Late Summer: Spiritual Battery Drainage?

[TrueCrazyLion]

So I've been wondering... Every August, once we get to the second week of the month, I start to get a noticeable dip in my overall energy, motivation and morale. It's like my batteries are going flat somehow, and I've never been able to understand why. I start feeling very lethargic with a general sense of apathy, and it hits my motivation hard.
It continues till the last week of August and then seems to magically lift.

This happens to me consistently, year after year - the first time I became consciously aware of it was in 2006, and I thought at the time I was imagining it, but in the years since I've noticed it happening again and again.

This year it's hit me in the last week, and I've felt noticeably less motivated just like in previous years, so thought I'd share my experiences here and ask if anyone else has felt anything similar.

As for possible environmental causes, I know that August is the month when the summer nights get considerably longer again in Scotland after months of near-constant daylight, so maybe that has a bigger effect than I've been giving it credit for.
Also - and this realisation has just hit me since I started typing this post - August 10th is the date after which the long summer twilight ends and nights become proper nights again with total darkness at my latitude, and that seems to more or less coincide exactly with the onset of this "flat battery" experience for me each year. So I'm thinking it might somehow be connected?

What does anyone else think? Have you ever experienced anything like this as the summer nights start getting darker? I'd love to hear any thoughts you might have!

[Agartha]

I haven't experienced this personally... or perhaps I don't notice because I am always bloody exhausted, regardless of the season! LOL

But you are not alone: SAD is quite common and it affects people differently (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Google it.... what you describe sounds just like it.

[TrueCrazyLion]

That’s really interesting! I’ve known all about SAD and known that I have it for a long time, but never knew it could be triggered by such a relatively minor change!

I’ve been profoundly affected by the darkness during the winter months in Scotland throughout my adult life so far(From mid-October to early March, but November and December are the worst), and quickly made the link with SAD; I also began noticing that in the middle of summer, when it never really gets dark, I tend to feel disoriented find it difficult to sleep at night - and I linked that to SAD too.
But this as well... You’re right, my symptoms correlate perfectly with SAD. I just hadn’t made the link this time because the environmental change was so subtle!!

Wow, that’s a massive hypersensitivity to day length I seem to have!

I’d like to move to Spain ASAP now. LOL!

[Agartha]

LOL you may miss the fresh cool Scottish air if you move to Spain!  

Your symptoms are textbook SAD but you are doing really well actually: some people need antidepressants as they get really bad especially during the Summer to Autumn transition. I remember reading arts and crafts are good for lifting up the spirits during the darker seasons... and also exercise and a healthy diet help too. 

I actually love Autumn, followed by Winter... I love the shorter days... the rain....

[TrueCrazyLion]

Your replies are always so uplifting, love reading them!

Yeah, I always stay away from any meds, as the thought of mind-altering substances in general gives me the creeps(Changing the chemical composition of the brain... Can't be good LOL!). I always take my multivitamins every day, and I keep meaning to eat healthier/drink l I ads of fruit juice(Not obvious from the food photos I post, I know!) and get more physically active, as I know those things are meant to help.

Also, I'm keen to check out the possibility of getting a SAD lightbox for this winter - hopefully on prescription from my GP, I understand it might be doable.

Really interesting that you mention the summer/autumn transition as being particularly bad for SAD symptoms - I had no idea about that, and it sounds like it's exactly what's been happening to me here!

[Agartha]

I have never heard of lightboxes... I may google it to find out. How do they work?

[TrueCrazyLion]

They're SAD lamps, basically. SAD lightboxes/SAD lamps, the names are pretty interchangeable I think.

They simulate sunlight and replenish the energy and Vitamin D we lose by not getting enough sun when days are short. The idea is to sit beside one for about half an hour a day(Sit about a metre away from the lamp, I'd imagine) to get enough energy each day to compensate for the lack of sunlight.

[Agartha]

Very interesting! People living in Scotland are advised to take vitamin D September to March, due to lack of sunshine... I wonder if I should buy one of those lamps instead? I need to research their clinical evidence.

[Rogue]

Interesting topic, especially for me being another SAD guy. For me it only happens during winter, but thankfully this year I've not had any symptoms. 

The light boxes look interesting, and I have seen Blue lights also recommended, possibly with even better results. But vitamin D is worth considering as a supplement imo.

If you do try these lights I'll be very keen to here what you find.

[Agartha]

I have been researching a bit and the SAD lamps are not recommended to help production of vitamin D because of the risk of developing skin cancer..... I guess I'll carry on with the supplements when Autumn comes.

They are quite pricey but the NHS recommends using them only under doctor's supervision, because they may interact with certain medication (such as antibiotics and antipsychotics).

[TrueCrazyLion]

OMG... Skin cancer risk, really?! That's amazing! I knew sunbeds posed a risk, but thought lightboxes were perfectly safe. (And I know you wouldn't say so if it wasn't true, as I know how seriously you take these things.) 
And they could even cause a reaction with antibiotics...
Ouch!!

That does make me think a bit differently about them if I'm honest.

[Sponsored content]