Summer depression is real and its medical acronym is SO SAD (seriously)

It’s hot and you’re cranky.

Your sleep is poor, your energy is low, and you have no interest in squeezing into last summer’s shorts, much less a bathing suit. The kids were bored the first day of summer vacation. Everyone but you seems to be on a tropical vacation, including your colleagues who have piled their projects onto your already full plate at work.

There's a medical term for this: Summer-Onset Seasonal Affective Disorder (SO SAD). Although you aren't alone, it is rarer than its winter cousin that, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), impacts about 6 percent (more than 19 million) of Americans living primarily in the northern states. The manifestations of reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder are different from cloudy SAD known as the "winter blues."

Causes and contributing factors

The heat is physically draining, and just when we need them the most, our exercise routines, at least outdoors, tend to evaporate like the sweat on our foreheads.

The costs of summer vacations, weekend getaways, child care, utility bills and activities all add up. And there is plenty of pressure (especially from social media) to keep up.

During the other three seasons of the year, work and school offer us predictability, but that tends to go out the window during summer. Your friends and usual support systems may be less available, too.

Summer is diet season for many, and if your 30-day-miracle-plan lacks nutritional value, your gut’s ability to produce serotonin is impacted negatively. Serotonin helps you feel better.

Who’s at risk?

While anyone can experience SO SAD, women and young people are especially vulnerable, according to the NIMH. Children may experience it due to a lack of routine, suboptimal nutrition, a reduction in their support system of teachers and friends and an overabundance of screen time.

Additionally, the heat can exacerbate symptoms of clinical depression, bipolar disorder or other mental illnesses in people who already suffer from them or in those with a family history of mental illness.

How do you know if seasonal depression affects you?

• Feelings of anxiety, agitation or hopelessness
• Loss of energy
• Insomnia
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• Lack of interest or participation in things you usually enjoy
• Withdrawal or isolation
• Consistent feelings of sadness

The good news is that SO SAD can be diagnosed and treated by your physician or mental-health professional, and there’s plenty you can do to feel better.

Managing summertime blahs

Establish a healthy summer routine that encourages good sleep and keeping cool. Make sure your family’s bedrooms are cool and dark, and stick to regular bedtimes as much as possible. Set up a central charging station for the family’s electronics, and insist that children plug in their devices and wind down at least one hour before bed. (You, too.)

Get the family involved in recipe selection, shopping, cooking and cleanup.

[RELATED: What can I do to make healthy eating fun and easy for my kids?]

Walk your neighborhood early in the morning, pop in an exercise video, jump onto the treadmill at the gym, swim in the evening, or whatever is doable for you.

Take five minutes to clear your mind in the quiet, put your feet up or your head down and notice — but don’t act on or obsess over — your thoughts before letting them pass. You’ll find this is something you look forward to.

Use someone else’s air conditioning. Walk the mall with a girlfriend, and take the kids to the public library, a weekday discount movie or a free day at the local museum.

If you feel you or someone in your family needs more help, talk to your doctor or mental health professional. He or she will help you to learn not to sweat the small stuff — a good practice year-round.

To learn more, visit terroshealth.org or the National Institute of Mental Health.

Jennifer Siozos is a licensed professional counselor, and the Chief Transformation Officer at Terros Health, an integrated health company that has been helping Arizonans on their recovery journeys for nearly 50 years.

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