May Gray, June Gloom, and Your Mood: How Seasonal Shifts Impact Us

It’s here. May Gray has descended.

We finally made it out of daylight-savings and for a brief, glorious moment reclaimed the sun. And then the marine layer descended over San Diego. May Gray, June Gloom, and if we are particularly unlucky, No-Sky July and Fogust, are just beginning.

For some people, the cloudy mornings are the perfect excuse for cozy sweaters and coffee. For others, they can feel heavy, draining, irritating, or even emotionally disorienting. If you notice your mood, energy, sleep, motivation, or overall sense of well-being shifting with the seasons, you are not imagining it. Seasonal changes can have a real impact on mental health.
If this change in season affects you, your experience is real and valid. You are not being dramatic. Our bodies and brains respond to light, temperature, routines, and sensory environments. You don’t have to brush it off as “just the weather,” because changes in sunlight, temperature, and routine can have a real impact on how we feel and function.
Seasonal affective disorder is often associated with the winter months, but seasonal shifts can affect people at many different times of the year. Some people may notice a lower mood during the winter months (depending on where you live), while others are more impacted by seasonal changes that happen in the spring, summer, or fall. Changes in temperature, humidity, sunlight, allergies, air quality, and sensory input can affect our mood, emotions, sleep, appetite, energy, daily routines, social demands, and interest in activities and they are real and valid responses to changes in our environment. Seasonal changes may also be especially impactful for neurodivergent people, including ADHD, Autistic, Bipolar, or those with sensory processing differences. Changes in sunlight, temperature, sleep, clothing, noise levels, routines, school or work demands, social expectations, and sensory input can all affect our ability to self-regulate.

As we prepare to move through the next couple of months of gray skies, here are a few ways to support yourself:

• Slow your pace
  Gray mornings can be an invitation to slow your pace. That might mean choosing calmer activities, giving yourself more transition time in the morning or throughout the day (when possible), resting without guilt, or noticing when your body is asking for less stimulation. Pay attention to your capacity, make accommodations for yourself, and adjust where you can.
  

• Notice your sensory needs
  Seasonal changes can bring sensory changes, too. Harsh indoor lighting, damp air, temperature shifts, heavier clothing, allergies, noises, smells, and changes in routine can all affect how regulated or overwhelmed a person feels. It may help to identify which of your senses are most impacted and explore supportive coping or accommodations that support you. Building sensory awareness can help you notice what feels supportive, what feels overwhelming, and what your body may be asking for during seasonal transitions. For more information, please see the resources from Neurodivergent Insights below.
  

• Romanticize the little things
  A few years ago, there was a trend on social media around ‘romanticizing the small things in your life.’ While that phrase can be a little overused at times, there may be something helpful about making small, ordinary moments feel more intentional. Work with the weather instead of against it. Wear your favorite hoodie. Light a candle. Make chai. Rewatch Practical Magic or Sailor Moon. Make the gray sky feel like a mood instead of a personal attack.
  

• Explore what this season offers
  If the beach is cold and dreary, it might be a good time to explore other parts of San Diego County. Visit a local trail, ecological reserve, lake, or wildlife area. Some inland spots are about to get very hot, so May and June can be a great time to enjoy them while the temperature is still manageable. You may even find some sunshine if you drive far enough away from the coast.
  

• Commiserate, but maybe not too much
  Sometimes it helps to say, “Wow, this weather is really getting to me,” and hear someone else respond, “Same.” Shared frustration can be connecting. Just be mindful of when venting starts to pull you deeper into the gloom. A little commiserating can help us feel less alone. Too much can leave us marinating in the very feeling we are trying to move through.

• Comfort food
  This is soup, stew, curry, and cozy food season. Seolleongtang, sisig, phở, menudo, stroganoff, borscht, massaman curry, tonkatsu…whatever feels warm and grounding to you, grab a bite and support a local restaurant!

• Stay connected to Community
  When the weather makes you want to disappear into your blankets, connection can become even more important. You do not have to force yourself into huge social plans. Small, low-pressure connection counts. Look for local groups, book clubs, movie nights, crafting circles, walking groups, community events, or identity-affirming spaces. A sapphic book club, sewing group, local meetup, or low-key movie night might be exactly the kind of gentle connection your nervous system can tolerate.
  

• Talk to a therapist
  Therapy can be a helpful place to notice your own seasonal patterns. Maybe May Gray affects your motivation. Maybe summer heat increases irritability. Maybe winter makes it harder to get out of bed. Maybe shifts in daylight affect your sleep, which then affects everything else. A therapist can help you identify your patterns, plan ahead, and build coping tools that are specific to you. Planning may also require flexibility as climate change continues to make weather patterns less predictable, but having tools in place can help you feel more empowered when seasonal transitions occur.
  

• Check in with your primary care provider
  If your energy or mood drops significantly during certain seasons, it may be worth checking in with your PCP. Vitamin D levels, thyroid functioning, anemia, sleep issues, and other physical health factors can affect mood and energy. This does not mean your feelings are “just medical,” but it can be helpful to understand the full picture.

A gentle reminder: May Gray and June Gloom may be part of life in San Diego, but you do not have to ‘grin and bear’ your way through them. Pay attention to your patterns. Get curious about what helps. Let yourself find personal accommodations that work for you. Sometimes the most supportive thing we can do is notice the season we are in and start asking, “What would help me move through this?”

Resources
Neurodivergent Insights -
Discover Your Sensory Preferences: The Complete Adult Sensory Checklist
Managing Sensory Issues as an Adult with ADHD or Autism