THE NUANCE
The Science of Spring Fever
Why this time of year can trigger feelings of pleasure, pain, or a bit of both
Spring is a season of rebirth and renewal. Flowers sprout, leaves bud, and the natural world wakes up from its long winter hibernation. Likewise, a lot of people feel rejuvenated as the days grow longer, sunnier, and warmer.
But for some, the transition from winter to spring can be a rocky one. “Some people shift into their springtime mode smoothly, [but] others battle with this transition, suffering the volatility of ‘spring fever’ for a month or more before settling into a calmer summer state,” says Michael Terman, PhD, a professor in the department of psychiatry at Columbia University and president of the nonprofit Center for Environmental Therapeutics.
Terman says that springtime feelings of renewed energy and exuberance are often counterbalanced by periods of despondency or discombobulation. The season can even trigger a kind of temporary manic-depressive disorder. People experience “rapid shifts to high and energetic mood and behavior punctuated by shifts down low, feeling wiped out and despondent,” he says.
Why does any of this happen? The operation of the body’s circadian clocks, which govern everything from mood and appetite to hormone…
