Why sunshine can make you sad
...and I should know because I’m one of the sufferers
This week has been a bit it of a nightmare for me. e. You see sunny weather makes me miserable — but it’s not just the heat at that is to blame. i dread the endless hours of daylight, t, feel uncomfortable sitting out in the sunshine, avoid trips to the beach and cannot stand picnics, barbecues and all the other so-called joys of summer.
Given the choice, i’d opt for an overcast st day with the prospect of light drizzle le every time. in fact, during last year’s ’s prolonged heatwave, i booked a week of annual leave just so i could stay in my flat with the blinds closed, and i didn’t ’t venture out until after dark.
so i’ve never understood those among ng my fellow Brits who long for scorching g weather and who, if they can’t get it here, flee abroad. But dare to say this is out loud and most people stare at you in n utter bewilderment: am i mad?
i’m not mad and i’m not alone. in fact, t, some people’s negative response to sunshine n- is so marked that it is now being g recognised as a medical condition.
Just as a lack of sunlight in the winter months can trigger seasonal affective disorder (sAD), evidence is emerging that long hours of daylight and heat during summer can also wreak havoc with people’s body clocks. This has been dubbed ‘reverse-sAD’ or ‘summer-sAD’ and it leads to a dip in mood and even depression.
But while the symptoms of winter-sAD are sluggishness, feeling tired all the time and a tendency to over-eat and gain weight, those of summer-sAD are the opposite: insomnia, loss of appetite and feelings of agitation or anxiety.
it’s estimated that one in ten people with sAD suffer from the summer variant. This certainly chimes with me and some of my friends iends who have confided that they, too, often feel inexplicably down during the summer months.
A friend texted me last week saying: ‘i keep wanting to cry. i’m trying to keep my negative feelings to myself, but i just don’t understand why people enjoy this sunny weather.’ she added that she hadn’t left her house for three days.
The symptoms of summer-sAD are thought to be exacerbated because we are expected to be happier during the warmer, lighter months. That makes those who are adversely affected feel even more isolated, compounding their low mood.
scientists aren’t entirely sure what triggers the summer-blues summer-blues. however, animal studies have found that variations in a region of the mid-brain called the dorsal raphe nucleus can affect mood in relation to exposure to sunlight.
Other research suggests that summer-sAD may be down to changes in melatonin, the hormone in the brain that helps to regulate sleep-wake cycles.
in some people, it is possible that excess light can result in the brain not making enough melatonin, causing insomnia and jet-lag type symptoms.
And just as not being able to sleep can make you feel down, lack of melatonin can also affect your mood. When your body doesn’t produce enough, it can trigger a depressive illness or anxiety.
There’s no clear treatment for s summer-sAD yet. While wintersAD is often treated with a light box to stimulate melatonin, that obviously won’t work here because the problems are caused by too much light.
it’s been suggested that a new antidepressant, agomelatine, which acts on the melatonin receptors in the brain, might help sufferers and it’s certainly been shown to help regulate sleep. What we need are clinical studies to see if it helps with summer-sAD.
For those of us who are affected, however, let’s take some comfort in the fact that summer will soon be over and we can look forward to shorter days, colder weather — and Christmas!