Feeling the Heat? 4 Reasons Summer Triggers Anxiety and What to Do About It
Have you ever made it to summer and felt… not how you’re “supposed” to feel? Summer often feels like it should be a time of activity, travel, and time outside spent with others. This can be a lot of social pressure, and the transition to summer often brings with it spikes in anxiety. As a mental health counselor providing in-person and virtual therapy in the DMV, I often find myself balancing out the excitement of summer heat with my clients while supporting them in developing the skills they need to navigate increased social pressures, body image concerns, busy travel schedules, lack of structure, and the physical discomfort hot weather often brings.
Why Does Summer Trigger Anxiety?
Summer often brings a mix of high expectations and physical discomfort. Changes in routine, social pressure, body image issues, and extreme weather can all increase anxiety symptoms in young adults.
Anxiety in the summer might feel like many different things and might be brought on by comparisons to others, changes in weather, or disruptions in routine. You might notice increased trouble sleeping, tossing and turning at night while trying to cool off or tone down racing thoughts. You might notice you’re turning down invitations or avoiding social events, needing to recharge your social battery. You might feel increasingly irritable or experience physical symptoms like a racing heart, muscle tension, or headaches. If you can relate to needing your anxiety to cool off this summer, this blog post is for you!
How to manage summer social pressure?
Be intentional about your plans - does the event align with your needs?
Practice saying no and setting healthy boundaries.
Seek summer counseling or therapy for young adults for added support.
With an increase in temperature comes the heat of social pressure. Your calendar might be flooded with events, and you might feel the pressure to always be out and about. You may also experience FOMO, or fear of missing out, when you see others on social media attending events you didn’t receive an invitation to. Summer often comes with a pressure to be active and “happy,” when in reality, you might feel pressured, overcommitted, and isolated.
So, how do you deal with summer social heat? Be mindful about how you plan out your schedule. Does an event align with your needs and comfort level? Do you truly want to attend, or do you feel pressured to attend? Practice saying no and setting social boundaries. At first, you might feel guilt when turning down an invitation, but with practice, you’ll build strong mindfulness muscles and learn how to set healthy boundaries in your social life.
If social anxiety feels overwhelming, summer counseling or therapy for young adults might help you navigate these dynamics. Couples may also find value in setting boundaries in relationships by seeking support from marriage counselors in DC or couples counseling DC providers.
Can Changes in Routine Lead to Anxiety?
Summer is a time of transition and loss of structure from outside sources for many people. You might be a graduating college student, a grad student on break from classes, a parent navigating your child’s summer schedule, or someone taking more time off work. A loss of routine and structure can often lead to anxiety. You might feel unanchored and notice yourself staying up later, eating irregularly, and feeling generally unmoored. Things like uncertainty due to transitions like graduating, unstructured time, and overcommitment can all culminate in anxiety.
How to cope with summer routine changes:
Maintain a flexible but consistent daily schedule, setting aside hours for sleeping, meals, exercise and rest times.
Set small, achievable goals to stay anchored.
Consider online career counseling programs to find direction.
Rigidity can often result in increased stress and anxiety, but no schedule at all can result in feeling unanchored. If you’re feeling directionless, try setting small goals such as reading a new book, focusing on a craft project, or learning a new skill. Career counseling for young adults, including online career counseling programs, can also provide direction during this time of transition.
Overall, practice mindful self-compassion. Give yourself flexibility as you adjust to the rhythm of your summer, embracing the chaos that comes from a change in routine to help ride out the wave of transition.
Body Image Concerns
Raise your hand if you’ve been bombarded with curated images of the “perfect summer body,” felt shame when trying on bathing suits, or felt pressured to change your appearance just to go to the beach. The arrival of summer’s heat often comes with summer social pressure. In the summer, there is increased body-centered media—on social media platforms, in clothing stores, in ads—that often make us feel self-conscious, less-than, and unable to fully enjoy the summer due to being preoccupied with body-image concerns.
So, how do we combat body image concerns during the summer? Practice body neutrality. Body neutrality takes the view that we might not love our bodies 100% of the time, but that our bodies are “only one part of who you are—not the totality. It also shouldn’t dominate how you feel about yourself” (Cleveland Clinic, 2022). A body-neutral mindset states that we can accept our bodies without having to think about and love our bodies all the time. Lean into acceptance of your body this summer and the understanding that you are so much more than what your body looks like. Overall, the body-neutral movement says that “it doesn’t matter if you think you’re beautiful or not”—that “your value is not tied to your body” and that your happiness in summer can thrive regardless (Cleveland Clinic, 2022)!
If you’re struggling with these pressures, reaching out to a multicultural counseling center or multicultural therapists who understand identity-based stressors can be incredibly validating.
How to improve body image in summer:
Practice body neutrality—your worth isn’t based on appearance.
Shift focus to what your body does, not how it looks.
Seek therapy in DC or teletherapy for personalized support.
Physical Discomfort
Increased heat and humidity, crowded events, loud environments—these are all aspects of summer that can induce anxiety and decrease your enjoyment of planned events. You might end up noticing that you’re avoiding certain situations, or feel increasingly fatigued, irritable, or tense due to physical discomfort in the summer. So, can heat cause anxiety? Absolutely- heat anxiety is a very real phenomenon that often goes overlooked.
In order to stay comfortable amidst summer’s heat so you can enjoy what you have planned, try out these tips! First, think about the variables you can control. Are you spending time in a loud, crowded airport or noisy restaurant or bar? Consider bringing earplugs to dim the volume. Outdoor concert in 90-degree weather? Bring a portable, personal fan!
Secondly, consider using a thought defusion exercise to address the factors you cannot control. Feeling preoccupied by being sweaty when you’re just trying to enjoy a night out with friends? See those thoughts pass through your mind like leaves on a stream or clouds in the sky. You don’t have to hold on tightly to those thoughts, just escalating anxiety. Let discomfort pass through you like a leaf gently floating down a stream or a cloud passing overhead in the sky. Allow yourself to focus back on what’s important in the moment—spending time with others and enjoying yourself- rather than the discomfort of being sweaty.
How to manage summer heat anxiety?
Use earplugs in loud settings or bring a personal fan.
Practice thought defusion: visualize your anxious thoughts passing like leaves on a stream.
Focus on the present moment- not the discomfort.
In Conclusion…
With summer comes many factors that might heat up your anxiety. However, you don’t have to deal with your summer anxiety alone! Whether you're interested in therapy in DC, teletherapy, or support from DC therapists, there are professionals who can help. Ready to turn the temperature down on your anxiety this summer? Sign up for a free consultation today!
FAQs: Sizzling Season, Real Questions
Q: Can heat really trigger anxiety symptoms?
A: Yes. Heat can intensify irritability, fatigue, and racing thoughts, especially for those with anxiety disorders.
Q: How can I set boundaries at social events?
A: Start by identifying your limits, say no when needed, and take breaks during overstimulating gatherings.
Q: Is The Sterling Group accepting new clients?
A: Yes! We offer a free 15-minute consultation. Book online to meet our multicultural therapists and anxiety specialists.
About the author:
Hannah Cohen is an associate therapist at The Sterling Group, specializing in working with young adults navigating the stresses of young adulthood. I help my clients address anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship issues, substance use, and identity development - all aspects of life that come with being a young adult. I love working with those from neurodiverse backgrounds, and understanding that therapy – just like people! – comes in many forms and is not one-size-fits-all. As a part of the queer community, I especially enjoy working with LGBTQ+-identifying folks to address their unique identity, social, and relational needs!
