Spring fatigue

SHA Wellness Clinic

April 10, 2014

How to prevent the Spring asthenia fatigue symptoms

What is Spring asthenia?

The word “asthenia” comes from the Greek and it means “no force”. Spring asthenia is characterized by a general feeling of weakness and lack of energy which come when the spring arrives. The spring asthenia come accompanied by various symptoms: sleep and appetite, sadness disturbance, headache, forgetfulness, etc.

Spring asthenia symptoms

Spring asthenia fatigue is not recognized officially as a mental disorder, therefore there are very few scientific articles on it. Among the studies and available information, these are the major causes of spring asthenia:
Hormonal imbalance caused by excess sun-light: We have light receptors on our eyes; the receptors perceive sun light and adjust the production of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that induces sleep and sleepiness. The more light our eyes receive, more melatonin our body will produce and vice versa, that is the reason why, during the spring, since our eyes receive more light during more hours, this hormonal imbalance may be behind of the causes of spring asthenia.
Decreased in the level of beta endorphins: Beta endorphins are hormones that at a medium/high level provoke feelings of calm and wellbeing. Due to the lower levels of this hormone, feelings of anxiety, negativity, and sadness can appear.
Allergies caused by too much pollen and dust.

How to improve spring asthenia symptoms with nutrition

Consume antiallergenic food such as umeboshi, a Japanese plum fruit with multiple benefits (as well as antiallergic is analgesic).
Eat only complex carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates are assimilated slowlier by our body compared to simple carbohydrates, providing the body with stable and slow-release energy. A good option which also has depurative benefits are the azuki beans.
Drink tea, tea contains the aminoacid L-theanine, which when combined with caffeine, improves cognitive functions more than just caffeine. L-theanine also take off the nervousness and anxiety that caffeine may cause. A good idea is to take a type of tea which also contains anti-allergic agents such as ume-sho-Bancha tea.
Even though this recommendation can be unusual, eat chocolate in small quantities: choose black chocolate (more cacao content) and if possible, organic chocolate. An alternative is to drink sugar free chocolate drinks. Chocolate increases the level of endorfins in our brain, solving the symptoms of sadness, negativity, etc.