Spring is a wonderful time of year! The sun shines brighter and brighter, warming us with its magical warmth. Nature awakens from its winter slumber. Body and soul feel a surge of strength and energy. Even the spring slush and dampness don't dampen our spirits. A certain group of people would disagree. For them, spring is a time of unpleasant, and sometimes difficult, trials, as illnesses take hold.
Who feels bad in spring?
Spring is the most common time for exacerbations of bronchial asthma, gastric and duodenal ulcers, gastritis, ulcerative colitis, hypertension, migraines, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, urticaria, neurodermatitis, psoriasis, many sexual disorders, and menstrual irregularities in women. Many of these illnesses are considered psychosomatic, emphasizing the influence of thoughts, feelings, and emotions on their course.
Psychiatrists note an increase in alcoholism, drug addiction, and gambling addiction in the spring. Particular attention is paid to spring mood disorders . Seasonal mood swings occur in almost everyone. Many experience a decline in energy in the spring, feeling lethargic and drowsy, their productivity plummeting, irritability, and sleep disturbances. This condition is often attributed to spring hypovitaminosis, and people take copious amounts of vitamin supplements, but their well-being only improves with the change of seasons. People with an overly elevated mood are less likely to experience anxiety. At this time of year, they experience an unusual uplift, a surge of energy and emotion, and a state of euphoria, but then their cheerfulness gives way to outbursts of anger and irritability.
All these conditions can be expressed in varying degrees: from mild, causing minor discomfort, to severe forms that significantly disrupt the normal course of life and the performance of the most pressing tasks.
What determines the seasonality of exacerbations?
Nature, through evolution and natural selection, forced all living organisms on Earth to obey its laws and rhythms. They were forced to create biological clocks that synchronized their rhythms with natural conditions.
A malfunction of this clock often hampered survival. Due to its particular importance, its functioning became genetically controlled and passed down from generation to generation for many thousands of years.
How does this clock work in humans?
The functioning of our biological clock is controlled by the close “collaboration” of the central nervous system with biologically active substances in the body's fluids (blood, lymph, and tissue fluid). This regulatory system is called neurohumoral . It depends on received nerve signals and numerous specific and nonspecific metabolic products (metabolites): tissue and gastrointestinal hormones, hypothalamic neurohormones, histamine, prostaglandins, and oligopeptides—the agents of this system.
A striking example is photoperiodic regulation. Light perceived by the retina via the retinohypothalamic tract affects the pineal gland nuclei, where melatonin production is decreased or increased. Melatonin is one of the converters that adjusts a person's internal biorhythms to those of the environment.
As a result of these mechanisms, organisms are most stable during critical times of the year. Thus, in early spring, when food is scarce and the body's reserves are depleted, metabolism slows sharply, inhibition of the nervous system predominates, and a state of parabiosis—half-sleep—emerges (similar to the winter hibernation of bears). Then, with increasing daylight hours, rising ambient temperatures, and the availability of plant foods, preparation for vigorous activity, reproduction, and raising offspring begins.
In this regard, the excitability of the nervous system increases, the production of hormones of the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, adrenal glands, gastrointestinal tract, and sex glands increases, and the intensity of energy metabolism and growth processes is noted.
Does this clock always work correctly?
When the body's biological rhythms become out of sync with physical and social time sensors, dyssynchronicity occurs. Spring is the transition season from the lowest level of general activity (biological winter) to the highest (biological summer). Therefore, spring dyssynchronicity is most common.
What causes spring dyssynchrony?
Advances in the development of means of protection against changes in environmental parameters, in addition to comfort, are one of the reasons for disruptions in the biological clock.
Social rhythms are becoming leading factors in the disruption of seasonal biorhythms in humans, increasingly out of sync with natural biorhythms. Work and household schedules often become out of sync with the natural clock.
Genetic factors . Realignment of internal annual rhythms occurs with great difficulty, over a number of generations. It's quite possible that descendants experience jet lag similar to their ancestors. Therefore, some people not only adapt quickly to jet lag but also feel significantly better.
Nutrition . The emphasis on dietary deficiencies and monotony, especially vitamin and micronutrient deficiencies, is of little relevance. Diverse and healthy foods are readily available today. Eating habits and their alignment with the body's needs are far more important. The biological clock created a “food calendar” to which the functioning of all organs and systems, the synthesis of hormones and enzymes, and metabolism were adjusted. Thus, consuming large amounts of fat was associated with the body's resistance to low ambient temperatures, and “food rest” was associated with a sharp decrease in physical and emotional activity. Diets or, conversely, “eternal feasting” often conflict with this calendar.
What to do?
Despite the discomfort and suffering, spring flare-ups have one wonderful positive aspect! Knowing when they're coming allows you to prepare in advance. With the right measures, their symptoms can be significantly reduced or even avoided.
In this case, it is worth remembering the doctor’s recommendations in advance and starting to strictly adhere to them (diet, work and rest schedule, taking medications).
Try to maximize your time outdoors, preferably in combination with physical activity.
Your diet should be nutritious and meet your body's needs. A focus on plant-based foods is recommended, but eliminating meat from your diet can be harmful. Consult your doctor before fasting. Sprouted grains are a wonderful way to replenish essential spring nutrients.
In some cases, a therapeutic effect is possible with a change, even temporary, of climate and time zone.
Don't take on a burden you can't handle. Avoid physical and, especially, mental fatigue. Breakdowns and breakdowns are most common in people experiencing physical, psycho-emotional, and intellectual stress.
Manage your emotions and mood. Don't forget to consult a therapist if necessary.
If you're experiencing spring depression, try to create a period of emotional and physical peace for yourself in advance, before it begins.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by emotions and energy, find a worthy outlet for it in advance. Physically active activities are preferred, but art, crafts, and other hobbies can also be beneficial.
Wishing you good health and a spring mood!