How does summer weather affect appetite?
Are we really less hungry in the summer? A variety of physiological and mental processes during the summer season may lead to a decrease in appetite and reduced eating. What is the connection to the long daylight hours and do we actually gain fewer calories?
The summer diet naturally leans towards more colorful, colder, and lighter foods that make the body feel pleasant while the temperatures outside climb. It turns out that in the summer we not only eat differently, but the quantities also decrease and the appetite drops. Why does this happen and how does it actually affect our weight?
The law of conservation of appetite energy
To understand why we eat less in the summer, it is important to know the term 'thermogenesis'—the ability of an organism to maintain a constant body temperature even when exposed to extreme temperatures. This process is intended to conserve energy to maintain proper body function. When the ambient temperature rises, as happens in the summer, it requires the body to make efforts to cool down. Digestion itself produces energy and heat, which is why many of us feel less hungry in the summer, during physical activity, or during a fever—the body is trying to cool down. Overloading the digestive system forces the body to regulate itself less efficiently, which causes most people to choose lighter and cooler foods and eat smaller portions.
The influence of light on appetite
Another aspect that affects the feeling of hunger is the long daylight hours during the summer compared to winter. Daylight has great importance in terms of hunger and satiety hormones, as well as mood regulation. Studies have found that hunger hormones rise in the evening hours, so when evenings lengthen, as in winter, we tend to feel hungrier. Serotonin is a hormone secreted in higher amounts during daylight hours and is linked to hunger mechanisms and a good mood, unlike melatonin, which is secreted in the dark and induces fatigue.
This is related to the concept of 'seasonal depression.' In periods with fewer daylight hours, especially in northern countries like Scandinavia or Alaska, there is an increase in depression, often accompanied by binge eating and weight gain. Research shows that daylight hours indeed affect mood and appetite. Furthermore, when it is hot and the day is longer, we are usually more active outdoors, leaving less time for lounging at home, which often leads to unnecessary snacking.
Less food = fewer calories?
Does the fact that we feel less need to eat mean we consume fewer calories? Not necessarily. In the Western diet, much of the 'light' food is rich in sugar and fat, such as ice creams and juices that we tend to consume in large quantities in the summer. We might eat fewer hot dishes or fried foods, but if we increase the consumption of snacks, ice cream, and cold beer, it is likely that we will not end the summer thinner.
In summary, summer indeed has the potential to reduce our hunger, but at the end of every summer comes autumn, and then winter, so at every stage of the year, it is important to listen to your body's signals.
