1247: Why Do Longer Days Make Me Anxious: Listener Q And A
The Anxiety Coaches Podcast
Gina Ryan
4.6 • 1.9K Ratings
🗓️ 20 May 2026
⏱️ 25 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In today's episode, Gina answers a listener question about how longer days in the summertime can actually seem to make himself more anxious. This is contrary to the pattern more commonly observed of less light in the winter months causing more depression and anxiety. The importance of regular sleep is discussed as well as how the darkness (more plentiful in winter months) can actually provide a sense of closure and comfort at the end of the day. Listen in for advice on how to adapt to the lengthening of the daylight hours during spring and summer!
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Chapters
0:26 Light and Anxiety
5:12 Seasonal Nervous System
11:46 Summer Overstimulation
14:50 Calming Evening Rituals
18:49 Honor Your Rhythm
Summary
In this episode we respond to a listener email from Bill in the northeastern United States about how increasing daylight in spring and summer affects his anxiety. We discuss his experience of feeling more pressure to be productive, more FOMO, and more difficulty sleeping when the evenings stay light longer.
We explore how light can influence the nervous system. We explain that humans are naturally attuned to sunrise and sunset, and that longer daylight can affect melatonin, energy levels, emotional regulation, and the sense that we should keep going. For some people, especially anxious or sensitive nervous systems, this extra stimulation can feel dysregulating.
We also talk about the opposite experience in darker months. We note that many people feel more settled when darkness comes earlier because it creates a sense of closure, fewer expectations, and more permission to rest. We contrast that with the cultural pressure around summer to be active, social, and constantly making the most of the day.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the anxiety coaches podcast, a relaxing and informative show where we explore anxiety, panic, and PTSD, sharing how you can overcome them for life. |
| 0:23.1 | Aloha. |
| 0:24.2 | Welcome back to the Anxiety Coaches podcast. |
| 0:27.6 | I'm your host and coach, Gina Ryan, and I am so happy to be with you again today |
| 0:34.1 | as together we can consider the many ways to bring your mind and body back to its |
| 0:40.5 | natural peace and calm. In today's episode, I want to share a email that I received from a |
| 0:50.7 | listener named Bill. And Bill lives in the northeastern United States, and he shared something |
| 0:57.3 | that I think many people quietly experience but rarely talk about openly. |
| 1:04.3 | Bill says, hello, Gina and team. The recent podcast installment covering the impact of light on the nervous system was very |
| 1:14.9 | interesting. When I initially saw the title of the episode, I thought perhaps it was about a |
| 1:22.2 | subject or condition I am interested in, and I wonder if it might be worthy of a mention on an upcoming podcast. |
| 1:31.3 | He goes on to say, each spring, although I appreciate the moderating temperatures, |
| 1:37.2 | because I live in the Northeast U.S., I am also aware of the upcoming significant swing of the number of daylight hours, and believe it |
| 1:48.0 | or not, the anxiety that it brings. |
| 1:51.6 | In my area of the U.S., we go from about nine hours of daylight per day at peak of winter to about 16 hours of daylight during the peak of summer. |
| 2:06.6 | Again, strange as this sounds, when it gets dark earlier in the day, I feel that it is easier |
| 2:14.5 | to kick back, relax. But when there are many more daylight hours in the day, |
| 2:21.5 | I feel pressure to be more productive, to do more things, and feel more generalized fomo. |
| 2:30.3 | That's fear of missing out. It also is harder to sleep inasmuch as you have a limited time window |
| 2:39.7 | to bed down while it is actually dark and cooler and most conducive to rest. If you are trying |
| 2:48.1 | to get seven to nine hours asleep, it can be tough. |
| 2:52.9 | Any thoughtful insights advice is appreciated. |
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