Afternoons by the pool.
Three months of summer bliss.
Or not.
For many people, the summer months are the most difficult. In fact, 10 percent of those diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder suffer symptoms at the brightest time of the year. The summer’s brutal heat, bright light, and long days can contribute to depression for the opposite reasons that the winter does. Like typical SAD, the change of light can affect a person’s circadium rhythm, which may disturb overall health and sleep patterns. But you don’t need to suffer from summer SAD to slog through the hot days. A substantial part of the population does just that in June, July, and August. Here are a few ways to manage the summer blues.