How Does The Change Of Season With Spring Influence Us?
It’s only been a few weeks since we entered spring in the northern hemisphere. How are you handling the change? Do you feel more tired and irritated? Or on the contrary, do you feel more energetic and happy?
There is the saying “Spring alters the blood,” and behind all popular wisdom there is a certain scientific truth. This saying is no exception: spring alters hormonal production and, therefore, hormonal levels in the blood. This is due to the changes in daylight hours and temperature characteristic of the season. In fact, in some cases this is linked to what is known as spring asthenia.
AND How specifically does the change of season with spring influence us? ? Does it have positive aspects, or are there only negative aspects? Keep reading this article and we will answer these questions for you!
The change to spring means an increase in daylight hours, along with a delay in the time of sunrise and sunset. In turn, it causes a rise in temperature. Spring and summer are when the sun is at its furthest point from the earth.
The day that is furthest away is called aphelion, approximately July 6. But as its rays hit more directly, it is hotter. From the spring equinox to the autumn equinox. These changes alter the secretion of melatonin.
Melatonin is popularly known as the sleep hormone, as it is responsible for regulating the sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin production increases when we are in the dark, making us drowsy and inducing us to sleep as their levels rise. With the delay of dawn in spring, our melatonin levels do not decrease until later in the morning and, therefore, it is difficult for some of us to wake up a little more.
The opposite effect also occurs with light: the more light we are exposed to, the less melatonin we secrete, which translates into feeling more active and awake. This means that, with so many hours of daylight and at dusk so late in spring, it can be difficult for us to fall asleep and our quality of sleep worsens.
Both events make us feel tired, sleepy and everything that this implies: we are more irritable, we have difficulty concentrating, we have a lack of motivation and energy, headaches… In addition, our appetite is deregulated and our libido decreases. Continuous fatigue and tiredness lead us to even feel sadness and apathy.
These symptoms are known as spring asthenia and generally last a couple of weeks in early spring. This occurs as a consequence of our difficulties in physically adapting to changes in the environment. The most affected are usually children, the elderly and some sick people, who have a somewhat more inflexible biological clock.
How to deal with negative changes with spring?
The most important thing is to remember that the unpleasant symptoms of the change of season will be temporary. Most likely, they will disappear when we manage to adapt to seasonal changes. Human beings have a great capacity for adaptation, so sooner or later you will get used to so many hours of light and heat.
Likewise, To speed up adaptation, we recommend that you try to rest adequately. Be regular when you wake up and go to bed, to readjust our sleeping hours to the season. Try to avoid electronic devices before going to sleep, so that your melatonin levels drop as soon as possible. And of course, he sleeps around 8 hours a day. By the way, women need to sleep about 20 minutes more than men, in case you need to know.
Likewise, it is important that you have a set meal schedule, a balanced diet and that you hydrate yourself enough. This will allow you to feel better physically, and with more energy during the day. Likewise, if you practice sports and activities that you find enjoyable, you will release hormones and neurotransmitters that help you feel mentally clear. In addition, you will be more physically tired at night and will be able to fall asleep more easily.
Positive aspects of the change to spring
In addition to altering the amount of melatonin secreted, the increase in light and temperature implies a rise in hormones related to happiness and well-being, including euphoria and motivation, including oxytocin, pheromones, dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. As a result, we feel more sociable, energetic, motivated and eager to go out. Fortunately, these changes usually last longer than spring asthenia, even if they appear later.
Oxytocin allows us to develop emotional relationships and establish stable bonds. It is commonly called the love hormone, as it plays a fundamental role in falling in love. It is also a hormone related to passion and sex, like pheromones, which cause sexual attraction. During spring, many species come into season. Humans do not have a season of heat as such (let’s say we are always in heat), but sex-related hormones do increase.
Another hormone involved in sex and whose levels increase in spring is dopamine, a neurotransmitter that functions as a hormone and regulates our motivation and behavior. It is known as the pleasure hormone, since we secrete it when we do activities that give us rewarding results, and it drives us to repeat the same action. When faced with this neurotransmitter we usually feel a sensation of high or euphoria.
On the other hand, More norepinephrine is also produced, the neurotransmitter that promotes the production of adrenaline. For this reason, it is known as the stress hormone, but apart from causing us this feeling and the relevant physiological reactions (increased heart rate, muscle tension…), it helps regulate mood and is related to sexual pleasure.
Finally, serotonin is the complementary neurotransmitter to melatonin. When daylight hours increase, while melatonin levels decrease, serotonin levels increase, which is why it also regulates our sleep-wake cycles. This neurotransmitter works as a hormone, and is known as the happiness hormone because it gives us well-being and tranquility.
How to enjoy the positive changes with spring?
The only thing you have to do is take advantage of the good weather that characterizes spring and all the energy hormones you have in your body. This is easier than facing negative changes, but how you are going to enjoy it is up to you to decide. What is the body asking you to do?
Maybe, when you see what a nice day it is out the window, you suddenly get so much energy that you don’t know what activity you want to spend it on. For it, You can set specific goals and plans that you want now that the weather allows it.
Furthermore, we recommend that you directly incorporate time in your new routine to deal with spring fatigue in which you can enjoy and do these activities. You can design it at the beginning of the month, at the beginning of the week or every morning, always leaving room for flexibility and being able to include whatever arises or whatever occurs to you.
Practice hobbies that you have liked for a long time, or even try some new hobbies or take up old ones. Take advantage of the fact that everyone is the same as you and meet friends and family. Go out and enjoy!
