Spring Equinox – How to Support Your Body at the Turn of Winter and Spring?

There are several periods during the year when many people experience a decline in their fitness and well-being. They are tired, fatigued, lack energy and the will to act. During this time, they may also experience symptoms related to seasonal throat ailments or a drop in mood. One such period of the year is the so-called spring equinox.

The equinox period is a few weeks of the year when winter ends and the long-awaited spring begins. Usually, the spring equinox occurs for several weeks – from February to April.

Unfortunately, due to unstable, changing weather and a lack of sunlight after winter, many people experience drowsiness, weakness, long-term problems with concentration and focus, and a drop in mood during the equinox. Because the symptoms are often associated with a decrease in activity and a deterioration in well-being, the beginning of spring and the symptoms associated with it are sometimes called spring fatigue syndrome by patients.

Below we have collected information for you about this period of the year, the causes of decreased well-being, and advice that will help you get through the waiting time for spring without unpleasant symptoms and in excellent condition.

Spring equinox causes tiredness and fatigue

The period encompassing the end of winter and the beginning of spring can indeed be difficult, and for many people, getting through it without an unpleasant drop in mood can be a very big challenge. Why? Because this is a special time of year, when we are exposed to many factors responsible for the deterioration of the ability to concentrate, a drop in mood, energy and lower immunity than in other months of the year – both mental and health.

Fig. 1. The end of winter and the beginning of spring do not have to mean a worsening of mood.

Why are these few weeks of waiting for spring to come difficult for the body? As mentioned earlier, there are many reasons for this phenomenon, including:

• Very large fluctuations in temperature and weather conditions, weather variability – due to the climate changes and global warming, the weather in Poland is also changing. So far, we have been protected from sudden temperature jumps by the occurrence of the so-called early spring period in the weather, when the temperature gradually rose, and the rain and snow characteristic of winter slowly let up. Currently, temperature fluctuations during early spring are very large, and the issue of other weather phenomena is similar – strong winds, rain, hail and periodic snow. Days are very diverse in terms of weather conditions, which consequently affects the well-being of people with a higher sensitivity to this type of stimuli than others.
• With weather changes, issues related to dynamic changes in atmospheric pressure are connected, which is also one of the factors determining well-being. In addition, such large changes in pressure that occur between February and March pose a risk of exacerbating symptoms in people who are affected by chronic health problems, e.g. related to the circulatory system or the musculoskeletal system. While the discomfort associated with temperature fluctuations and sudden occurrence of precipitation or storms can be overcome in a relatively simple way (with appropriate clothing, a slight temporary change in lifestyle, giving up some obligations, e.g. social ones), there is “no escape” from changing pressure, which is why this factor has such a strong impact on the well-being of many people.
• Changing to summer time also contributes to a lower mood and experiencing a number of unpleasant symptoms related to fatigue and a decrease in the level of activity. The justification for this change has been discussed for several years – both in the health and economic context, but until a final decision is made on this subject and the issue of the lack of cyclical time change is regulated, many people have to deal with symptoms of the so-called “flying day syndrome”, i.e. a feeling that accompanies people for several or a dozen days after the time is moved forward. Usually at this time of year we feel tired due to lack of sleep and the need to reorganize our daily schedule. The transition to summer time, especially in the era of technology that is ahead of us, is also a stressful factor and requires increased concentration for the next few days.

Fig. 2. The early spring period may be associated with an increased risk of fatigue due to lack of sleep and the so-called “flying day syndrome”.

Depending on the intensity of the factors responsible for lower mood and worsening well-being and personal sensitivity to them, unpleasant symptoms associated with the solstice may persist for several or a dozen days, during which you may feel broken, tired, irritated and find it difficult to concentrate. Usually, after this time, the situation normalizes, and the first days of real, warm and sunny spring bring an improvement in well-being and mood, but how to survive the solstice and how to deal with a worsening mood during these few weeks?

How to deal with a worse mood in early spring?

There are many ways to improve your mood and eliminate the symptoms of fatigue and weariness, which are quite characteristic of this time, but we advise you to start from scratch and not only temporarily improve your well-being, but also ensure that your body is properly nourished, hydrated and ready for the challenges that the year brings.

