Summer is supposed to feel relaxing, but for many people, it doesn’t.
The longer days, shifting routines, noisy environments, and pressure to “make the most of it” can lead to increased stress, overstimulation, and emotional exhaustion. If you find yourself more irritable than inspired right now, you’re not alone.
Dig Deeper: If you have an ADHD brain, changes in routine can be even more destabilizing.
Finding your unique balance between boredom and overwhelm is an important insight for those of us with ADHD brains. Start HERE.
Why Summer Feels Overwhelming
For those trying to take the time to recover from burnout or chronic stress, adults with ADHD, parents or caregivers caring for our ADHD kids, summer can disrupt the systems we rely on to feel steady.
Predictability, structure, and space are often harder to find in these months, making regulation more challenging. And while summer offers more daylight and outdoor opportunities, it also brings more social expectations, sensory input, and less time to truly rest.
3 Small Ways to Regulate Your System
You don’t need a major lifestyle overhaul to feel better. Small adjustments can help calm your nervous system and restore a sense of balance.
1. Anchor Yourself With Predictability
Choose one small thing each day that stays the same. This could be a short morning routine, a standard lunch, or wearing similar outfits a few times a week.
The brain loves predictability. It reduces decision fatigue and helps you feel more grounded.
2. Check Your Sensory Bandwidth
Heat, noise, clutter, and overstimulation can drain your energy quickly, especially if you are already depleted. Try using sunglasses, noise-reducing headphones, or setting boundaries around screen time and background noise.
Give your senses a break where you can.
3. Protect Your Recovery Time
Just because your calendar looks “open” doesn’t mean your energy is available (where do you need to copy and paste that as a reminder for future yourself?).
Downtime and recovery time are not the same as free time.
If you’re craving quiet, you don’t need a reason to say no. Like the kids say, actually go outside and touch grass.
“Rest is not idleness… and to lie sometimes on the grass… on a summer’s day… is by no means a waste of time.”
– John Lubbock, The Use of Life
A Final Thought
Being emotionally overwhelmed is not a sign that you’re weak or failing. It’s a sign that your system is doing its best to keep up with demands that may be too high. Awareness is the first step toward change.
Start with only ONE thing, and let that be enough for today.
Christina Crowe is a Registered Psychotherapist, Validated Clinical Supervisor for Ontario, and the Clinical Director for Dig a Little Deeper. A member of CADDRA's Advocacy Committee and relentless mental health advocate, Christina believes great mental health information should be available to everyone, loves creating content that makes invisible things visible.
