“Reading is a basic tool in the living of a good life.” - Mortimer J. Adler

Monday. It looks like we are getting one step closer to the plot of a sci-fi movie today. Apple could reveal a secretive new product today at their company’s annual software showcase. The secret product is rumored to be a mixed-reality headset that blends the digital and real world. The way things are going, we will all end up in a simulation pretty soon. But for now, let’s talk about some real-world problems. Is summertime sadness more than just a hip song? Let’s dive in.

Summertime Sadness Is Real, But Rare

Summertime — the season of easy living, beach trips, barbecues, and endless sunshine — is (unofficially) here. Yet, despite the positive vibes around this time of year, the arrival of summer doesn’t exactly bring joy to everyone. In fact, it ushers in a period of gloom and lethargy for some. This condition, often called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) with a seasonal pattern, is far from a fleeting case of summertime blues.

SAD is a unique kind of blues with its very own acronym. It typically affects around 5% of American adults and is often associated with winter, when days are shorter and sunlight is scarce. This deficiency of sunlight can disrupt our circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycle that influences our sleep-wake patterns, and lower serotonin levels, a brain chemical that affects mood. As a result, individuals with SAD tend to feel listless, gloomy, and undergo changes in their sleep and eating patterns.

However, the summer variant of MDD with a seasonal pattern is believed to be caused by an overabundance of sunlight. That’s right — too much sunshine can also make you blue!

Excessive exposure to sunlight halts the production of melatonin, the hormone that governs your sleep-wake cycle. Even a quick bathroom break with the lights on at night can disrupt its production. The longer, brighter days of summer hence lead to fewer hours of melatonin production, which can have a negative effect on sleep.

The relentless summer sun and the soaring temperatures can throw off your circadian rhythm and induce feelings of anxiety and sometimes even anger. However, it’s not your usual outburst about a broken air conditioner or the scorching heatwave. The anger goes deeper than that, resulting from the disrupted body clock and imbalanced brain chemicals.

Who’s at a greater risk of getting this summertime SAD? Well, some risk factors include being female, having a relative with MDD with a seasonal pattern, residing closer to the equator, and having bipolar disorder. All these factors heighten the likelihood of developing the condition. Again, it is important to note that SAD during the summer months is rare, but it does happen.

The real problem during the long summer days is that even once the sun comes down, we still get blue light exposure from our phones, computers, and other screens. We aren’t doing our circadian rhythm any favors by scrolling through TikTok or checking email in the late evening hours once the sun finally starts to hide behind the horizon.

The key takeaway? Summertime sadness is real, but it is rare. Sunlight is amazing, and we should be going outside and getting plenty of it in the summer months. That said, we should focus on sunlight and other blue light in the morning and early afternoon. In the evening, we should try to ease our bodies into a state of relaxation by avoiding blue light, especially from screens.

And if Apple reveals a headset that blends the virtual world and the real world today, you should probably avoid that too. I can’t imagine that thing will be good for your circadian rhythm, either.

Tonic Shots

1. Yum! Chicken Thighs!

Nothing better than a good recipe for chicken thighs. Give this one a try, and make enough to have leftovers.

2. I Could Have Told You That

I am not sure who thought this was a good idea, but someone thought antidepressants would work for treating chronic pain. It turns out that is not the case. Color me surprised.

3. A Quick, Nutrient-Packed Smoothie

This smoothie recipe packs a punch! Give it a try.

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