There is no exaggeration in the saying “you are what you eat”. A healthy diet is one of the basic factors influencing well-being. This is because, on the one hand, a properly balanced diet is a factor regulating body weight, and on the other, it is a source of vitamins and minerals, the regulation of which has a very large impact on cognitive abilities, the ability to maintain attention, the feeling of tiredness and fatigue, which may appear in some people after even a short period of dedication to a given activity, e.g. professional duties or duties related to caring for children and running a household.

Fig. 3. Spring does not have to be associated with difficulties related to professional duties or childcare and running a household.

In addition to diet, exercise has a very strong impact on us. The ending winter is usually a great time to change the type of physical activity or introduce it into your everyday life. Doctors and specialists dealing with the condition of the musculoskeletal system like to repeat that “no medicine can replace exercise”. Indeed, this statement is not an exaggeration either. Many scientific studies have proven that regular physical activity promotes biochemical changes in the human body. During sports, endorphins are produced, which are called “happiness hormones” by many people. Probably, if you do not regularly engage in any form of physical activity, it is difficult for you to understand the phenomenon of changes that occur in a person who decides to exercise – in such a case, we can only advise one thing: try, give yourself a chance, choose a sport that you will enjoy and let yourself be surprised how much sport can change your well-being.

What form of exercise will be right for you? If you are a healthy person and have never been diagnosed with any contraindications to doing sports, you can choose from a wide range of options. You can run, walk, do Nordic walking, which has been popular in recent years, or go to the gym or swimming pool and break records in swimming and weightlifting. For people who prefer more static forms of exercise, we recommend yoga, stretching, pilates or exercises on a mat, which will be loved by people struggling with symptoms related to the back and joints.

The time of the spring equinox is conducive to calming down and regenerating after winter. If you feel that a healthy diet and exercise are not enough, do a few pleasant things for yourself that will temporarily improve your mood and make it easier for you to focus on your duties and work. The weather, which changes like in a kaleidoscope, is not conducive to planning long holidays, but a few days or a weekend spent in the mountains or by the sea will help you collect your thoughts, calm down and gain the energy that is so needed in spring and in the remaining months of the year. If going away is not an option, you can try to change your environment in less obvious ways – a day trip out of town, small changes in the space where you live and work, new plants in your apartment and a few accessories on your desk can make you more eager to enter the new season, and the symptoms that make you feel worse will subside.

Fig. 4. Sports and exercise are conducive to well-being in spring, especially when combined with the possibility of a change of environment.

Give yourself time and try to limit the stimuli that make you stressed and have problems with concentrating. Plan all activities that are associated with stress or the need to do a lot of organizational work. Allow yourself to slow down, reduce stress and contact with technology – this will make it easier for you to sleep, and the sleep itself will be more valuable. If you have problems falling asleep, remember to air the room in which you sleep, try perfume for bedding or compresses with lavender oil, make sure to follow evening rituals and limit drinking black tea, coffee and strong herbal infusions in the evenings. They can have a stimulating effect and make it difficult to fall asleep.

Early vegetables and fresh vegetables – appreciate the power of a spring diet

As mentioned earlier, diet is one of the most important factors in determining well-being. At the beginning of spring, the body may need an additional dose of vitamins and minerals that it was deprived of in winter. Despite the huge expansion of the offer of stores, the vegetables and fruits that are available for sale from late autumn to early spring do not impress with their taste and appearance. Their selection is small, and low temperatures and lack of sun do not encourage a large consumption of raw vegetables and fruits. In winter, we are more willing to choose aromatic, filling dishes containing a lot of carbohydrates and fats. It is obvious that with the first rays of sunshine we expect fresh young vegetables and the vitamins they can provide us.

What are early vegetables and is it worth including them in your daily diet? Early vegetables are fruits and vegetables that appear in the first weeks after winter. Most often, these are vegetables produced in greenhouses or imported from foreign crops – from Greece, Spain or Italy. Early vegetables can give us a boost of vitamins and energy, among them we can most often find:

• young carrots;
• radishes – cleanses the digestive tract, contains water and is a tasty addition, e.g. to dairy dishes;
• chives and other herbs – make meals more attractive, finally adding something green to them, they contain e.g. iron, phosphorus and B vitamins (B6, B12);
• sprouts – which are plant vitamin bombs, contain many ingredients that have a positive effect on the body, and at the same time they are easy to add to everyday snacks, e.g. by putting a portion on sandwiches or smuggling in salads;
• tomatoes – rich in lycopene;
• cucumbers – hydrate and cleanse the body because they are almost 98% water.

