In California the start of summer can feel delayed with May gray and June gloom (yes seasonally summer starts in June, but so many consider Memorial Day Weekend the grand opening) so July is often when it feels like it’s in full swing. As a somewhat disorganized procrastinating toddler mom I of course wanted this blog post to come out earlier, but the exhaustion of parenthood has given me somewhat of a creative block truth be told, and time is scarce and hard to find, so here I am on the last day of July with summertime mental health considerations for my Highly Sensitive People. To be fair, summer ends on the calendar in September, but the hot weather lingers through October for those of us in Southern California so many of these considerations will still be relevant.
I definitely feel like I was raised with social scripting that glorified summer thanks to the pop culture of my childhood and the preceding years. Pool parties, vacations, beach days, no school, no rules, ice cream everyday, parties, and burgers. This was certainly not my reality, but I still felt the pressure to live for summer and savor every moment of it, and it should look like the aforementioned description as much as possible if you want to be a cool, happy, relevant person. This narrative extended into adulthood. In summer there are seemingly more concerts and festivals, more social invites, more activities, the pressure of hot girl summer and body image, and definitely more drinking. As fun and free as this all sounds, it can be too much for the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) and often ends up being the season where FOMO (fear of missing out) clashes with honoring and meeting our own needs. So here are some tips to help you through the rest of summer.
Hydrate!
Keep up with hydration and remember that in the summer everyone needs more water. The rule of thumb is 8 cups per day, but consider that this doesn’t factor in weather, gender, age, weight, diet, and other health concerns. Dehydration can negatively impact brain functioning, hormone levels, and quality of sleep, all of which directly affect mental health. Decreased brain functioning can lead to difficulty focusing and brain fog (www.officeh2o.com). Dehydration decreases serotonin levels which can lead to or heighten anxiety and depression (cnet.com). It also increases the release of cortisol, the stress hormone, which if released too constantly over time can lead to other physical and mental health issues such as anxiety and heart problems. Lastly, disrupted sleep negatively impacts mood, and over time can also lead to hormonal imbalances and excess cortisol. Keep in mind that the effects of dehydration can often be felt quickly, and so especially for HSPs who have heightened sensory experiences or are very in touch with their body and anxiety, this is an easy way to prevent unnecessary and unpleasant discomfort.
Limit Time in Extreme Heat
Extreme heat is all relative, so when considering this tip think about how hot is too hot for you and how long you can stay in warmer settings before heading somewhere with air conditioning. Cortisol comes into play again for this consideration, as heat triggers the production of it and we subsequently experience an increase in fearful thoughts and feelings (hedepy.com). It is not uncommon for HSPs to be more impacted by and sensitive to heat.
Pace Yourself
HSPs can be easily overstimulated and overwhelmed, so the increase of activities during summer can be quite the challenge. Simultaneously, many HSPs can already feel apart from the crowd, different, and somewhat isolated and experience fear of missing out (FOMO) more deeply than a non HSP may. This clashing of needs makes the social aspects of summer challenging. As people relish in the vacation time, pool parties, beach days, and warm evenings of summer, the social opportunities seem endless.
Many of these engagements also bring more invitations to drink or even partake in recreational drug use which also can significantly impact mental health by heightening both anxiety and depression, as well as lead to mood fluctuations, and in extreme cases psychotic features and unsafe behavior.
All of these things can be deeply overstimulating and draining for the HSP. Try to make time to rest in a way that feels enticing enough that FOMO won’t creep in like planning a solo beach day at a less popular beach, a spa day, or a “have the house to yourself” day if it's feasible. If this still doesn’t combat the FOMO, remind yourself about how you will likely feel if you say yes to every event and weigh the pros and cons. Limit the alcohol where you can, and pay attention to which drinks affect your body less. For some, high sugar drinks can amplify the hangxiety that follows from a day or evening of drinking, and so low sugar drinks can be a better choice if you want to indulge. Again, stay hydrated and make time to rest!
Keep Some Routine
Summer brings more sunlight which makes it tempting to stay up late and harder to sleep in if you don’t have black out shades. Disrupted sleep has compounding negative effects on mental health over time that manifest in a variety of ways. HSPs often need more sleep than the average person thanks to the amount of stimuli they take in, but also struggle with sleep for the same reason - making a routine all the more important. Try to limit the super late nights and factor in the potential for earlier wake up times if you can’t control the amount of natural sunlight you get in the mornings.
Additionally, people often oscillate between heavy dieting and increased sugar and fried food consumption in the summer thanks to body image pressures and increases in street fairs, festivals, county fairs, vacations, and outdoor dining out opportunities. Fried and sugary foods increase anxiety, and fad dieting can put you at risk for not getting the proper nutrients or even amounts of calories needed daily which can also lead to mood fluctuations, anxiety, irritability, and depression. Consider sticking to the same healthy diets while at home and during the week and viewing both fried and sugary foods as “once in a while treats,” especially if they are not a normal part of your diet.
Lastly, humans find comfort through consistency, predictability and routine whether we like it or not, so if you are filling your summer with fun activities and trips that aren’t a normal part of your daily life, I encourage you to keep up with some of your daily habits to minimize the risk of anxiety and overwhelm that can happen from being out of your typical rhythm. Keep up with hygiene, enough chores for your home environment to still feel cozy, and rituals that ground you.
Just Remember...
All of these things can be felt and experienced more deeply and intensely by HSPs so above all, be gentle with yourself and remember that summer is a season that happens every year and the rest is a lot of opinion and hype that you get to choose how much you buy into.
Be well and stay true to you.
Elizabeth
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