Did you know that it is not uncommon for people to feel negative effects on their mental health during the summer months? One might wonder why because in theory this is the time of the year we should feel our best, sun is out, production of Vit D is on, people are out more, socializing and so on.

The 3 main things that might affect your mental health negatively are:

1- too much light to sleep: our body needs darkness to produce melatonin, exposure to light inhibts this mechanism that happens in the pineal gland and activates our circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm regulates our body and mind to the times of the day, when we are awake and when it's time to feel sleepy to fall into a healthy sleep. Tip: Make sure your room is dark in the first hours of the day or try sleeping with an eye mask or even take a piece of clothing to cover your eyes, this can help you have a better quality sleep between 4:30am and maybe 7 or whenever you wake up.

2- lack of routine: summertime can affect our routine with late dinner times and especifically on holidays we often do not have a routine, which can be a good thing and it can also make some people feel anxious and lost. Tip: what can help is that you integrate your favorite things you usually do into your summer routine. Try to fit in your exercise or a reading moment into your holidays routine and you may want to see how you can keep eating times reasonably stable.

3- fear of missing out: one thing we know for sure from research: comparing ourselves on Facebook or Instagram to others makes us feel down and in summer this feeling can get increased. We might feel others are having more fun than us or we can feel overwhelmed by the feeling of missing out on something. Tip: respect who you are, YOU DO YOU. Follow the activities and places and people that work for you, that contribute to your well-being and as much as possible avoid comparing yourself.