There's A Psychological Explanation For Why You Get Sad Every August

The end of summer will always be a bummer. It kicks off the decline of sunny days, warm nights, and that carefree, laidback attitude that makes the world feel like a coming-of-age movie. While Sept. 22 marks the actual last day of the season, the sad, depressing vibes start to kick in on the first day of August, and everyone on TikTok seems to agree.

Summer vibes go hard through 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 seems yellow and forlorn instead of clear and hopeful, and the oppressive heat and humidity will have you questioning your entire life.

On TikTok, creator @dustinnickersoncomedy put it best. “I hate August with everything I have in me,” he said in a viral video posted Aug. 30 of last year. “It’s too hot, there’s no good holidays, it has no identity to it. It’s just a gross, sweaty experience.”

A lot of people also feel a sense of late-summertime sadness, like creator @noellemartiinez who said, “Ever since I was little August has always had the worst vibes. School starts, post-vacation depression hits, you’re registering for classes, the sun starts disappearing, and you realize summer is over.”

For all of these reasons, it makes sense that a lot of people would feel weird in August, but experts say the explanation goes even deeper than that.

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 vacation season. According to Carly Harris, LMFT, a therapist and young adult family program director at Newport Healthcare, the month has “Sunday Scary” energy.

“August can be seen as the ‘Sunday night’ of the year where people feel the looming pressure of returning to routine, work, or school,” she tells Bustle. “Just as many experience a sense of dread or anxiety on Sunday evenings, August can cause similar feelings on a larger scale, as it signals the end of a period of relaxation and freedom.”

Even if you’ve been out of school for ages, this time of year can still trigger an emotional response, says Harris, almost as if you’re going back to class, too. “August can also prompt a reflection on past summers, especially childhood memories of freedom and play, without worrying about work,” she says. “Adults might feel nostalgic, wishing for simplicity and joy again.

“Seeing these vacations or social activities can lead to feelings that you might not have made the most of your summer, amplifying the sadness.”

There’s also a change in the light that you might not be fully aware of, but it is there — and it can truly mess with your head. “In August, the days start getting noticeably shorter, which can affect our circadian rhythms or the body’s internal clock,” she says.

As the weeks march toward fall, each day gets shorter and shorter, giving you less light each evening. “[That] can lead to changes in mood and energy levels, similar to what some people experience with the onset of fall or winter or seasonal depression,” says Harris.

For those who desperately love fall, with its pumpkin spice lattes, chilly weather, and Halloween parties, August keeps it feeling just out of reach thanks to its excessive heat and humidity. Sure, you might have a whole new wardrobe of sweaters and plaid ready to go, but it’ll be months before you actually get to wear it, leaving you in a sort of fashion limbo.

Then there’s TikTok and Instagram, which are often teeming with photo dumps from European summers and friends’ trips to the beach. “Social media highlights the fun, adventurous experiences other people had during the summer,” says Harris. “Seeing these vacations or social activities can lead to feelings that you might not have made the most of your summer, amplifying the sadness.”

In other words? August is when you realize you didn’t make it to the lake as often as you would have liked, or that you never got to go on vacation at all and now you’ll have to wait an entire year before you can swing in a hammock or take in the salt air by the sea. Until then? It’s nothing but wind, rain, and freezing temps.

For one final kick, Harris says August serves as a stark reminder that you’re about to return to your usual routine — goodbye, Summer Fridays — and that’s quickly followed by the fast landslide into the holiday season. “In August, most of the year is already behind us,” she says, and it can be a tough pill to swallow.

How To Cope With (Late) Summertime Sadness

The end of summer blues are real, says Harris, and it’s common to feel deeply unsettled in August, but there’s a lot you can do to shake off the creeping eeriness. “Coping with August sadness can be approached by first recognizing that it’s OK to feel sad or nostalgic during this time,” she says. If you hate August, go ahead and acknowledge that it isn’t great and let yourself be annoyed.

Then, remind yourself that there’s still plenty of time left to book a beach trip, soak up the sun by the pool, or sit in the park with a good book. There are plenty of warm summer days left, after all. Harris recommends getting outside as much as you can to bask in the daylight and get some much-needed mood-boosting vitamin D.

She also suggests looking forward to fall and winter as best you can. Even if you’re a diehard summer stan, think about the many perks of autumn. Maybe you can get excited about cozy sweaters? Halloween parties? Or rewatching Twilight on a rainy day? It’s also Virgo season, which means it’s a good time to level up and organize your life.

August might be horrible, but it will be over soon. In the meantime, you can still get out there and enjoy it.

Studies referenced:

Cheng, YC. (2020.) The effect of vitamin D supplement on negative emotions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Depress Anxiety. doi: 10.1002/da.23025.

Melrose, s. (2015). Seasonal Affective Disorder: An Overview of Assessment and Treatment Approaches. Depress Res Treat. doi: 10.1155/2015/178564.

Wehr, 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, LMFT, therapist and young adult family program director at Newport Healthcare