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Spring is the season of renewal, but before it arrives we need to recover from winter, which often leaves visible marks on our skin and hair, and greets us on the first sunny days tired and drained, with aching joints. That's why it's important not just to jump on the “green” bandwagon, but to take the best possible care of our healthy, balanced diet, active lifestyle and healthy appearance. With more vegetables and clean foods in our diet, quality supplements and vitamins, and more time moving outdoors, we'll get back into shape quickly.
What is spring fatigue?
In April and May we very often feel exhausted and sleepy for no apparent reason. If you're between 20 and 50 years old and experience these symptoms along with physical and mental weakness, you're probably suffering from spring fatigue. It affects women more often than men. It's caused by the change of seasons and temperatures, often sudden, and is marked by both physical and psychological symptoms.
There are two types of spring fatigue:
- Physical, marked by tiredness, exhaustion, sleep disturbances, bodily weakness, loss of appetite, low blood pressure, poor muscle tone, lack of interest in sex, headaches, malaise, muscle weakness…
- Nervous exhaustion, which shows up as fatigue during mental activity, loss of short-term memory, absent-mindedness, lack of concentration, unexplained sadness, irritability…
Crash diets and intense workouts after a sluggish winter tend to intensify these symptoms, which is why consistent care for your health and beauty is so important if the spring magic is to work. Doctors recommend adapting through better hydration, light meals, quality sleep and movement. When there's a proven iron deficiency in the blood and hormonal changes that show up more strongly during this period, specific supplements or medications are prescribed.
Plenty of water
Increase your intake of water and fluids – tea, fresh juices, smoothies during spring. Hydration restores the body's balance and cleanses it, keeps skin fresh and nourishes the brain. With water, tea and drinks free of sugar and preservatives, you'll secure the vitamins, nutrients and minerals that bring your energy back. You can keep their taste and quality fresh all day long in reusable bottles and thermoses, which, with their bright colors and inviting look, turn “drink!” from an order into a friendly reminder. This way you also protect nature, which at this time of year is also waking up.
Keep in mind that coffee isn't the most effective refreshing drink in moments of stress. It's simply one of the most popular drinks, but its refreshing effect is short-lived. Caffeine acts as a stimulant of the central nervous system, triggering the release of adrenaline. Once it wears off, you're back to feeling tired and drained.
That's why, in spring, rely more on herbal teas and freshly squeezed juices, yogurt-based drinks and smoothies that refresh you for longer. You can add your daily dose of hydrolyzed collagen to them, which doesn't change their taste or smell but strengthens you from within. It restores freshness to your skin, thickness to your hair, and makes your nails strong. And who doesn't want to look great in their new spring clothes?
Light food for energy and beauty
During winter we reach for heavier foods, which make us sleepy during the transitional seasons. To make up for the vitamin shortfall from heavily processed food, it's good to rely on fresh garden produce and lean meat. If switching to a spring menu is causing you stomach discomfort, look for quality probiotics and foods that support a balanced diet.
Prebiotics stimulate the growth and development of beneficial bacteria in the gut. They're found in onions, garlic, asparagus, chicory root and more. Probiotics feed on prebiotics, so the combination of the two helps the stomach function properly. Prebiotic foods such as artichokes, mushrooms, dill, pumpkin, garlic, leeks, onions, berries and apples create a healthy environment in the gut where probiotics can thrive.
With meat (lean cuts), fish and poultry – boiled or baked, but not breaded, you'll also get quality protein on your table. With yogurt, cottage cheese, soft-boiled eggs, omelets, well-cooked porridge and whole-grain pasta, you'll feel full but light. If you're vegetarian or allergic to dairy, special supplements are available on the market. But overall, if you cut back and diversify your menu and listen to your stomach, that sluggish feeling will fade too.
Movement and outdoor sports
In spring the sun tempts us outside for walks and play, but we often feel stiff, tire easily, and our muscle tone is weak. Our joints and bones “creak.”
It's not advisable to get back into shape with a sudden change in your activity level. It's also important to warm up to avoid injuries. Collagen, magnesium and fish oil are your allies for getting back into shape.
Choose animal-derived hydrolyzed collagen, which, combined with a balanced diet, supports muscle tissue, joints and bones. Collagen production declines after age 25 and, especially during the transitional months, this shows up as characteristic stiffness. Enough high-quality protein, vitamin D, calcium, vitamin C and zinc, combined with at least 30 minutes of outdoor exercise a day, is the recipe for better mobility and a toned figure.
An hour outside a day isn't enough to get sufficient vitamin D for your health, while fish oil contains valuable omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which help reduce inflammation in the joints and limit the production of certain proteins that lead to the development of arthritis. So don't stop taking this supplement once the first warm sunny days arrive.
Magnesium, as is well known, is the first line of defense against cramps, but it works in combination with good hydration. It also supports muscle recovery after injuries, which often occur when we get back into sports after a long period of inactivity. It supports normal muscle and nerve function, a stable heart rhythm, and plays a role in bone formation. In bones, it combines with calcium and phosphorus. Some people wake up thanks to magnesium; others fall asleep because of it, since it also supports good sleep.
Quality sleep and a good mood
Sometimes we only realize how exhausted we are once insomnia frays our nerves, we feel “foggy” and become extremely irritable. Quality sleep and stable mental health are linked to the overall balance in the body, which we can't take care of sustainably with a single pill before bed.
As soon as you notice your sleep suffering, try to remove the stress and worries troubling you at least 2 hours before bedtime. Tea, a light dinner, even a little exercise before bed help release negative energy. Evening magnesium helps a lot, both in preventing cramps and in supporting better heart function. It's been established that a deficiency can be a cause of disrupted sleep and chronic fatigue, and can trigger nervousness and irritability, dizziness, shortness of breath, and night sweats. So even if we eat dinner late – it's recommended to leave at least 2 hours between your last meal and bedtime – we can choose nuts, dried fruit, whole-grain and dairy products, fish, and dark chocolate for dinner, all of which contain magnesium.
There are many ideas and ways to break the vicious cycle of spring fatigue. The combination of light, quality food, supplements that restore the body's balance, movement, sleep and care for our mental health is what actually works. It won't work overnight, but it will help us greet summer fresh and strong.
