A Gentle Guide to Surviving Summer

As summer approaches, social media fills with holiday pictures, summer outfits, and smiling faces, but this isn't always the reality for people, especially people with neurospicy brains. For many people, summer can bring pressure to be happy, disruption to routines, and guilty feelings for struggling when everyone else seems to be enjoying themselves. In this blog post, I will address the different challenges that come with summer and also give you some survival tips to make the summer a bit more manageable. You aren't alone in feeling like this.

The Heat

The hot weather is one of the main struggles in the summer. For many people (neurospicy people, I'm looking at you), this brings trouble sleeping, sensory overwhelm, lack of motivation, and increased irritability. You are so valid in these feelings.Another thing to note is that a lot of medications (such as SSRIs) can make us more susceptible to overheating, which means that hydration is so important at this time of year. I know how hard it can be to remember to drink, especially if you struggle with ADHD. There are many apps that can help you track your water intake and also send you notifications to remind you to drink. Another thing I have found super useful is buying myself a new cute water bottle. It helps me to remember to take it with me, and it's always fun to buy new things! If you don't like water, there are lots of options for you. I have tried out different electrolytes, which taste good and also help boost your hydration. Fruit is also full of water; things like watermelon and cucumbers are great for hydration.Cooling down when it's hot can be a challenge, so I have created a list of tips for you to use when you get too hot:

• Run your wrists under cold water—because our blood vessels at the wrist are close to the skin, it makes them great for speedy cooling. Our circulatory system will then spread the cooler blood around to the rest of our body.

• Take a lukewarm shower—this is better than a freezing cold shower as if it's too cold, our body works harder to warm itself up.

• Wear loose, lightweight clothing—a lot of the time, we want to keep covered up to avoid having the sun on our skin. Wearing loose and breathable clothing means we can stay covered up without completely overheating.

• Keep curtains closed during the hottest part of the day—this keeps the sun from shining in and warming your house up.

• Open your windows in the early morning or late evening when it is cooler outside.

• Place a bowl of ice in front of a fan—this stops it from blowing warm air around and blows the cold air from the ice instead.

Body Image

As it gets hot, we see more skin on show, and it can lead to us comparing ourselves to others, anxiety about clothes, and feeling a pressure to look a certain way. Summer isn't the time to force yourself into clothes that make you feel uncomfortable. It is important to prioritize comfort and coolness.Following people on social media who post things like holiday photos and diet culture content can lead to us comparing ourselves. My challenge for you today is to unfollow three people who post this type of content that may trigger you or lead you to feeling bad about yourself. Never feel guilty for personalizing your social media feed!

Loneliness

During the summer, it can feel like everyone is busy with fun plans. Summer is portrayed as a season of connection and adventure, and this isn't the reality for a lot of people. It is important to remember that social media isn't reality, and people only tend to post the best moments, which doesn't give an accurate representation of their lives.We can create connections in small ways. Things like chatting with a neighbor when you take the bins out, writing a letter (there are many charities that can match you with like-minded people you can write to, and I really recommend you looking into this if you are interested), commenting on a blog (hello!), or even joining a local club if you feel brave enough! These things can help us feel less isolated during the summer. Also, remember, you don't need to wait for an invitation! It can feel scary to message people first and suggest doing something, but I promise you it is so worth it. You are never a burden; people will want to and enjoy spending time with you.Learning to spend time with yourself is also so important, but I can also understand how scary this can feel. One thing I started with was doing a week of solo dates, but I did them all from home. It doesn't have to be a grand gesture; it could be something as simple as doing a nice cooling face mask while listening to your favorite podcast.

Routine Changes

During the summer, our routine can feel unpredictable, which can be especially challenging for neurodivergent people. Something that can make this easier is keeping one thing consistent. When lots of things are changing, try to keep one small anchor to your day. This can be something like having your morning cup of tea at the same time every day, taking an evening walk, journaling before bed, or reading for 10 minutes every morning.We also need to remember that the hot weather can affect our energy levels, concentration, and mood. You may need to plan more time to allocate breaks in your day, do your tasks earlier in the day, and adjust your expectations. Be kind and patient with yourself.

I hope some of these tips have helped. Please always remember you are not alone in the way you are feeling, and you don't have to enjoy the summer just because it feels like everyone else does.

My win for today: Getting up and having a cool shower. What is yours?

Speak soon,

Megan xoxox