Why You Should Know About Spring Fever & Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Seasonal Affective Disorder, (S.A.D.), is a type of depression during seasonal changes. Seasonal Affective Disorder happens twice year; winter blues is between fall and winter; and spring fever (or spring fatigue) is from winter to spring.
During spring fever, the biggest fluctuations in environment take place with changes in air pressure, the amount of sunlight, humidity and temperature which affect the human body’s circadian rhythm and hormone production. In winter, body temperature drops; blood pressure and melatonin production rises. Going into spring, body temperature rises, blood pressure drops and serotonin.
WINTER SPRING
body temperature drops rise
blood pressure rises drops
hormones melatonin rises serotonin
Spring in 2018 began on Tuesday, March 20 and ended on Thursday, June 21 (in Northern Hemisphere, Pacific Time). According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, April 2018 was the 3rd warmest on record for the globe. During spring, the body detoxes, the liver pushes out toxins like viral byproduct, heavy metals, pesticides and plastic into the bloodstream triggering SAD-related symptoms:
lethargy/low energy/fatigue
feeling lost, disconnected, lonely
disrupted sleep, listlessness
mild to suicidal depression, hopelessness
anxiety/nervousness, moodiness
focus and concentration issues
aches and pains, arthritis
allergies, headaches
weakened immune system
According to Anthony William the Medical Medium, symptoms related to seasonal affective disorder are actually neurological. Health conditions that were already present will be exacerbated during S.A.D. such as a tendency toward depression, a sluggish liver, a high heavy metal toxicity load, fatigue, edema, sinus issues, the Epstein-Barr virus, shingles and cytomegalovirus (a kind of herpes virus that excretes neurotoxins, causing fatigue and problems in organs like the kidneys, heart and liver).
Spring fever affects millions of people worldwide and more women are diagnosed with SAD than men. Emotional pain also affects the nervous system, losing a loved one can trigger depression; going through a divorce can mean a loss of trust and loss of a close relationship.
SPRING FEVER AND SUICIDE
Spring fever may not have had a huge effect on you in the past several years, but after 10 years of mild symptoms, one could be hit hard with more extreme feelings of depression, low energy and the other types of SAD-related symptoms.
There have been links found connecting allergies, mood disorders, advanced age and serious thoughts about suicide. Older people are more affected than younger people. Despite popular belief, there are actually more suicides in late spring or summer than during winter holidays:
“…the seasonal peak in aeroallergens resulting in the concomitant worsening of allergy symptoms could (via inflammatory mediators of worsening allergy symptoms) potentially worsens depressive symptoms, anxiety and impulsivity in mood disorder patients, resulting in exacerbated risk of suicidal behavior.” (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3315262/)
There are 2 suicide types: violent (which include hanging, drowning, jumping and firearms) and non-violent (consumption of poisons, drugs, gases, and vapors). In May, there tends to be about a 16% spike in violent suicides and in December, there is a corresponding 16% drop in violent suicides.
According to Robert Gebbia, the CEO of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, research has found that the decision to commit suicide is often impulsive. A person may think about it for some time but to decide to take action is actually a very small window. The feelings often pass and if weren’t as easy to have access to commit suicide, people could get the help they need: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/06/07/617897261/cdc-u-s-suicide-rates-have-climbed-dramatically
The spring suicide peak has more of an effect on agricultural workers who are exposed to the elements of harsher weather. Countries with a higher percentage of agricultural workers have a higher rate of suicide. Since office workers have a more regulated environment, their symptoms are less severe.
According to the CDC, between 1999 and 2016, suicide rates have increased by 30% in the U.S. and even more so in 25 of the states. About half of the people who committed suicide did not have a known mental issue but were dealing with life issues: health, addiction, relationship, job, finance and recent/current crises. To address the suicide spikes, the CDC suggests strategies such as teaching coping, problem-solving skills, cognitive-behavioral therapies, especially early in life and promoting social connectedness.
Summer S.A.D.
