For some people, summer brings improved mental health. For others, it creates more barriers to feeling their best. At Highland Hospital Behavioral Health in Charleston, West Virginia, we help children, adolescents, and adults manage their mental health, and we can offer some suggestions for managing your mental health during the hotter months of the year.
Not a Guaranteed Boost
For people who struggle more with their mental health during the summer months, there may be several different factors at play:
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – while the majority of people who struggle with this condition experience symptoms in the fall and winter months, there are a smaller number of people who are impacted during the spring and summer. Their symptoms may include:
- Sleep challenges
- Decreased appetite
- Weight loss
- Heightened anxiety
- Irritability
- Changes in routine – Many people rely on their daily structure and routine to help them maintain their mental health. When school is out, families with children at home may be especially affected. Unstructured time may lead to increased issues.
- Heat – Hot weather may force isolation, as people try to stay cool. They may sacrifice emotional well-being in order to maintain physical comfort.
- Increased travel – while traveling can be enjoyable and good for mental health, some people find it difficult to stick to their budget. Overspending during vacation can lead to increased financial stress that lasts for weeks or even months after the person returns home.
Making the Most of Summer
Recognizing the risks summer can pose to your mental health may allow you to be proactive in maintaining your well-being. Some steps you can take to stay well during the summer include:
- Introducing structure into your days – your summer routine doesn’t have to look like the rest of the year, but having a plan that includes activities you will look forward to doing, self-care, and reasons to get out of bed can be powerful. Structure can also cut down on decision fatigue, reduce stress, and help children to feel more informed about what will be happening, which can cut down on unwanted behaviors.
- Having a visible calendar – for children in particular, this can be helpful. Get input from your family members on how they would like to use their time, and add some activities that will offer a sense of accomplishment. Libraries, zoos, aquariums, museums, parks, and local community events may be great places to start. If you need additional ideas, the Crisis Text Line has put together age-based guides to help parents plan fun, engaging summer activities.
- Exercising – research has shown that movement improves mental health. This might require some extra effort and planning during the hot months, but it is worth it. Early morning or late evening may make outdoor workouts easier. Swimming or exercising indoors are also options to handle the heat. Including your children will help them sleep better at night and teach them techniques for managing their own well-being.
- Getting Into Nature – spending time outdoors has been found to improve cognitive functioning, brain activity, blood pressure, and sleep. As little as two hours per week in nature has been shown to consistently boost mental health.
- Fueling your body with care – what you eat and drink has a huge impact on your mental health. Vacation may put you in a state of mind to drink more cocktails, but alcohol is a depressant, and the short-term and long-term health consequences of overindulging are often not worth it. Growing a garden is a good way to get some exercise, interact with nature, and increase the likelihood that you and your family will eat healthily.
- Being intentional about social engagement – time off from school is usually a cause for joy in children and teenagers; however, they often miss their friends and crave social interactions. If it’s not possible to get them together with their friends, phone communication, texting, and social media may be a way to reduce isolation in the summer months.
At Highland Hospital Behavioral Health, we offer personalized care that is evidence-based and trauma-informed to ensure that our patients are receiving effective treatment that meets their unique needs. We support people who are struggling with mental health and substance use disorders.
