Goodbye winter, Hello joyful spring!

Everyone often talks about the winter blues and the effect of winter on human mental health. But what about spring?

The winter blues

Every year, many people here suffer from it: the winter blues. The winter blues is when people feel down during the winter months. It is also known as a 'winter depression'. Sunlight, cold weather, and a disrupted rhythm are the main causes of the winter blues. This can lead to physical symptoms such as fatigue, decreased libido and changed appetite, and mental symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, depressive feelings and increased irritability. Fear not, these times are over for now!

Spring

Spring has begun. While some people experience more stress and depressive symptoms due to spring, for most people spring has a positive effect on mental health. More sunlight already reduces mental symptoms and provides more motivation to do fun things. Serotonin is a hormone whose production is stimulated by more sunlight. Serotonin affects self-confidence, emotion, sleep, mood and more. People are also often more active in the spring and move more, which stimulates the production of endorphins. Endorphins are also known as the happiness hormone. It is a neurotransmitter (messengers from your brain that transmit stimuli to nerve cells) with natural pain-relieving and mood-boosting properties. Spring often increases social interactions as well. There are more activities and events such as festivals and parties. Social interactions are crucial for human mental health. It ensures that your brain creates new cells, makes new connections and strengthens connections. So are you completely done with having the winter blues? Enjoy the sun, take a walk in the fresh air and meet up with friends and family!

Activities for the spring

Spring is the perfect season to try new things and spend your free time doing fun activities. Sometimes it can be difficult to find inspiration, so here are some tips for activities to do in the spring:

• Crafting: This is a fun activity to do with your children but can also be enjoyed alone! Make fun spring crafts with flowers, suns, and butterflies.
• Reading: The beautiful weather and a good book is one of the best ways to relax and unwind.
• Walking and/or cycling: Enjoy the outdoors and the fresh air.
• Picnicking: Pack some delicious food, invite friends or family members, and enjoy the spring together.
• Gardening: Flowers and plants are in full bloom during the spring. Therefore, spring is the ultimate season to get green fingers and brighten up your garden.
• Eating outside the house: The terraces are open again!
• Festivals: There are plenty of festivals in the spring to have fun.

Picture: Liv Hesseling

Written by: Liv Hesseling

Resources: ‘UMCG’, ‘GGZ-Reflection’, ‘Charlotte Labee’