But we’re not in the clear after spring either. During summer months, the air contains less oxygen and more radiation and heavy metals. If you are already experiencing fatigue and edema, they can get worse during summer months. There has been a positive correlation found between air pollutants and admission rate of psychiatric patients in St. Louis. Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/760550
The planet is experiencing more extreme weather and atmospheric changes affecting humans and animals, so it’s even more important that we practice self-care to offset the strain our bodies go through to adjust. Just knowing that spring fever is a thing was a huge relief to me. For months, I’ve been lethargic, unable to explain this big change in my energy level. The fatigue has been debilitating. I was beginning to feel despair because none of the usual tricks and hacks I turn to for energy boosts had been working. Caffeine made no difference, naps weren’t either and if they did help, it was a temporary fix.
I was feeling especially discouraged because I do so much to keep up with my health on a daily basis. All the work I was putting in to doing meditation, cooking from scratch, enemas (I have since quit), reading, getting off sugar, weekly acupuncture appointments, juicing, going to bed early, yoga, walks, affirmations, breathwork and going to support groups wasn’t giving me the same benefit as usual.
I learned about spring fever right in the middle of it and have been meaning to post about it, but I was too d*** tired and depressed about being tired. But now, I have an explanation for my low energy and I will keep on with my healing and healthy daily routines.
What You Can Do About It
Hydrate. If your eyes are dry, if you’re thirsty, you’re already behind by a few glasses of water. At the end of any given day, I end up with 3-4 glasses of water lying around the house. So to get ahead, I’d start the morning by filling up a pitcher to get my allotted amount of water in. I’m starting with 32 ounces since this is a fairly easy goal (I have smoothies and fruit regularly which offset how much I need to drink). I drink a tall glass of water, then fill up 4 glasses of water with the rest of the pitcher. I put each water glass in all of the spots I go back and forth from all day; kitchen counter, office, bedroom and kitchen island. Even having 2 in the kitchen helps me drink more so I don’t have to get up and go around the large kitchen island.
Coping, problem-solving skills, cognitive-behavioral therapies. There’s a phone app called iCBT that’s very useful in cognitive behavioral therapy. In the past, after something was said or done that bothered me, I would re-play the event in my mind for days, going through the whys and trying to justify what happened. After using the iCBT app, it’s helped me see those events in a different way, permanently. What bothered me before doesn’t anymore. It’s like looking at a situation after years have passed in a way, you see things with more clarity.
I also have a worksheet called coping. There are categories of negative emotions (and positive emotions) and under each one, I list the things to remember or to do that help me cope. When I am in beta, the state of heightened alertness, it’s harder to stop where I am because I am deep in that negative emotion. It’s harder to remember certain things that pull me back to centeredness. Having this list helps me get of the a negative state quicker. Even with positive emotions, I am reminded to be in gratitude, to get direction and focus of where to put that positive energy.
Support. I’ve found it very helpful to turn to a cancer support center and have been going a few times a week. I have made connections with people who know what it’s like to deal with the same issues that most other people cannot fully understand or empathize with. I can’t say enough of the comfort I find in being part of these groups, to be able to relate and share with people who have had their lives change from a cancer diagnosis.
Eating Well. It’s easier to eat healthy meals when it’s warm out. The body craves less food, less calories and more cooling foods. The fruits that are in season are more ideal for smoothies.
Get sunlight. Sometimes it just takes a few minutes under the sun makes me feel better. I run on the cold side, so after I’ve been indoors for hours, my hands and feet can get cold even during summer. In the afternoon, when it’s still warm but not hot, I lay on a lounge chair to warm up and that 15-minute break is all I need to feel refreshed again. It’s like getting up from a good nap.
Exercise. No matter what, I have to get exercise in a few times a week. If I don’t, my mood is affected. The other day it was going to be 93F. When it’s that hot, it’s best for me to get out around 7am or 5pm when sun is more tame. That way, I don’t burn out from the heat and I can get more movement in.
Light therapy. According to the NIH, light therapy can be helpful with S.A.D. symptoms and is a better option than St. John’s Wort, melatonin and vitamin D. Regardless, I take vitamin D year round since it is one of the most common deficiencies. I leave melatonin bedside for the rare nights I have trouble sleeping or staying asleep. A melatonin spray would kick in faster than a capsule. *Be sure to use melatonin a few days on, a few days off, otherwise you are limiting your body’s own melatonin production.