The Summer Funk: Why Slowing Down Feels So Strange (And Why That's Actually Good)

It's been three days since the final bell rang, since they came home with backpacks full of art projects and that particular end-of-school energy. I should be feeling relief, right? Freedom? Instead, I'm sitting here with this weird, restless energy - not quite anxiety, not quite sadness, but something in between. If you're a teacher, a parent whose kids just finished school, or anyone whose rhythm has suddenly shifted from GO-GO-GO to... well, whatever this is, you might recognize this feeling.

Welcome to the summer slump. And before you start wondering what's wrong with you, let me tell you: absolutely nothing.

When Your Nervous System Hits the Brakes

For months, our systems have been running in what we call a state of hyperarousal. Think of it like your nervous system's version of that friend who drinks three cups of coffee and then wonders why they can't sit still. As teachers or parents, we're constantly scanning for needs, managing behaviors, making split-second decisions, and operating in a state of heightened alertness that would make a prairie dog proud.

Then suddenly whoosh summer hits, and it's like someone just told that caffeinated friend to take a nap. Your nervous system doesn't quite know what to do with itself.

This is where the concept of the "window of tolerance" becomes incredibly helpful. Developed by Dr. Dan Siegel, this framework helps us understand that we all have an optimal zone where we can handle stress, think clearly, and feel regulated. During the school year, many of us live right at the edge of this window - sometimes outside it - in a state of hyperarousal.

The Pendulum Swing of Summer

In EMDR therapy, we talk about something called pendulation - the natural movement between different emotional and physiological states. Think of it like a pendulum swinging back and forth, helping us process and integrate experiences. When we've been stuck in hyperarousal for months, our system needs to pendulate back toward calm, but that swing can feel disorienting.

Those first few days of summer? That's your nervous system learning how to pendulate again. You might feel:

• Restless but tired

• Excited but oddly melancholy

• Free but somehow untethered

• Grateful but also a bit lost

  
  

All of this is your system doing exactly what it's supposed to do - recalibrating.

The Wisdom in the Weird

Here's what I've learned through years of experiencing this summer transition: the discomfort often comes with gifts. When we slow down enough to actually feel what's happening in our bodies and minds, we often discover things that got buried under the rush of daily demands.

Maybe it's realizing how much you actually miss the creativity you used to have time for. Maybe it's noticing that you've been holding tension in your shoulders for so long that relaxed feels foreign. Maybe it's understanding that the pace you've been keeping isn't sustainable, and your body is gently (or not so gently) asking for a recalibration.

Embracing the Slump (Yes, Really)

Instead of fighting this transition or judging yourself for not immediately bouncing into "summer fun mode," what if we embraced it? What if we saw the summer slump as information rather than failure?

Our baseline - that set point where our nervous system feels most comfortable - can shift over time. If we've been operating in chronic stress, our baseline might have crept up to a place that feels normal but isn't actually optimal. The summer slump might be your system's way of saying, "Hey, remember what calm actually feels like?"

Gentle Ways to Support the Transition

Honor the pendulation. Let yourself move between energy and rest without judgment. Some days you might feel motivated to tackle projects; other days you might need to sit on the deck with a cup of coffee (or tea, if you're trying to cut back on the caffeine like I perpetually am).

Notice without fixing. When that restless-weird feeling hits, get curious about it instead of trying to make it go away immediately. What is your body telling you? What emotions are present?

Start small with calm. Just like EMDR helps us build tolerance for difficult emotions by experiencing them in small, manageable doses, you can practice tolerating calm in the same way. Five minutes of deep breathing, a short walk, sitting in your garden - small doses of peace that help your system remember what regulation feels like.

Consider the healing power of nature. There's something profound that happens when we move our processing outdoors. Whether it's the foothills around Calgary, the river pathways in Cochrane, or the quiet spaces in Airdrie, being in nature naturally supports our nervous system's ability to regulate. The rhythm of walking, the sounds of birds, the feeling of ground beneath our feet - these all help our system pendulate more gently between states. Sometimes the summer slump calls for exactly this kind of grounded, outdoor presence where we can feel both connected to something larger and safely contained in our own experience.

Expect the unexpected. Sometimes slowing down reveals things we weren't expecting - grief over a challenging year, excitement about possibilities, or simply the realization that we're more tired than we thought. All of this is valid and valuable information.

The Gift of the Long Game

As a former teacher and now as a psychologist, I'm constantly reminded that our nervous systems are designed to heal and recalibrate. The summer slump isn't a bug in the system - it's a feature. It's your body's wisdom saying, "We need to reset so we can show up better for whatever comes next."

So if you're feeling a bit off-kilter these first days of summer, if you're experiencing that strange mix of relief and restlessness, if you're wondering why you can't just immediately shift into vacation mode - you're not alone. You're not broken. You're exactly where you need to be.

Your nervous system is doing the important work of pendulating back toward baseline. Trust the process, be gentle with yourself, and know that on the other side of this transition is a more regulated, restored version of yourself.

And hey, if all else fails, at least we're not juggling the chaos of the school year while we figure it out.

What does the summer slump feel like for you? How do you support yourself through these transitions?