Spring Fatigue: Everything You Need To Know

The arrival of spring is a lovely time of year, but for some reason, people tend to be exhausted during this season. If you’ve found yourself exhausted, despite it being a lovely day outside, you might have experienced “spring fatigue.” Here’s what it is and, more importantly, how to overcome it.

What is spring fatigue, and what causes it?

Spring fatigue isn’t an illness but a phenomenon that can happen to you during the early days of the season. It occurs because the human body needs time to adjust to changes in the environment. 

Spring fatigue occurs because of the seasonal shift from winter to spring. You might feel particularly sleepier during December, January, and February. This is because you produce more melatonin during the winter months, the hormone that regulates sleep. Melatonin production signals your body to sleep thus producing more of it will make you sleepier.

On the other hand, your body will produce more serotonin during spring - commonly known as the happiness hormone. This means you will feel more lively during May, April, and early June.

However, your body will need time to adjust from producing more melatonin to producing more serotonin. It is during this adjustment period that you’ll experience spring fatigue. 

Thankfully, spring fatigue typically only lasts during the earliest days of the season. Once your body has fully adjusted, you’ll feel more energetic. If you want to speed up the adjustment process, you first have to get rid of winter fatigue.

How do I get rid of winter fatigue?

You can lessen the impact of spring fatigue if you prepare yourself for the change in the environment during the last few days of winter. Before spring arrives, you should:

Get out of bed earlier

It’s also been proven that after a certain number of hours, the more time you spend sleeping, the more tired you get. Even if it feels especially good to sleep in during winter, you should try to get out of bed earlier to avoid spring fatigue. Sleeping just enough hours during the day will make you feel more energized when spring finally arrives.

Take fewer naps

While naps can make you feel relaxed, they might make it harder to get quality sleep at night. You won’t feel as tired at night if you take naps throughout the day. Take fewer naps, or stop taking them altogether, and you’ll have an easier time avoiding spring fatigue.

Eat the right food

Comfort snacking is common during winter, but a proper diet will help eliminate winter fatigue. If you find yourself eating more comfort food during the winter months, try to shift to healthier food instead. Here are some examples of food that can help you beat winter fatigue:

Salmon

This fish is an excellent source of lean proteins and omega-3 fatty acids. While pork chops and steaks can also provide these, salmon’s fat content isn’t as high. 

Lentils

Try incorporating greens into your diet, even during the winter months. While many fruits and vegetables don’t grow during this time of year, lentils do and are essential to some hearty winter dishes.

Egg yolk

Because there is less daylight during the winter months, you need to incorporate more sources of Vitamin D into your diet. Egg yolk is one of the best sources of Vitamin D, but you can also find it in certain mushrooms and fish.

How do I deal with spring fatigue? 

If you’re unable to prepare for spring properly, there are a few ways to make your body adjust to the new season more quickly. Here are some tips to remember:

1. Boost your immune system

Your immune system decides how effectively your body adapts to both internal and external changes. Having a strong immune system will give you more energy at the beginning of the season. With a stronger immune system, your body will react more quickly to sudden changes, such as the shift from winter to spring. 

2. Expose yourself to more sunlight

There are more hours of sunlight in spring, and spending more time in the sun will help your body adjust to spring more quickly than usual. By taking a walk, visiting a friend, or sunbathing, you’ll be spring fatigue-free in no time.

3. Get quality sleep

To beat spring fatigue, you need to have quality sleep every night. Besides following a proper sleep schedule and taking fewer  naps, here are a few more ways to improve your sleep quality:

Reduce blue light before bedtime

Bright lights make you feel more awake, so you feel more lively during daylight hours. Blue light, the light from computer screens, also has this effect. You might feel less tired after viewing your phone, even if you’re ready for a good night’s rest. Don’t use your phone, tablet, or computer an hour before bedtime.

Light some scented candles

Scented candles help set a more relaxed mood. Lighting them before going to bed can help you feel more at peace and ready for a good night’s rest. Be sure to put the candles out before actually sleeping.

Certain scents can even help fight insomnia. Find out what they are by reading our article.

4. Try using a natural supplement

While there are many kinds of sleep supplements and pills, a key ingredient to look out for is Zizyphus.This is an herbal extract that has been used for thousands of years in Eastern countries to counteract insomnia. Our Quiet Please capsules contain this extract and much more–and you can learn more about them through our article.

If you want to learn more about natural remedies for adult acne, menstrual cramps, and boosting immune function, check out our other articles.