxiety disorders<\/a> were found also to be exacerbated by extreme heat.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fear of Missing Out\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This time of year always sees higher travel volumes, but social media has heightened the sense of FOMO, or fear of missing out, as you can get detailed, real-time access to your friends\u2019 and relatives\u2019 vacations.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Comparing our present, day-to-day lives to others\u2019 curated social media content can lead to a sense of inadequacy, so be aware of thoughts that create feelings of jealousy or insecurity.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Routine disruption\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Routines provide the necessary structure and stability to each of our lives. And though vacations can be a time for relaxation or adventurous exploration, regardless of the type of trip you\u2019re embarking on, it is a departure from your current routine, which can cause anxiety and stress.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While many of us need a break from our jobs, not working can surface negative feelings due to a perceived lack of productivity or advancement. During vacations, we are also more tempted to eat or drink less healthily, and maintaining a regular exercise schedule can be more difficult.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Financial stress\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Flight, lodging, and transportation costs have been steadily increasing, and summertime is almost always synonymous with elevated prices due to higher demand. While a break from work may sound relaxing, the financial toll it can take may also increase stress levels<\/a>. Before booking a trip, reflect on the type of experience you\u2019d like to have \u2014 how you want to feel, and what activities you\u2019d like to prioritize \u2014 so that you don\u2019t feel a sense of buyer\u2019s remorse due to reactive spending. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Be aware of how social media FOMO can influence your habits as well. A <\/span>2023 surve<\/span><\/a>y from Credit Karma found that nearly 40% of Gen Z and almost 30% of millennials have been influenced to spend money they don\u2019t have on travel expenses upon seeing their peers\u2019 social media.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Social gatherings\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Similar to the winter holidays, summertime often means family vacations, weddings, and social events with loved ones. Such gatherings can be joyful and fulfilling, but tense relations with certain peers or family members can also evoke feelings of animosity, resentment, or uneasiness. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How to decrease summertime anxiety<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Deep breathing\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The benefits of mindful breathing and meditation are hard to overstate. Data, including National Institutes of Health <\/span>studies<\/span><\/a>, have repeatedly shown that consistent mindfulness breathing and therapy programs significantly reduce depression and anxiety.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Such practices can help you maintain focus and identify the sources of anxiety so you can work toward confronting some of the culprits.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Establish a daily routine\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Whether you are hosting visitors or taking a vacation, create a plan to mitigate as much routine disruption as possible. Even if you can\u2019t dedicate as much time to your typical daily tasks, intentionally schedule in time to do what makes you feel grounded each day, whether that is journaling, meditating, reading, or going for a walk. Conversely, having an all-or-nothing approach while on vacation will only make you feel more derailed during and after your vacation and likely increase anxiety levels upon the return to your regular schedule.\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Exercise and eat healthy\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Maintaining your diet and exercise routine will undoubtedly change when you\u2019re on vacation or hosting guests, but don\u2019t let it falter too much. Even if you can\u2019t complete your full workout routine or eat your regular meals, schedule some exercise time, and offer to buy groceries or plan meals that more closely adhere to your diet. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Budget\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Excessive, reactive spending is never easier than when you\u2019re on vacation, but it\u2019s often not always followed by positive emotions. To avoid financial guilt, create a realistic budget \u2014 daily or weekly \u2014 that is easy to track. This will crystallize what you feel most comfortable spending more money on and what costs you\u2019d like to keep to a minimum.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Anxiety can occur at any time of the year, but it\u2019s important to be aware of how this season may exacerbate underlying mental health conditions. Be sure to take care of your physical and mental well-being, and seek a <\/span>therapist<\/span><\/a> to discuss and manage anxiety-related symptoms.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summer is known to be a time of relaxation, vacations, and mood-lifting weather. But despite the leisurely pace of living, the season can also bring a sense of anxiety and stress, as routines become less defined, hot weather takes a physical toll and the logistics of trip planning add more to the to-do list. ? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3201,"featured_media":43426,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,1885,542,2095,628],"tags":[183,2203,2239],"class_list":["post-43425","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-anxiety","category-featured-articles","category-find-therapist","category-general","tag-anxiety","tag-seasonal-depression","tag-summer-anxiety"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43425","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3201"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43425"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43425\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43425"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}