NO MORE SUMMERTIME Sadness

School's out, the sun is shining and you're feeling...down in the dumps? Despite sleeping in, the newfound freedom from homework assignments, endless hours of leisure time and pool days aplenty, something's got you in a major funk.

- KATHLEEN O'NEILL

What you're experiencing is legit. It's called seasonal affective disorder (SAD)and it doesn't just happen in the winter.

"SAD is a form of depression that happens with seasonal changes, usually with fall to winter, although not always," explains clinical psychologist Dr. Melanie McNally.

In the winter, SAD is typically triggered by less sunlight and shorter days, which impacts hormones that can affect your mood. But in the summer, experts say that your case of the "mehs" may be caused by lifestyle changes, as well as some environmental factors.

"You have more unstructured time and fewer social interactions, which can contribute to feeling depressed," Dr. McNally says. Plus, research shows SAD can be made worse by excess heat, humidity and pollen.

So if you've been picking up on sluggish, moody or anxious vibes since school let out, summer SAD might have something to do with it. But here's the good news: With a few warm-weather resolutions, you can stop wishing the dog days away.

RESTORE YOUR ROUTINE

During the school year, your life is probably super structured: Your alarm is set for the same time from Monday through Friday, you follow a pretty predictable schedule of classes, you go to your after-school activities, eat dinner, do your homework, watch Netflix, go to bed. Rise, rinse and repeat.