Spring Fatigue – Do you feel sluggish and tired after a long winter as soon as the first rays of sunshine appear in the sky? You can do this against spring fatigue.
Spring Fatigue - Old Wives' Tale Or Real Phenomenon?
Spring is the first thing many people mention when asked about their favorite season. Sentences like “I think it’s so wonderful when everything starts to bloom” or “It’s nice when the days get longer again” are often given as justification.
But it is precisely this change in nature that causes problems for many people. As soon as the first birds chirp outside, you feel tired, exhausted, and listless – not to mention blossoming – the much-mentioned spring fatigue hits with full force.
Do you know the signs and feeling sluggish and tired after a long winter as soon as the first rays of sunshine appear in the sky?
Then you are not alone. Our organism has to struggle with the climatic change that takes place in spring. The phenomenon of spring fatigue has been scientifically proven and is therefore not a fairy tale. It really does exist, the great tiredness – so you don’t have to be ashamed if you feel spring fever but constantly have the yawning reflex at work.
Spring fatigue can be traced back to the change in the hormone balance in the body. This happens automatically after the winter and has different effects on us humans.
Why Does Spring Fatigue Bother Us So Much?
Two hormones in the body are primarily responsible for the changes at the beginning of spring: the happiness hormone serotonin, which the body produces less in winter due to too little light, and the sleep hormone melatonin, which is present en masse during the long winter days. This is why we sleep more on average in winter than in summer.
As the days get longer, your body perceives more daylight and converts it – the hormone production of serotonin increases and slowly picks up speed. The blood vessels dilate a little and the blood pressure drops. This change in the natural hormonal balance causes problems for our organism and is expressed in tiredness, exhaustion, and, in some people, even in an irritable or depressed mood, which has nothing to do with the sight of the winter kilos on the hips.
In addition, in winter we tend to consume rich foods and especially at Christmas, we eat a lot of sweets. The supply of nutrients falls by the wayside and we eat less fruit and vegetables. Buying fruit is no fun during the winter anyway, because they are usually not ripe in the supermarket, and a cup of tea with chocolate is more tempting.
So your body has neither vitamin D nor C nor other vitamins available that would support it in changing the hormone balance.
So you can imagine spring fatigue a bit like being pregnant – because here, too, there is a massive hormonal change.
1. Walking On Sunshine – Light As Medicine
There are a few things that will help overcome springtime fatigue. The faster your body gets used to the increased light intake, the better.
You should therefore take many walks in the fresh air and in daylight to get your circulation going. Light is like medicine at this point.
Use every hour of sunshine you can get – make yourself comfortable with a yoga mat on the room floor and let the sunshine on your face through the window or use hours of sunshine on the balcony, provided that the temperature and the conditions allow it. So you can send your body a kind of loving signal that says: “Hey sleepyhead, wake up!”. You will find that your body converts the light into vitamin D, which boosts your immune system and gives you more energy.
In addition, the increased light intake leads to an awakening of libido and appetite. You can eat more and you may even feel positive effects on your sex life.
At the same time, you lose that elegant winter pallor and your face gains a bit of healthy color.
2. Vitamin Cocktails For More Strength And Vitality
It is true that there is not quite as crunchy fruit to be found in the supermarket in winter, but in spring the offer looks different again. You can buy fresh fruit or frozen fruit to make delicious smoothies at home. These are vitamin bombs par excellence, which not only taste fantastic but also replenish your vital substance balance and give the body all the nutrients it needs for metabolic or hormonal changes and which it didn’t get enough of in winter.
If you also want to support your intestinal flora, you can use oat milk instead of cow’s milk. This is metabolized as a base and does not draw as much energy from the intestine as animal protein. Additionally, you can buy oranges and squeeze them in the morning so you get vitamin C in its purest form. Freshly squeezed orange juice is a great way to start the day because just looking at the rich, orange color of the juice puts you in a good mood.
3. Sport As An Activator
Do you feel so exhausted that reaching for the energy drink is tempting again? Then you should definitely put on your sneakers and get moving. Sport is a better source of energy and ensures that your circulation gets going. By activating your muscles and lungs, you absorb more oxygen and gain endurance and resilience with regular exercise.
Incidentally, it doesn’t always have to be the gym to be physically active. Climbing stairs in the stairwell or riding a bike are also good options for physical activity. Even strength training can be done at home with a few dumbbells and an insulating mat.
Of course, you can also just go for a walk more often to ensure you get enough exercise. Your body will thank you and the tiredness will go away after a while because you will also gain sleep quality and sleep will be more restful with an active lifestyle.
4. Thalasso Therapy – Using The Power Of Water
Do you love your bathroom and like to shower or bathe?
Great, because then you have an additional opportunity to fight spring fatigue. For example, you can start the day with alternating showers. The alternation of warm and cold water causes the blood vessels to widen for better blood circulation so that you feel fresh and awake afterward. Basically, contrast baths not only help against tiredness but also stabilize the immune system. Coldwater isn’t for everyone, but if you approach it slowly and don’t start straight away with ice-cold water, you’ll quickly learn to appreciate the positive effects of contrast showers and enjoy it.
Another recommendation is basic baths with appropriate bath salts. Due to the increased PH value in the water, a natural acid balance takes place, which detoxifies your body and also gives you more energy. Add some nice music and some candles and you have a home spa with refreshing water therapy.
Spring Fatigue - Our Conclusion
Springtime fatigue is a real phenomenon and describes the exhaustion that many people feel at the beginning of the warmer season. It can be traced back to the hormonal change that takes place in the body as a result of increased light absorption.
In winter, the body suffers from insufficient serotonin production and a reduced supply of nutrients. Accordingly, you lack sunlight and vitamins.
You can counteract it very well with the tricks described above and do something yourself to make yourself feel less limp and tired. Exercise in the fresh air, a diet rich in vitamins, contrast showers, and many hours of sunshine will help you transition from winter to spring.
