Why does the hot weather and bright sunshine exacerbate my anxiety?

[Normansglasseye]

I'm not sure if anyone else struggles with this but over the last few years it has started to become a real issue for me and I am now starting to dread the summer months.

As soon as the heat rises and the days are filled with bright sunshine my decades long anxiety rises to an unbearable level. This morning I have woken with a racing heart, feel weak and shaky, I feel really spacey and strange and full of anxiety which then drains the life out of me.

I have inattentive ADHD and not sure if that is related or not but I find it very hard to come down from this and feel wired and tense throughout the daytime and only begin to relax somewhat when the sun goes down and the heat eases.

I have always tried looking after myself and only drink water, I eat well, I exercise, listen to The Calm app every day etc yet I still feel dreadful most days but the heat and sunshine make things a million times worse for me. I wear sunglasses all the time as I am so light sensitive and it can trigger a aura migraine if I am not careful.

I am one of the few strange people that actually loves the rain. I long for a rainy day. The other night it poured alongside a thunderstorm and I slept like a log with that beautiful noise in the background. Yes, I am strange!

All I think come June/July is that I am longing for September and October which are my favourite months of the year.

Does anyone else struggle like me? How do you get through the summer months?

You are not alone! Also been battling debilitating chronic anxiety and feeling so flat, and joyless lacking in confidence the last few weeks ☀️ .. I also have adhd.
I put myself under so much pressure as feel that I should be doing all the sociable stuff that goes with outdoors .. then I feel inadequate, like the world and his wife are all sitting outside pubs listening to bands or having barbecues and friends over, having a jolly time and I feel like I’m trying to move through treacle. The light, long nights exacerbate my anxiety as I can see others leading ‘normal’ lives out and about and I just feel hopeless and want to hide , which I can do in the winter months .
I appear sociable and outgoing on the outside but it’s a huge effort xx

I really couldn't have written a more perfect description, that's exactly how I feel.
I'm sorry you are struggling too, it's bloody horrible xx

I'm the same and have been since a child. I loathe the heat, bright sunshine and tend to hibernate through summer, only leaving home if essential eg. Work. I love the rain too, slightly darker days and cooler weather.
Yes I'll be moaning how cold it is come winter but at my essence there will be a contentedness and equilibrium. You are definitely not alone. :)

Ps. ADHD too.

I'm not a summer person. I overheat easily and just minor housework makes me sweat. I'm lethargic too.

I'm not someone who can sit outside in the heat, so I find myself squirreled inside watching TV.

Oh ..... I look awful in summer clothes too. I love a big baggy jumper!

Not everyone can tolerate hot weather. I know that I can’t.

Hey, I just wanted to comment to say I’ve had this for many years - since adolescence. Not every summer is bad as each other, but I usually have at least one bout of severe anxiety in July/August. Often I’ll be checking the weather app to see if any rain is due, or cooler temperatures are on the way, or just yesterday I was looking at the sunset times over August to make myself feel better about the days getting shorter.
I agree with all the other comments regarding the heat feeling stifling and triggering for health anxiety, that there’s pressure to be doing things and having fun, and for me the awareness of climate change make me really anxious when we have prolonged heat.

You are definitely NOT strange OP. I feel similarly and have really struggled so far this summer. When it is cooler I feel like a different person. I’ve never really understood it. And yes, rain can be blissful!

Do you wear really good quality sunglasses? My Ray Ban Polarised sunglasses are an absolute game changer and have transformed my ability to tolerate bright days. Autistic with traits of ADHD so we have similar minds.

I relate! And I wonder if you (like me) don't sleep so well in the summer because it's too hot? And that has a knock-on effect into the day.

🥵🥱

Me too!!! Exactly the same. I love rain, storms, winter....

Summer-onset SAD is real. I have it. I count down to September every year and then feel
aggrieved if it’s hot!

I hate hot weather with a passion. I actually thing that what you describe is the inevitable effect of global temperature rising: we are not used to this level of heat, so our bodies will take time to adjust to it being our new normal (and maybe will never do, for those of us who are past our younger years).