Summertime sadness

| Dandelions are the most fragile in spring.

by Anna Westerberg

Does the spring-sun shine a bit too bright for your liking? If the light is making you fatigued, know that you are not the only one.

When the sun and warmth comes back in April it is expected of us to kick off the winter boots, throw on a smile and hula-hoop our way to work. According to the magazine Psychology Today this expectation alone can put pressure on people’s moods and make them feel like an outsider who is not enjoying spring as much as everyone else seems to. Well, turns out not only Lana Del Rey gets hit by summertime sadness.

Studies have shown that productivity at work goes down immediately after daylight savings

When the seasons change so do our biological clocks, the levels of the hormone serotonin and the antioxidant melatonin. Reverse SAD, seasonal affective disorder, begins with springtime. Symptoms can be insomnia, irritability, restlessness and decreased appetite.

Setting our clocks forward for daylight saving time may also cause low mood. As it affects sleep it also affects our habits. Studies have shown that productivity at work goes down immediately after daylight saving. It is also more difficult to stick to good habits such as going outside, exercising, and keeping up a social life.

If possible, travel to a cooler place, since researchers at Utrecht University believe this form of depression can be triggered by humidity and heat.

Family and friends can show support by helping out with chores as this may seem surmountable in hot weather.

Go somewhere together to escape the heat. Be kind to yourself and give yourself some slack after having set the clock forward, as it could affect you more deeply than you may know.

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