When the spring is in full swing the days are longer and the weather is nicer. All you want to do is seize every opportunity. But all you really feel like doing is lie there like a spring roll. What’s wrong with this picture?
It’s not uncommon to experience fatigue in spring. After a winter sleep our body transitions through some physiological changes. Trying to keep up with the shifting seasons it might get somewhat disoriented.
Here’s why you might feel tired in between seasons and what you can do about it:
Sweet morning light
Spring brings along earlier and brighter mornings. Our brain interprets sunlight as our wakeup call, and often long before our actual alarm goes off. As a result, you don’t get enough sleep.
How to deal with it
- Try shutting the curtains or putting on a sleep mask not to let the sun in ahead of time. This way your sleep won’t be disturbed.
- Although many people prefer to wake up in a sunlit room, it’s been proven that sleeping in the dark protects the quality of sleep. The absence of light stimulates the production of a hormone called melatonin which is in control of our sleep-wake cycle, and which, as a pleasant bonus, helps prevent wrinkles and slows down aging processes.
Spring repairs
During winter we can be short of certain hormones and in excess of others. Normally we are missing serotonin and dopamine, happiness and motivation hormones, due to the lack of sunlight and movement. At the same time, our body produces more cortisol, the stress hormone, to protect us from external threats during winter.
So, by the end of winter we often feel worn out and need to fight off the spring fatigue syndrome along with its symptoms. To get back in the game our body needs to reinforce our weakened defense mechanisms.
How to deal with it
- Reduce stress levels. Dedicate more time to the things you enjoy to boost your mood and stimulate your happiness hormone.
- Contrast showers strengthen your defense system by making your body more immune to temperature change.
- To compensate for the lack of vitamin D take long walks and engage in outdoor activities and physical exercise during the day.
- Don’t overexpose yourself to cold. When it’s sunny outside you want to take your coat off immediately, if not sooner. But don’t fall for that trick. Spring sun can be quite a trickster, and in reality it may not be that warm.
Vitamin refill
When the seasons click our bodies often suffer from certain vitamin deficiency. It happens because usually we don’t consume enough fresh fruits and vegetables during winter. Lack of these vitamins can result in chronic tiredness by mid-spring.
How to deal with it
- Restock for spring to replenish your body with vitamins by adding fresh fruit, vegetables and greens to your meals.
- Some people add biologically active supplements to their meals. It’s all good and sometimes necessary. But, to be frank, it’s much healthier to choose in favor of natural foods and properly balance your diet.
- If you feel your body still doesn’t get enough vitamins, try talking to a nutritionist who can prepare a personalized meal plan for you.
So little time, so much to do
We try to jam as much as we can into these warmer, longer days. Our subconscious mind tells us to be more energetic because – duh – it’s spring, though the body often resists because it needs a tad more time to readjust.
How to deal with it
- To get your mind and body in sync stick to your routine schedule. Distribute your activities wisely throughout the day not to exhaust your body reserves.
- Don’t make rush decisions to sleep much less. Sleep-wake cycles adjustment doesn’t happen overnight.
- Don’t neglect rest once you feel tired. Take a 20-min nap during the day, if possible.
For a smooth transition between the seasons it’s wise not to change your habits and schedules dramatically, eat healthy, never forget to slow down once in a while and recharge your energy batteries. This way you’ll be done with springtime tiredness way faster.