Insomnia in the Summer
[8 minute read] By Kasryn Kapp, LPC
Ahhh.. summer, a time of extra sunlight, warm nights, and (hopefully) some rest and relaxation.
Is summer also a time of sleeplessness?
Over the last few years I’ve noticed an uptick in referrals over the summer, which is unusual in mental health (typically there’s a slowdown in the summer).
This article reviews some of the unique challenges that summer has for great sleep. I’ll go over some strategies for each unique challenge but think about this as first aid. First aid can be helpful for minor issues, but if it doesn’t resolve the problem quickly, you may want to reach out to a qualified professional for guidance.
If you’re struggling with insomnia and don’t find relief from small changes, I’m available to help you get to the root of the issue and break the cycle of insomnia not just for the season, but for decades to come of great sleep.
Click here to reach out for a no obligation free consultation.
Unique factors that influence sleep in the summer (and what can help)
Heat
A common reason for waking up is being too hot. In addition to being uncomfortable, temperature is a signal of daytime. Humans, for the most part, are built to be awake during the day, when the temperature warms up, we tend to wake up.
I most often hear this concern in the early days of summer and in late fall. Before air conditioners are installed or turned on for the season, the fluctuating and high nighttime temperatures can trick the body into thinking it’s daytime.
In the fall, when we thought the last of the summer heat had passed, yet warm nighttime temperatures return, sleep can be disrupted.
Keeping the bedroom cool consistently can help. Checking the weather for high nighttime temps and adjusting the thermostat accordingly might be a great first step.
If that isn’t an option, wearing sleepwear with light layers, or light layered blankets with a fan can help as well.
Light
Light (especially sunlight) is a time keeper (or Zeitgiber) for the human body. It tells us when to be awake and the absence of light signals tells us when to be asleep. With the sun up later and longer, the light exposure can push feelings of sleepiness later. This happens by suppressing natural melatonin production (you can learn more about that in another article here Melatonin Article)
In the early morning hours, without good blackout curtains, the sun rising early can signal daytime too early creating a mismatch between our sleep schedule and our day-to-day life.
For example, Susan usually sleeps until 6:30 or 7am. She noticed she seems to be waking up at 5:30am, seemingly for no reason. She notices it is quite bright out and the sun comes right through her sheer curtains by this time. She has difficulty going back to sleep after the awakening. She now understands that the bright light could be waking her up so she puts up some blackout curtains and she’s able to sleep until her usual time again.
You may have heard of sunrise alarm clocks. This type of alarm clock uses light to gently trigger an awakening. However, sunlight can naturally do this earlier than intended almost as if a sunrise alarm clock had been set. Like all the other factors, if making these changes doesn’t work, insomnia may have taken on a life of its own and may need direct treatment
Changes in routine, increased mental load and activity
While summer can be a time of relaxation, it can also be a time of frenetic catchup, packing lists and increased activity and stress. All of which can disrupt sleep.
Consistent routines help the body sleep well.
With time off of work, school letting out and summer activities, if there was underlying insomnia brewing, these disruptions in routine can bring everything to a head.
Additionally with a change in routine, there can be a lot more to remember or an increased mental load. If you lie awake with thoughts like “Did I pack sunscreen?” or “I need to add sunglasses to the list.” Taking some time at the end of the day to have a “brain dump” and write down everything that comes to mind can help clear out or offload your brain and help prepare for sleep.
This doesn’t mean you have to stop everything and keep a rigid routine but carving out a little wind down time at the end of the night can be especially helpful in this season.
Time Zone Changes
Summer travel can mean crossing time zones which can also disrupt the circadian rhythm and cause jet lag. Usually this resolves on its own, but for someone with insomnia, this can exacerbate an underlying issue or trigger an insomnia episode.
One common misconception is that what starts insomnia is the same thing that keeps it going. In reality, summer heat, jet lag, stress, light, or any number of other factors could start a bout of insomnia but what keeps it going is a different process.
In other words, insomnia takes on a life of its own even when what caused it is resolved. One common issue is that the bed itself can become a source of stress no matter how cool and dark it is. This can lead to feelings of hopelessness, people think they’ve tried everything- but it’s not getting to the root of the issue.
People may be inclined to listen to sleepy podcasts or watch shows to try to distract themselves from the stress of the bed and only drift off when distracted in just the right way.
That also is a sign of needing further intervention.
Summer can be a great time to address the underlying issues in insomnia for several reasons.
While light can make insomnia worse, it can also be a helpful tool for curing insomnia when leveraged correctly.
It can be a great time to experiment with schedules and routines
insomnia treatment usually means more time for activities, not less. We take that time spent tossing and turning and swap it for spending time doing things you enjoy or engaging in useful activities while we first increase the quality of sleep, then increase the quantity of great sleep.
In summary, exploring some potential disruptors of good sleep and making small changes can be a great first step. This is called Sleep Hygiene (things like keeping your room dark and cool, winding down etc.) Sleep Hygiene is like dental hygiene. It is important to do, but won’t address a deeper issue. If you think you may need insomnia treatment, or you just want to talk through some of your concerns, feel free to schedule a free consultation.
I hope you find lots of joy and great rest this Summer
Kasryn