Fig. 5. Early vegetables are an attractive source of vitamins and minerals.

Unfortunately, not all early vegetables are of good quality. Reports of excessive nitrogen accumulation in plant tissues may be disturbing. Nitrogen from vegetables grown hydroponically or in greenhouses comes of course from fertilizers, which are an essential part of agriculture. Does this mean that you have to give up the vegetables we have been waiting for so long? Fortunately, no, when choosing vegetables, follow a few rules that will help you choose valuable products.

• Choose vegetables with green, firm leaves, any traces of yellowing may suggest that the vegetables have been in long transport and are not the freshest.
• Pay attention to traces of mold and discoloration on the skin and roots, they also disqualify vegetables.
• Do not buy with your eyes, choose smaller specimens wisely, e.g. cucumbers or carrots. Exuberant size may indicate intensive fertilization during cultivation.
• Store vegetables properly, do not keep them in airtight plastic packaging, paper or glass, open containers work best.

Early vegetables, like all other vegetables and fruits, should be washed very thoroughly before consumption, and peeled whenever possible. Harmful substances from fertilizers largely accumulate just under the skin.

If you have doubts about the quality of vegetables, refrain from buying them, look for products from certified crops or wait until the fruit and vegetable season is in full swing.

Vitamins and minerals in spring

The desire for fresh, young vegetables and fruits is also associated with a reduced supply of vitamins and minerals throughout the late autumn and winter. If you are not sure about the quality of vegetables sold in early spring, you can stop including them in your diet in favor of other sources of vitamins, e.g. dairy products, unprocessed dark bread, fruit juices, frozen vegetables or ready-made vitamin preparations. What vitamins and minerals do you need especially in spring and which ones to look for in food products?

The above-mentioned ingredients are just examples of vitamins that are good to take care of during the change of seasons and to endure unpleasant symptoms related to fatigue, weariness, difficulty concentrating, oxidative stress or the functioning of the immune system and maintaining resistance against, for example, seasonal infections.

All valuable ingredients are found in commonly available food products – vegetables, fruit, groats, nuts, dairy products or unprocessed meat. When composing meals from them, make sure that the ingredients in your menu are of sufficiently good quality. Especially in early spring, choose vegetables and fruit carefully to reduce the risk of buying vegetables that have been excessively exposed to fertilizers.

If you want to support your body with ready-made vitamin preparations, choose those whose composition will meet your needs during the spring equinox. Ready-made vitamin preparations are a convenient and reasonable choice even when you live in a big hurry. Many products from reputable manufacturers not only contain essential minerals and vitamins, but also provide them in sufficient quantities, providing up to 100% of the daily requirement. The Plusssz 100% Multivitamin + Minerals dietary supplement is an example of such a product. By taking one tablet a day, you provide your body with vitamins and minerals.

Fig. 6. Ready-made vitamin preparations are a convenient and sensible choice even when you live in a big rush.

You can always have a vitamin preparation with you. Effervescent tablets to dissolve in water can be easily taken during a break at work, after exercising at the gym or at home, finding a moment of relaxation and rest between everyday activities. The easy form of taking and the attractive taste will not only make you take care of your body and reduce the unpleasant symptoms accompanying the change of seasons, but also give yourself a little pleasure.

Take care of proper hydration, you will feel better!

Cold days are not conducive to drinking water, the feeling of thirst may be reduced, and in winter we are more willing to warm up with drinks that do not necessarily hydrate well – hot tea or cocoa. The first days of spring are a great time to take care of drinking the right amounts of water and restore the body’s proper level of hydration.

In addition to water itself, electrolyte substances are also important. By choosing effervescent tablets containing electrolytes after preparation according to the method of use, you provide the body not only with water, but also with potassium and magnesium. Mineral ingredients supporting the proper functioning of muscles and the nervous system can be found in the dietary supplement Plusssz Electrolytes + 100% Multivitamin.

