/ Modified jul 24, 2023 11:24 a.m.

Historic heat wave can impact mental health

Summer Seasonal Affective Disorder grips shut-ins with symptoms including depression and insomnia.

Summer SAD Hot weather shut-ins are susceptible to summer Seasonal Affective Disorder.
PxHere

Tucson's record setting heat wave might be taking its toll on our mental health.

University of Arizona psychiatry professor Rohit Madan is studying the impact of summer Seasonal Affective Disorder. He notes the extreme weather can contribute to feelings of anxiety and depression.

"Now people can't follow their daily routines, they can't follow the things they plan, and these disruptions contribute to these mood changes," Madan said.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is usually associated with winter weather that forces people to stay indoors. Madan says its summer counterpart adds longer days of discomfort and more sleepless nights. The uncertainty of how long the heat wave will last can also be a factor.

By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona