The end of summer is always a mess. It triggers sunny days, warm nights, and that carefree, laid-back attitude that makes the world feel like an adult movie. Although September 22 marks the actual last day of the season, the sad and depressing vibes start on the first day of August, and all TikTok users agree.
Summer vibes continue in May, June and July, but the mood changes after August hits. Suddenly the leaves look burnt and sad instead of lush and green, the light looks yellow and dull instead of clear and hopeful, and the oppressive heat and humidity make you question your whole life.
Creator @dustinnickersoncomedy said it best on TikTok. “I hate August with everything I have,” she said in a viral video posted on August 30 last year. “It’s too hot, there’s no good holidays, it has no identity. It’s just a brutal, sweaty experience.
Many people also feel the sadness of late summer, like creator @noellemartinez, who said: “Since I was little, August has always been in the worst moods. School starts, post-holiday depression sets in, you sign up for classes, the sun starts to disappear and you realize summer is over.
For all these reasons, it makes sense that many people would feel weird in August, but experts say the explanation goes even deeper.
OK, but why is August so sad?
There’s definitely something in the air that makes August the worst month of the year, but it’s more than just the end of the holiday season. According to Carly Harris, LMFT, a therapist and director of family programs for young adults at Newport Healthcare, the moon is a “Sunday scary” energy.
“August can be seen as the Sunday night of the year where people feel the looming pressure to return to routine, work or school,” she tells Bustle. “Just as many people experience fear or anxiety on Sunday nights, the hole can create similar feelings more broadly, as it signals the end of a period of relaxation and freedom.”
Even if you’ve been out of school for a long time, this time of year can still trigger an emotional response, Harris says, almost as if you’re going back to class. “August can also invite reflection on summers past, especially childhood memories of freedom and play without worrying about work,” she says. “Adults may feel nostalgic, wanting to return to simplicity and joy.
“Seeing these vacations or social activities can create feelings that you may not be making the most of your summer, which amplifies the sadness.”
There’s also a change in light that you may not be fully aware of, but it’s there – and it can really mess with your head. “In August, the days start to get noticeably shorter, which can affect our circadian rhythms or our body’s internal clock,” he says.
As the weeks move towards fall, each day gets shorter and shorter, giving you less light each evening. “[That] can cause changes in mood and energy levels, similar to what some people experience during the fall or winter or the onset of seasonal depression,” says Harris.
For those who desperately love fall with pumpkin spice lattes, chilly weather and Halloween parties, August holds it all simply inaccessibility due to its excessive heat and humidity. Sure, you can have a brand new wardrobe full of sweaters and plaids, but it takes months before you start wearing them, leaving you in a fashion dilemma of sorts.
Then there’s TikTok and Instagram, which are often teeming with photos from European summers and friends’ beach trips. “Social media highlights the fun and adventurous experiences other people had over the summer,” says Harris. “Seeing these vacations or social activities can create feelings that you may not be making the most of your summer, which amplifies the sadness.”
In other words? August is when you realize you didn’t get to the lake as often as you’d hoped, or that you didn’t get to go on vacation at all, and now you have to wait a whole year before you can swing in. in a hammock or by the sea in the salty air. Until then? It’s nothing but snow, rain and cold.
As a final blow, Harris says, August is a reminder that you’re returning to your normal routine—goodbye, summer Fridays—and that’s quickly followed by a quick landslide into the holiday season. “In August, most of the year is behind us,” he says, and that can be hard to swallow.
How to deal with (late) summer sadness
Harris says the end of summer blues are real, and it’s common to feel deeply unsettled in August, but there’s a lot you can do to shake off the creeping dread. “To deal with the sadness of August, the first step is to recognize that it’s okay to feel sad or nostalgic at this time,” she says. If you hate August, go ahead and admit it’s not great and get pissed off.
Then remind yourself that there’s still plenty of time to book a trip to the beach, soak up the sun by the pool, or sit in the park with a good book. There are still many warm summer days. Harris recommends getting outside as much as possible to bask in the sunlight and get the mood-boosting vitamin D you need.
He also recommends waiting for fall and winter as best as possible. Even if you’re a die-hard summer, consider the many benefits of fall. Maybe you get excited about cozy sweaters? Halloween parties? Or re-watching Dim on a rainy day? It’s also Virgo season, which means it’s a good time to level up and organize your life.
August can be horrible, but it will be over soon. In the meantime, you can still go out and enjoy it.
Cited Studies:
Cheng, YC. (2020.) Effects of vitamin D supplementation on negative emotions: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Depress Anxiety. doi: 10.1002/da.23025.
Melrose, s. (2015). Seasonal affective disorder: A review of assessment and treatment methods. Depression Res Treat. doi: 10.1155/2015/178564.
Weir, TA. (1991.) Contrasts between symptoms of summer depression and winter depression. J Affect Disord. doi: 10.1016/0165-0327(91)90098-d.
Source:
Carly Harris, LMFTtherapist and head of family programs for young adults at Newport Healthcare
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