This weekend we have already changed our clocks. On Sunday, we slept one hour less, the temperature changes were crazy, and each day that passes is longer than the previous one. Do you feel that all this takes its toll on you? If you feel tired, exhausted or sleepy and when doing your daily activities, you notice that you have to invest much more energy than usual. It is normal due to the change in seasonality. They are symptoms of the well-known spring Asthenia.
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What is spring asthenia ?
It is a symptom that encompasses different sensations (drowsiness, irritability, apathy, and fatigue are the most common) produced by the effects of the change in seasonality, which
leads to sudden changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure, increased hours of sunlight and modification of schedule and routines.
All these alterations produce imbalances in the hormonal cycles directed by the hypothalamus, a brain gland responsible for regulating body temperature, thirst, appetite, sleep and wakefulness, among other things. Get control of all these aspects thanks to the neurotransmitters, which can alter during the first weeks of adaptation to these spring changes. For example, it is typical for the hormone serotonin or “happiness molecule” to regulate, which produces a feeling of well-being and helps us sleep better.
What are the symptoms of spring asthenia?
. Your symptoms are:
. Fatigue
. Drowsiness during the day
. Difficulty falling asleep or insomnia
. Lack of energy
. Irritability
. Sadness
. Anxiety
. Loss of appetite and feeling of thirst
. Headaches and dizziness
. Decreased livid
. Lack of concentration
. Demotivation and reluctance
It is important to note that spring asthenia generally lasts for 1 or 2 weeks. If the symptoms persist, a medical visit and a check-up are recommended to verify no other problems. For example, alterations in laboratory values or the presence of disease could produce this entire symptomatological picture, such as mononucleosis infection.
What can we do to prevent and combat the exhaustion of Spring?
First of all, I recommend prevention, not only of spring asthenia but of any other cause that may lead us to have these manifestations. For this, it is advisable to carry out a medical evaluation together with a complete analysis at least once a year.
Have you identified with the feeling of drowsiness, tiredness and fatigue? Do you feel good, but do you know that you start to feel that way every year around this time? I bring you ten tips that can be very useful both if you want to prevent asthenia and if you want to combat it.
Eat a balanced diet.
The diet must be balanced, sufficient and varied. Our diet must provide us with all the energy, nutrients and non-nutrients (such as fibre) that our body needs.
It seems essential and that we all know, however, many people in their day to day do not consume the recommended servings of fruit and vegetables. Others do not meet their energy needs with healthy foods.
It is common among the population to have chaotic and disordered eating habits. A typical example is fasting for many hours and eating very energetic foods. Other times, complex carbohydrates such as pasta or rice are avoided to later turn to foods with added sugars when feeling a lack of energy.
All this contributes to a more significant hormonal imbalance added to that produced by the seasonal change, which makes the symptoms of asthenia even worse.
It is recommended to follow a diet:
. Based on foods of plant origin, it is advisable to take five servings of both cooked and raw fruits and vegetables every day (for example, in the form of salad) and that they are varied.
. Sufficient in carbohydrates (necessary for energy during the day) and proteins (essential for the synthesis and proper functioning of hormones)
. With well-distributed complex carbohydrates (for example, whole grains) throughout the day, we progressively provide us with energy and avoid highs and lows in blood glucose that upset our hormonal balance.
. It provides us with healthy fats since they contain fat-soluble vitamins and are also necessary for the synthesis of hormones and good cell function, among others.
. With all the nutrients, we need to avoid nutritional deficiencies.
Hydrate yourself well
It is common to feel fatigued or have difficulty concentrating and feeling better after drinking a couple of glasses of water.
We must remember that when temperatures rise, we may be losing more water than usual through sweat.
If you feel fatigued, instead of drinking coffee or tea or any other excitement, I recommend that you drink water; it will help you feel better in a healthier way.
Avoid toxic habits
Do not smoke or drink alcoholic beverages. It is essential advice to have a healthy lifestyle; however, these habits worsen the symptoms when we feel tired.
Control the intake of excitants
Although it may seem inconsistent, to combat the spring slump and improve adaptation to seasonal change, it is recommended to avoid supplements or exciting drinks. These substances can be for many hours (around 10) circulating through our blood, making it even more challenging to fall asleep at night and consequently, enhancing daytime fatigue, causing us to return to drinking an exciting drink and thus cyclically without being able to solve the root of the problem.
Establish and respect a meal schedule
If, based on our appetite and schedules, we determine the hours in which it is good for us to eat so that we are not fasting for many hours, it will help us have energy more continuously throughout the day and not feel tired or down.
Exercise moderately
Exercise is essential to cope with spring syndrome. It is recommended to do half an hour to an hour of moderate daily exercise to tone the body, activate it and reduce apathy or lack of energy.
Suppose you have intended to start a sport or exercise that is more intense. After doing it or the next day, you feel especially more fatigued. In that case, it is advisable to change it to something lighter such as walking or swimming, until you gain resistance. Otherwise, the feeling of muscle fatigue can make symptoms worse.
Watch your sleep schedules.
It is advisable to have the best possible rest and sleep 8 hours a day. To achieve this, I recommend establishing a good sleep routine:
. Determine a specific time to go to bed.
. Have dinner at least one hour before.
. Carry out a way before going to sleep that relaxes us and does not require any effort: take an infusion, read a book, meditate, listen to relaxing music…
. Have a suitable temperature in the bedroom.
. Sleeping with the blinds down
. If we are bothered by a noise that someone we live with may be making, share our need for a good rest to help us.
Don’t forget yourself.
Spend some time with yourself to do things that make you enjoy and feel good.
It seems that we have disconnected from all idle things that give us good feelings, and we should understand that playing is not just for children. It is essential to reconnect with things we like and include them again in our habits, such as colouring, painting, reading, writing stories or stories, sewing, making crafts, playing a board game, etc.
Avoid supplements
The onslaught and blitz of multivitamins, royal jelly, ginseng, and sleep products begins.
The laboratories seize the moment to offer their miraculous products, full of vitamins that you need to have more energy. However, none of them has been scientifically proven to be effective in fighting fatigue.
I advise you that if you want to take any of these products, check with your dietitian-nutritionist or your doctor beforehand because:
. If your diet is balanced and healthy, it will be more than enough in all the vitamins and minerals you need, and therefore supplements are entirely unnecessary.
. The best way to get vitamins and minerals is directly from food.
. Some supplements can be dangerous to health and can even increase the risk of suffering from diseases such as beta-carotene supplements and lung cancer.
. Vitamins do not provide energy.
If you need help, consult a dietitian-nutritionist to improve your diet and establish an excellent routine to overcome asthenia.
Remember that you can count on the dietitians-nutritionists of the Center to help you establish eating schedules and good sleep habits and give you a complete, healthy, balanced, satisfactory, sufficient, varied and safe diet.
With a diet adapted to you, your lifestyle, tastes and needs and the previous points, you will successfully overcome spring asthenia.
