By: Jamie Georges, Community Journalist
It’s that time of year again, where the groundhog predicts how quickly the seasons change, when the sun stays out a little longer, and people are taking more walks than usual.
It’s spring: the season known for renewal. While this idea is typically tied to describing the life cycle of nature, it is also used to describe a new season for ourselves, a time we typically take to reset.
Just as the flowers come back to life during the spring time, so have individuals. The shift from the cold weather to warmer days is known to be a positive change because of the enjoyment longer sunny days often brings.
Many take this time not to just enjoy the changing of seasons, but use this transition as an indicator to dedicate time for reorganizing and decluttering unwanted items from the winter.
For some, spring is a season that begins with cleaning wardrobes, a room, and then home. For others, spring means building or reinforcing new habits that contribute to their physical or mental well being.
The start of spring is often a period used to embrace new motivations and seek intentionality. It is a time one may find themselves reflecting on new goals or finally feeling like there is a chance to start over.
By embracing new beginnings, it means taking a fresh go at the failed New Year’s resolutions. Spring resets allow individuals to build a healthy habit and this go around, implement ways to make sure these updated practices stick.
Science shows there is a reason behind spring’s sudden motivation.
During the winter months experiencing seasonal affective disorder or seasonal depression often stems from a lack of sunlight, negatively impacting sleep and behavior. Adopting new routines like taking a daily walk in the sun to benefit your physical and mental health is something needed in these hard times, which gets easier in the spring.
Sunlight has the ability to raise serotonin levels and improve your morale. The warmer weather during spring encourages more outside activities and contributes to healthier habits like exercise. The energy boost from soaking in the sun also increases Vitamin D.
The human body reacts to sunlight more positively than artificial light. For example, digital screens are known to be a detriment to our sleep schedules and mental health. The lack of outside activities in the winter makes it more compelling to remain on technological devices to feel entertained. This affects the brain, specifically, the circadian rhytym, which is the biological clock managing the body’s sleep-wake cycle as it responds to the light and dark.
Artificial light has the ability to defer our internal clock affecting sleep patterns and mood, according to the National Library of Medicine. The sunlight has helped do the opposite for individuals, by regulating the body’s sleep patterns and allowing more opportunities to take part in habits that are outside.
The mind’s positive reaction to longer days of sunlight in the spring, makes it clear why individuals find spring resets to be essential.
The motivation behind spring resets is to serve as a reminder that it’s okay to start over. Unlike new year’s resolutions, the body’s response to longer days of sunlight is often the boost needed to implement healthy practices.
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