Fig. 7. Proper hydration promotes well-being.

Electrolytes include sodium, potassium and magnesium. The source of these elements can be nuts, seeds and pits, green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale), groats, fruits and vegetables (bananas, tomatoes and potatoes are a great source of potassium). Many people look for magnesium in chocolate. Cocoa does indeed contain a lot of it, but chocolate is not the best source of magnesium, instead choose nuts or almonds. In addition to cocoa, chocolate often contains sugar and vegetable fats (cocoa butter, sometimes shea butter, and in low-quality chocolates – hardened fats). If you want to improve your mood and well-being by reaching for a few cubes of chocolate, choose it wisely, checking the composition and leaning more towards dark chocolates with a very high content of unprocessed cocoa (60%).

Questions and answers to the most common nutritional problems in spring

I am afraid of buying early vegetables. I know that they can be produced using too many nitrogen fertilizers. I want to take care of the amount of vegetables in my diet, is it safe to replace early vegetables with frozen vegetables?

Early vegetables should not be feared. They are a good source of water, fiber and vitamins so needed after the winter. Additionally, due to their taste and visual values, they make the meal much more attractive, which can encourage children, for example, to eat a portion of vegetables. However, it is true that they should be chosen carefully and it is best to buy products from proven, certified sellers.

If you prefer to supplement your diet with frozen vegetables, there is nothing to stop you from doing so. Currently, vegetables are frozen in a way that ensures their freshness for a very long time. It has been proven that frozen vegetables do not have worse nutritional value, vitamins that are so important for maintaining well-being (e.g. vitamin C) remain unchanged in them.

How to Take Care of Proper Hydration in Spring?

Try to include habits that encourage regular water drinking in your daily life. Adding fruit, mint or citrus fruit to a jug of water will improve its taste and make you reach for it more often. Apps that monitor the amount of water you drink are also worth trying.

If you are still not sure that you are drinking enough fluids, consider including a preparation containing electrolytes – magnesium, potassium and sodium – in your diet. Its easy form of administration and attractive taste will make it easier for you to take care of proper hydration.

In Spring I Feel Tired and Weary. I Feel That I Have No Energy. How to Deal With It?

The basis for proper functioning is a proper diet, take care of increasing the supply of minerals and vitamins, thanks to them you will feel better. Above we have listed the ingredients that you should look for in vitamin preparations and elements of the diet that will help you cope with the feeling of fatigue.

A good complement to a healthy diet is exercise. It has been proven that during sports, endorphins are produced – happiness hormones that have a positive effect on well-being.

Summary

The turn of winter and spring is difficult and may be associated with the feeling of fatigue, weariness, reduced level of activity and difficulty in concentrating. There are many reasons for this phenomenon – from reduced amount of sunlight to an incorrectly composed diet.

Take a look at your habits, take care of the appropriate amount and quality of sleep, try to find a sport that will give you pleasure and take a look at your diet. You can temporarily support yourself with vitamin preparations, they will not replace a healthy diet, but they will provide you with a dose of essential ingredients that affect your well-being.

Bibliography: 

• Avitable A., Brood Rearing in Honeybee Colonies from Late Autumn to Early Spring, “Journal of Apicultural Research” 1978, no. 2, vol. 78, pp. 69-73.
• Mazurek A., Jamroz J., Vitamin C stability in fruit juices and black currant nectar during storage, “Acta Agrophysica” 2010, no. 16, vol. 1, pp. 93-100.
• Palich, P., Pukszta, T., Changes in vitamin C content of frozen vegetables and fruits during storage, “Chłodnictwo: organ Naczelnej Organizacji Technicznej” 2001, no. 7, vol. 36, pp. 43-45.
• Suliga E., Health behaviors related to nutrition of adults and the elderly, “Hygeia Public Health” 2010, no. 45, vol. 1, pp. 44-48.
• Suliga E., Eating habits of women and men aged 30+, “Studia Medyczne” 2012, no. 28, vol. 4, pp. 43-50.

A balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important for maintaining health.