If the heat seems to be affecting your mood, you're not alone. Mental health experts say it can be easy for some to fall into summer depression, which is a seasonal affective disorder.
"Summer depression is a thing," said clinical therapist Dr. Ashley Lowe-Simmons.
"It' s a lot like the winter blues, except in the summertime, with summer depression, you have insomnia, you want weight loss, anxiety, you're irritable. Your thought process is really not there because your schedule is off," said Lowe-Simmons, founder of Conversations With A Clinician.
She said several factors come into play. Normal routines are out of whack; long hours of sunlight can affect your sleep; Summer heat alone can leave you fatigued and energy depleted, which are feelings often linked to depression.
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There are also money-related worries which can have a big impact on mental health.
"You want to vacation, you want to go places, do things, experience things and if you don't have a financial budget for that, that can affect you, because you feel left out and you're not able to socialize," said Lowe-Simmons.
If depression runs in the family, you may be more prone to seasonal affective disorders.
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Whether you think you have summertime blues or something more serious, finding coping tips online or seeing a mental health professional can help.
