Barbara Banian: Spring fever is in the air
The days are longer — the weather is warmer — and spring has finally sprung! More sunshine; less snow! Less cabin fever; more spring fever. Wait ... spring fever? What is that?
There are those who have allergic reactions to pollen that is produced in the spring, but that is not what I am referring to.
Spring fever is a variety of things, caused by a dramatic increase in the amount of sunlight we get in the spring. It is hard to tell if spring fever is a good or a bad thing. It can be a time of low energy — or high energy. It can be a happy, euphoric time, or a sad and depressing time. It can be relief for those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder or SAD, which impairs those afflicted by it in fall and winter. It can intensify and amplify both positive and negative emotions. And, it relates to the work of the hypothalamus slowing the production of melatonin. (This is one of the suspected causes of SAD; the true cause is unknown as of yet, according to the Mayo Clinic.)
And why do we get more sunlight in the spring? Well, in early spring the axis of the earth increases on its tilt to the sun, thus causing more daylight on both hemispheres. And the coming of daylight savings time adds an hour when all of us are awake.
Spring fever can refer to many different changes (mood and behavior) that may coincide with the return of spring. According to Scientific American, "the term spring fever is an auto-antonym, a term with multiple and opposed meanings." In other words, many different mood or behavioral changes can be associated with this expression.
The term "spring fever" has a compelling history, but it was not used in the United States until the 1850s. For centuries people would get sick in the springtime. In the 18th century, people would often get scurvy (a Vitamin C deficiency) in the spring. This came from a shortage of fruits and vegetables in the winter. It was known as spring disease or spring fever. The word 'spring', meantime, is from the 14th century and means to leap upward and forward.
But the drop in melatonin in humans that comes from more sunlight might instead be part of our evolution. High levels of melatonin make us sleepy (it’s why you see people use melatonin to get over jet lag faster). In olden times humans tended to near-hibernation in the wintertime. More sun, less melatonin, more energy for the work ahead like spring cleaning.
This might also explain why we don’t have “fall fever”: we don’t get more active as the days grow shorter. Instead, we prefer blankets and good books, at least at first, before cabin fever sets in.
Celebrating spring — after a mild winter — seems a bit anti-climactic this year. March went out like a lion but came in as a lamb. There may be a few cold days on the horizon, but soon we can feel confident that spring is really here.
So let me suggest spring fever is one fever you might want to catch. Symptoms may include euphoric behaviors like driving the car with the windows down — and the music (slightly) up! And frequent stops for ice cream treats. There will be time enough for spring cleaning tomorrow.
— This is the opinion of Times Writers Group member Barbara Banaian, a professional pianist who lives in the St. Cloud area. Her column is published the first Sunday of the month.
This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Barbara Banian: Spring fever is in the air
