Contributed by Michelle Neilson
Michelle Neilson, Water Quality Scientist, has been with Metro Wastewater since 2008. She has a B.S. in Chemistry and many years of laboratory and field work. Michelle has worked for USGS, contract laboratories, and several municipal wastewater and drinking water labs prior to Metro Wastewater.
Yay, Summer is here! But, is it all it’s cracked up to be?
Not for everyone. 
I’ve never been a fan of summer and have always been made to feel like a grumpy person or a buzzkill during the summer season. I don’t know why I never looked into this before but there is such a thing as Summertime Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). What?!? How could this be? Everyone loves summer… I decided to do a comparison with a friend to figure out some reasons for our differences, myths of Summer Bliss and how to best manage the Summer Bleck.
Summer can be really stressful whether it be financial, physical, or social. Maybe you don’t want to go hiking because your allergies take days to recover. You may need to figure out what to do with your bored kids all summer. You don’t want to drive to that far vacation destination but can’t afford flights for a whole family. All your friends are going to Water World and you can’t imagine putting on a bathing suit in public. Maybe your medication makes you more photo-sensitive. There seems to be a lot of pressure to be doing amazing fun things outside while looking great and spending money. Everyone has different family, work and personal circumstances that can also add stress and discomfort. Here's a sample of things people love about summer and the reasons why others may not. If you have any of the alternate replies, you might not be alone. Not all of these “negative” replies are actually mine, just examples. Occasionally I can handle, and even enjoy, any of these things. It’s the pressure and expectation of an entire summer of all of these things that makes me want to hang out in the walk-in cooler alone, and I’m an extrovert!
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Summer Bliss
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Summer Bleck
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Hot hot weather
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Unbearably hot
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My kid being out of school and not stressing about homework
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Me stressing about what to do with my kids and how to pay for it
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Being rid of my seasonal depression
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Experiencing Summer depression
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Not having to wear a coat in the morning
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Afternoon hail
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Wearing cute skirts
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Social media ruins everything
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Longer days / more sunlight
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Good but don’t sacrifice sleep. Schedules being completely off can be pretty disruptive and exhausting
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Festivals
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Sweaty dusty festivals
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Outdoor drinking
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Extreme dehydration and headaches
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Splash pads at the park or outdoor malls
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This seems helpful
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Reading by the pool
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Reading In the pool can actually be nice
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Reading in the park
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Sneezing in the park
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The perfect time to invite neighbors over for a barbecue
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Trying to force neighborhood social time and putting in a lot of extra work.
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Vacation - the beach!
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Stressing about vacation expense and time off. Not to mention crowded destinations.
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Time to show off my pedicure
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Ok sure
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Warm enough for me to hike
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Too hot to hike anywhere near Denver
Also, rattlesnakes
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The only time to comfortably camp in the mountains
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Is there such a thing as “comfortable camping”?
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Everything is so green! (except in droughts)
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The green part is good but so much yard work
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Iced tea on the patio
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Iced tea alone on the basement couch
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My spouse grilling every night
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This could be nice
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Increased energy
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Low energy from the heat
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Birds chirping wildly all day
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Birds are good! Yellowjackets are not
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Fireworks
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Wildfire danger
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Outdoor movies
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Starting too late for the kids
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Free music in the park
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With ticks and mosquitos
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The sun legit makes me happy
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The sun legit makes me burn
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Here are a few ways I’ve learned to adapt and handle my summers over the years:
- Set up the kid pool on your patio and use it.
- Drink more water and listen to your body. Heat exhaustion is no joke and also no fun.
- Know your limits and what sounds fun vs what will actually be fun for you. Plan shorter times at events or earlier morning outings instead of afternoons. I like early morning kayaking and bird watching.
- Voice your need to sit in the shade whenever you have the option.
- Recognize and practice your need to feel comfortable. Self-preservation does not mean you hate everyone and are never happy. I think everyone is happier when they feel good.
- Unapologetically bring hats, sunscreen, extra water, umbrellas and anything else that helps you feel well physically and mentally.
- Give yourself a break for trying to stay alive and happy.
Resources
https://www.webmd.com/depression/summer-depression
https://www.everydayhealth.com/depression/summertime-sadness-ways-to-chase-away-the-warm-weather-blues/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/a-deeper-wellness/202405/understanding-and-managing-summer-sad?msockid=2f1f6f00fca6648a1c817b7efd2865ca
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