Hello Great British Summertime.
The clocks have gone forward, the nights are longer and the sun is shining. Many people are glad to wave goodbye to winter and welcome the change in season, I however feel unsettled by this annual transition.
For me, putting forward the clock doesn't fill me with the same joy it does so many others. I feel I am much more suited to the colder months. I prefer to wear darker colours, knitwear, scarves, and layers rather than bright colours and pretty dresses more commonly associated with this time of year. I like earthy, leathery perfumes with notes of tobacco and chocolate rather than fresh, floral and fruity ones, reminiscent of 'warm days and relaxed evenings on the veranda in Naples.' I enjoy warming vegetable soups with crusty bread and golden pies more than I enjoy the offerings on any summer menu. Even the music I listen to seems more appropriate on cloudy days than sun-drenched ones.
Besides my taste in fashion, fragrance, food and my love of Bright Eyes and Elliott Smith, summer can be a lonely time of year. While during winter it feels perfectly acceptable to hide away indoors with a good book and a glass of red wine, to do that while it is still light outside doesn't feel quite right. Hearing laughter filter in from the street makes me feel as though I am missing out on all the fun happening around me. Happiness is displayed so publically during the summertime as crowds spill out into beer gardens, picnic in the park and barbeque on the beach, and if you're not involved in such activities, it is easy to feel isolated, unhappy and lonely.
SAD, (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is most commonly associated with the winter, 'the winter blues' some call it, but for many sufferers, it is more than just a mild, cold induced case of 'the blues.' SAD is a form of depression, usually brought on by the cooler weather and decreased amounts of sunlight; symptoms include weight gain, fatigue, loss of energy, and a craving of sweets and foods high in carbohydrates. Although uncommon, Summer-Onset SAD does affect some people, with symptoms opposite to those in the winter; sufferers can experience weight loss, insomnia, loss of appetite, and agitation at this time of year. Summer-Onset SAD is not as widely recognised as the winter form of the syndrome, but it is something that does exist, and people should be aware of it.
Although my mood dips when the clocks 'spring forward,' it is not an extreme feeling or one that could be labelled as SAD, I can relate to those who experience such feelings during the summertime months. Being a January baby, perhaps I have an inbuilt fondness of the wintertime; while many people dream of spending the winter in a warmer climate, I spend my summers wishing I was someplace where the seasons are reversed. Until the clock returns to a more preferable position, I shall hide my feelings under a pair of sunglasses and make the most of the two things about summer I enjoy the most: Pimms and Lemonade.