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Summer Depression: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments
By: Courtney Liggera, Psy. D.
Many of us look forward to the summer: the warmer weather, the vacations, the longer days, the extra sunlight.
 
But for some, the summer months are not a relief from the seemingly endless winter months. For some, summertime brings on depression. Sometimes, summer depression has a biological cause, like a chemical imbalance, while other times, the particular stresses of summer can pile up and bring on feelings of sadness and depression.
 
It can be even more frustrating to feel like you are supposed to be happy and enjoying life because it’s the summer and instead, you are bogged down by depression.
 
Many are familiar with “seasonal affective disorder,” or SAD. SAD typically causes depression as the days get shorter and colder. What is less known is that people with SAD can actually get it in the reverse -- the onset of summer triggers depression symptoms.
 
Specific symptoms of summer depression often include: loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, weight loss, and feelings of agitation or anxiety. Summertime depression can also create an increased feeling of isolation. 

Read about factors that may cause an increase in summertime depression here .
Sleeping Well
By: Rebecca Ohliger, MSN, CRNP
Getting an appropriate amount of restful sleep is important for a variety of reasons. Sleep effects our mental and cognitive function, our immune systems, and our general overall health. If we are not getting enough sleep, we may experience poor health outcomes including new or worsening anxiety and depression, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Adults should get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Unfortunately, about 1/3 of adults in the United States are not getting enough sleep.

There are many things that we can do to help improve our quality and duration of sleep. If you are struggling to get adequate sleep, try to incorporate at least a few of the following recommendations into your daily bedtime routine:

  • Have a sleep schedule: Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same times each day.
  • Avoid naps, especially later in the day.
  • Limit caffeine during the day, especially within 4 to 6 hours of bedtime. 
  • Exercise daily: The current recommendations are to get 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise.

Read the remaining recommendations on our blog here .
SUMMER HOURS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Monday: 8am-5pm
Tuesday: 8am-8pm
Wednesday: 8am-5pm
Thursday: 8am-8pm
Friday: 8am-4pm
Saturday: CLOSED
Sunday: CLOSED

Extended weekday hours and Saturday appointments will resume in September.