Summer facts and rate drops, perfect combo

The Eiffel Tower gains about six inches in height during the warmer summer months. The famous landmark is mainly constructed of metal which expands in the heat. In addition, the top of the tower may shift away from the sun by as much as seven inches due to the thermal expansion on the side facing the sun.

The Perseid meteor shower in August is an annual favorite of amateur stargazers—and according to NASA, 2019’s will be one of the best ever. We can thank the new moon for that, as it will provide an optimal viewing experience that allows the shooting stars to shine. The Perseids are active from July 17 to August 24, but they’ll peak on the nights of August 12 and 13th. Head away from house and city lights to for the best viewing ability, and you’ll be oohing and ahhing as as many as 100 meteors per hour zoom by.

A 2014 European College of Neuropsychopharmacology study revealed that babies born during the summer are more prone to mood swings and babies born in cooler months were less irritable. Scientists in the study aren’t exactly sure why this happens, but neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin may be influenced by the season in which you are born.

The Midnight Sun (visible sun for 24 hours) is a natural phenomenon that occurs around the summer solstice each year and lasts for several weeks. Northern lands, including Canada, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Russia, and Alaska all benefit. In Barrow, Alaska, for instance, the sun doesn’t set for two-and-a-half months!

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) has two seasons: Winter and summer. More people suffer from winter SAD than summer SAD, but the causes and symptoms are generally the opposite. For example, research points to too much sun causing an overdose of vitamin D in the summer versus too little in the winter. Instead of overeating, with winter SAD, summer SAD sufferers actually experience a loss of appetite. Anxiety and poor body image, along with comparing yourself to your friend’s social media highlights are also contributing factors. Sleep patterns are off too. With summer SAD, insomnia keeps you up, causing irritability and moodiness.