Have you ever felt guilty for staying indoors on a warm, sunny day? Then you might have fallen victim to “sunshine guilt.”

While you might be familiar with seasonal affective disorder, which can cause feelings of depression and anxiety with the change of seasons, you likely associate the condition with colder months like fall or winter. However, some people actually experience depression and guilt during spring and summer. 

What is Sunshine Guilt?

According to a 2024 survey by Forbes Health, nearly 50% of respondents said they’ve experienced summertime sadness. Lana Del Rey knows all about that one.

This form of sadness, oftentimes referred to as “sunshine guilt,” typically packs feelings of remorse when cooped indoors on gorgeous weather days. 

Think of it as a form of “FOMO” (fear of missing out). You’re sitting in a cold, fluorescent-lit office, working the clear-skied, 80-degree day away. You open your Instagram for a quick distraction, only to see all your friends or influencers basking in the sun on the beach or on a long hike. 

You’re sure to feel a bit of depressive longing, right? 

“Sunshine guilt can originate from early childhood experiences relating to taking advantage of sunny weather and marking them as ‘special days,’ where core memories were formed,” Sabrina Romanoff, Psy.D., a Harvard-trained clinical psychologist and Forbes Health Advisory Board member, said in the Forbes summer depression survey. “Society tends to equate sunny weather with happiness, activity, and good memories. From marketing imagery, idealized movie scenes, to beach days—the sun primes us to get out and ‘seize the sunshine.’”

Perhaps you feel guilty during the summer for seemingly wasting the day indoors. And if you live in an area that experiences the brutal shift of seasons, you likely also know the warm weather won’t last, which only adds to your dissatisfaction. 

On the other hand, though, some people experience this “summertime sadness” because of the scorching temperatures and humid conditions. The summer can be a bummer for those who prefer milder, cooler weather. Instead of heading outdoors to take advantage of daylight, you might prefer hiding in an air-conditioned room with the blinds pulled closed and autumn-scented candles burning.

“The days are longer, there are higher levels of heat and humidity, and many people find the hot temperature oppressive,” Dr. Romanoff said in the Forbes survey. “On a societal level, due to media messaging and information from our personal social networks, we assume most people are out enjoying the sunshine. This could cause feelings of being ‘othered’ when our personal preferences to stay in and recharge appear so divergent from the general community.”