Is it just me, or does everyone seem to have a spring in their step at the moment? Perhaps it’s the promise of a bank holiday or the fact that it’s finally rosé on a terrace season. But most likely it has something to do with the glorious heatwave the UK has been bracing itself for.

It’s not just anecdotal, though. There’s plenty of science behind the idea that good weather = a good mood. Warmer temperatures can boost your energy along with your mood, with more serotonin being released into our brains when the sun is shining, helping us to feel more carefree and easy-going.

And because summer is so closely associated with having fun and letting go of inhibitions, it’s no surprise that a new dating trend has emerged as the weather has turned for the better. Enter: ‘summer shading’.

In practice, summer shading involves intentionally avoiding commitment or even ending relationships during the summer months when the weather is nice and people are more likely to travel or engage in other seasonal activities without being tied down.

While it may sound a little bit brutal, the term was coined by dating app Wingman after nearly 67% of its users admitted to having summer shaded someone in the past or have plans to put the person they are currently dating in the shade to ‘cool off’ during the height of the summer.

“The idea behind summer shading is that people might want to enjoy their freedom and have fun without any attachments during the summer. Then resume their serious relationships in the winter months when the weather starts to turn to autumn and people tend to stay in more,” Wingman founder Tina Wilson tells Stylist.

“The trend is partially influenced by people’s seasonal habitual routines, which date back hundreds of years. Essentially, as daters settle back into their routines come cooler weather, they also wish to settle back into comfortable and familiar situations and relationships, with the possibility of rekindling them once the season is over, right in time for ‘cuffing season’.”

It certainly sounds like a lot of fun, but, as always, it’s important to respect other people’s boundaries while serving our own interests.

“Online daters should be upfront and honest if they are summer shading to allow the other person to decide if they’re also happy with a no strings attached or non-committal relationship,” agrees Wilson. “Relationships should always be built on open communication and consent, so it’s important for individuals to be clear about their intentions and boundaries, regardless of any popular dating terms that are doing the rounds.”

Ultimately, this clear communication is what will help you avoid leading anyone on and hurting their feelings in the process. 

And if you’re the one being left in the shade? Wilson advises taking a step back and assessing the relationship.

“Try asking them about their intentions by having an honest chat and if things haven’t improved in the short term and they are not proactively making plans with you or you feel they are blowing you off, make your own plans and fill your calendar up yourself,” she says. “Move on and don’t rely on them. Think of it as a holiday romance: you enjoyed it while it lasted, but they weren’t your person.”

Images: Getty