Brits spend half the year waiting for nicer weather to lift our spirits – but a psychotherapist has warned that the sun may have an adverse effect on our mood.
While we typically associate a dip in dopamine with grey skies and frosty spells, the clouds clearing may bring a whole new host of worries.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, counsellor Hannah Lewis, of Compare My Health Insurance, revealed that ‘bright days don’t automatically lift your mood’ – as ‘for lots of people, they amplify loneliness, comparison, and the sense you should be out enjoying yourself’.
She explained that social media ‘makes it look like everyone else is having the time of their life’, which can put the pressure on.
‘Sunshine can make a low mood feel louder,’ Hannah continued. ‘Not because you’re broken, but because the pressure to look happy can feel relentless.
‘If you don’t feel how you think you “should” feel, that mismatch can make low mood more obvious.
Brits spend half the year waiting for nicer weather to lift out spirits – but a psychotherapist has warned that the sun may have an adverse effect on our mood. Stock image used
‘Instead of forcing gratitude or constant plans, lower the pressure: keep a steady routine, reduce comparison triggers, and make smaller plans that fit how you actually feel.’
Hannah said that during this time, it’s important to also check in on loved ones who you suspect may be feeling lonely – as the nicer weather can make it hard to ignore a lack of social plans.
‘Nice weather can make other people’s lives feel more visible. You hear gardens, pubs, kids playing, and it can remind you of what you wish you had right now,’ she explained.
‘If you’re single, new to an area, working weekends, or going through a tough patch, it can feel like everyone’s included except you.
‘Summer can also change routines, so you may lose the small bits of contact you rely on. It’s not that sunshine causes loneliness; it just makes it harder to ignore. A gentle check-in with one person can help more than forcing big plans.’
Looking at everyone posting their sun-soaked plans online also doesn’t help, she added.
Hannah shared: ‘Social media is mostly people’s highlights, and in summer, those posts ramp up quickly.
‘You see holidays, BBQs, festivals, and perfect bodies, and it can look like everyone is constantly having a great time. If you’re at home, working, or feeling low, it can trigger that “I’m falling behind” feeling.
‘It also adds pressure to perform, like you should be posting too. A quick fix is taking breaks, muting accounts that make you feel rubbish, and remembering you’re seeing a polished edit, not the full story or the hard days.’
And to add to this, the longer evenings could be subtly affecting your stress levels without you even realising.
‘Longer evenings can push bedtime later without you noticing, and once sleep slips, mood often follows,’ the expert said.
‘You might drink more, eat later, scroll longer, or feel like you “should” be out, even if you’re tired.
‘That can leave you flat, snappy, or low. Simple helps: keep a regular getting-up time, dim lights in the evening, and put your phone away before bed so your brain can slow down.
‘If the mornings feel heavy, get some daylight early, even just a short walk or standing outside with a cuppa.’
It comes as sun–loving Brits will be looking forward to the heatwave this weekend, with temperatures set to hit 33°C in parts of the country.
Now, a scientist has revealed the weather phenomenon we have to thank for the unusually warm weather.
While the start of May was surprisingly chilly, Professor Hannah Cloke, a hydrologist at the University of Reading, explains why the UK’s weather is about to take a very different turn.
The heatwave is largely being driven by a large, stable block of high pressure over western Europe, according to the expert.
‘As air sinks beneath it, it heats up through compression, pushing surface temperatures well beyond what we would expect at this time of year,’ Professor Cloke explained.
‘This is then further intensified by very warm air being drawn in from north Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, as well as strong solar heating as we approach the longest days of the year.
‘When conditions are stable enough, this kind of pattern can persist for days or even weeks, preventing the cooler Atlantic weather that usually keeps British summers in check from breaking through.
‘For parts of south–east England, we could be looking at 30°C, a threshold rarely crossed in May.’
