Summer SAD Gains Attention as 4- to 5-Month Symptoms Rise With Extreme Heat
Updated
Updated · CBC Sports · Jul 7
Summer SAD Gains Attention as 4- to 5-Month Symptoms Rise With Extreme Heat
3 articles · Updated · CBC Sports · Jul 7
Summary
Summer seasonal affective disorder can bring insomnia, reduced appetite, anxiety, restlessness and agitation, with symptoms typically returning at the same time each year and lasting four to five months.
Longer daylight and heat are seen as key triggers because they can disrupt circadian rhythms, sleep and hormone regulation; researchers also link extreme temperatures to more psychiatric emergency visits.
Experts say the condition is often missed in Canada because depression in summer runs against expectations that people should feel energized, while social pressure and fear of missing out can deepen distress.
Climate change could make summer SAD more common, psychiatrist Norman Rosenthal said, as hotter summers intensify heat stress; coping steps include blackout curtains, air conditioning, cognitive behavioural therapy and behavioral activation.