What The Arrival Of Spring Can Mean For Your Health

What does it mean when the temperatures become warm, the birds are singing, the sun is shining, the flowers are blooming and everything is covered in yellow pollen? You know it means SPRING is here! So many people count the days through the cold, dark chill of a long winter to welcome springtime back, like an old friend reunited for what feels like years apart. As we will learn here, there is more to spring than just blooming flowers and trees and longer daylight hours. Does the arrival of spring actually have an effect on your health? Let’s unpack some information on one of the most beloved seasons of the year.

More Sunshine And Warmer Temperatures

We obviously enjoy the sunshine and warmer temperatures, but what can they mean for us and for our health, in a positive way?

• You can open the windows in your home and let the fresh air in and the stale air out
• You can pack up the winter clothes and enjoy lighter, more breathable fabrics in your wardrobe
• People seem to find 72 degrees as their most comfortable temperature and spring weather brings that level of comfort
• Daylight Savings Time happens in March, pushing the clocks forward one hour and giving more daylight hours for people to be outside
• Counselors, psychologists and therapists have found that more hours of daylight means less distress and mental unhappiness in their patients
• Doctors admit that “spring fever” is a real thing, it causes us to have more energy and need less sleep

Nature Comes Alive

Not only does springtime mean more sunlight hours and warmer temps, we see nature come alive again in all it’s miraculous splendor. Nature shows off in the spring with……………..

• Many animals begin reproducing (having babies) in the Spring. Medical studies have shown that seeing baby animals can have a calming and positive effect on people
• Birds return from their “winter break” and the songs they are singing and the songs they are singing can be heard everywhere
• Flowers are blooming and trees get their leaves back. When leaves return to trees, trees put water back into the air which causes the air around them to become cooler, affecting the temperature 
• The plants that are now growing again are pulling carbon out of the air (thanks to photosynthesis), and seeing and smelling the fresh vegetation is a natural mood booster
• Fresh fruits and vegetables are returning, making our goal of eating healthy easier and more accessible

Outside Time And Safety

Spring allows us more daylight, waking hours to enjoy the rebirth of nature, and it brings us added benefits to our health and wellbeing:

• The nice, warmer weather allows you more outside time which is good for your physical and mental health
• Being outdoors means the return of outdoor exercising and activities. Researchers have found that those who exercise outside end up with more energy, more exertion, and a lower level of stress
• Dry air isn’t a problem anymore. The winter brings lower humidity which means dry air outside and inside due to our homes being heated, which can cause sinus problems, nose bleeds and a greater risk of catching a virus
• You can get your vitamins from nature, like sunlight which provides you with vitamin D
• A huge mood booster comes from the extra hours of daylight, thanks to Daylight Savings Time
• According to authorities, crime rate and robberies drop when spring arrives, so you are safer
• Researchers have found that more time outdoors helps clear the way people think and boosts their creativity and memory

Springing Up With Hope

In an earlier blog we discussed SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and how the lack of sunlight and daylights hours, colder temperatures and more indoor isolation fuel this type of seasonal depression. Those who suffer from SAD, and a large portion of humanity in general, can now rejoice as we all welcome spring and it’s beauty. As we learn more about this season of rebirth we learn of its health benefits to us, more than I ever anticipated. Now you know all about spring and how great it is for you, go out and enjoy it!!

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Sources:

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/55573/15-scientific-reasons-spring-most-delightful-season

https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/how-does-spring-fever-affect-people-differently-2/433038

Lori Herren

Lori Herren