‘Spring Anxiety’ Is Real—Here’s How to Handle It

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‘Spring Anxiety’ Is Real—Here’s How to Handle It

Come the first signs of spring every year, I’m hit with a strange sense of unease. I wake up irritable and unsettled, restless but tired. It’s like I’ve been startled awake from hibernation too early—the cozy blanket of winter unceremoniously ripped off, the world shouting, “WAKE UP, IT’S SPRING!” While everyone runs around chirping about the birds and the flowers, I’m left a little ashamed, wondering why I feel so off when I should be so psyched.

But it turns out, I’m not the only one who gets thrown off come early spring. Struggling to adjust around this time of year is pretty common, John Sharp, MD, a psychiatrist and professor at Harvard Medical School and author of The Emotional Calendar: Understanding Seasonal Influences and Milestones to Become Happier, More Fulfilled, and in Control of Your Life, tells SELF. “And it’s almost entirely overlooked.”

The truth is, many of us experience a mismatch between how we expect to feel and how we actually do. “The coming of spring is forecast as a joyous event. And yet the transition in the early spring is not joyous for a lot of people,” Dr. Sharp says. “It’s complicated.”

So if you can relate, you’re far from alone. I talked to experts about why some of us get anxious in the spring, how to know if it’s normal seasonal turbulence or something more serious, and what to do about it.

Why we get anxious in the spring

If you’re restless or anxious this time of year, there could be a few different things going on.

1. The stress of change on your mind and body

Change is psychologically stressful, and the seasons are no exception. The transition can be especially rocky if you’re someone who hates endings (so long, winter!) or runs more anxious. “People who are predisposed to anxiety often react poorly to change and struggle with transitions, even if the change may be ‘positive,’” Terri Bacow, PhD, clinical instructor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, adjunct instructor at the New York University department of applied psychology, and author of Goodbye, Anxiety: A Guided Journal for Overcoming Worry, tells SELF. You might feel overwhelmed, like you’re being dragged into spring before you’re ready. Or you might buzz with “restive energy” that you don’t know what to do with, Dr. Sharp says.

There are also real biological changes that can contribute to you generally feeling off. If you live somewhere that observes daylight savings time, the time change can be surprisingly disorienting, Dr. Sharp says. Even though having an extra hour of light in the evening may be lovely, it’s still a shift in your circadian rhythm (your body’s internal clock) that your brain and body have to adjust to. Some people are extra sensitive to light, Dr. Bacow says, so the longer days can impact their mood and sleep.

2. Weather fluctuations

It depends on where you live, but the chaotic weather of early to mid-spring can be pretty discombobulating, Dr. Sharp says. It’s 60 degrees and sunny one day, then drizzly and freezing the next. “It’s dizzying,” Dr. Sharp says. Some of us struggle more with that whiplash and unpredictability.

Once it starts to be reliably nicer out, the warmer weather can also make some people feel, well, not so hot. One study using five years of survey data on 1.9 million US adults found that “increasing temperatures significantly reduce well-being.” Temperatures above 70 degrees Fahrenheit were found to decrease positive emotions like joy, and increase things like stress, anger, and fatigue (compared to temps in the 50 to 60 degree range).

3. The pressure to be more active and social

Some of us truly enjoy the quiet, cozy solitude of winter. “It is not uncommon for people to prefer the slower, more relaxed pace of the winter months, when the pressure is entirely off,” Dr. Bacow says. So you might get a little bummed when that cold-weather cocoon starts to dissolve.

This goes double if you’re attaching a bunch of “shoulds” to the extra daylight and warmer weather. As in, It’s nice out, so I should be going outside. You might beat yourself up for, say, holing up on the couch with a book and going to bed early instead of “taking full advantage” of the longer, warmer days. Some people also experience pressure to be more productive, Dr. Bacow says—starting new projects or spring cleaning. All that pressure can definitely contribute to stress, anxiety, and depression, Dr. Bacow says.

4. Allergies

Along with causing sneezing and itchy eyes, spring allergies might affect your mental health. Allergic reactions trigger an inflammatory response in the body, Dr. Sharp explains. And there’s a growing body of research correlating inflammation with depression and anxiety. In one study, people who had a lower mood in the summer or summer SAD reported being in a worse mood on high-pollen days. (People who didn’t experience summertime mood shifts didn’t seem to be affected by pollen counts.)

5. Seasonal Affective Disorder

You might also be dealing with “reverse SAD,” or seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression tied to the seasons. While SAD usually comes on in fall or winter, some people’s symptoms creep up in the spring or summer instead, Dr. Sharp says. And reverse SAD can read a lot like anxiety.

Symptoms specific to spring and summer SAD can include agitation, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, and loss of appetite, Dr. Bacow says. Other telltale signs are feeling on edge or moody all the time and “impaired frustration tolerance,” Dr. Sharp says. (Example: The person in front of you at the coffee shop is taking forever, and you can barely keep yourself from yelling “HURRY IT UP!” at them.)

“Everybody’s mood varies, and having variability is okay,” Dr. Sharp says. But if you’re anxious or depressed for more than a couple weeks and it’s interfering with your ability to function, Dr. Sharp recommends seeing your primary care doctor or a mental health professional to see if you’re dealing with SAD.

How to deal with spring anxiety

The spring transition might never be your favorite time of year, and that’s okay. But thankfully, it also doesn’t have to totally suck. Here are some tips for actually managing your springtime stress and anxiousness.

1. Expect it.

Facing a seasonal shift in your mood is “much easier when you see it coming,” Dr. Sharp explains. “The trick is to get your own forecast [of] what’s going to happen to you, based on what’s happened in the past.” Look back on previous years and see if there’s a pattern. You can also ask people who know you well, like your family or roommates, if they’ve noticed certain mood or behavior changes in you around this time, Dr. Sharp says. That way, when you do start feeling crabby or anxious, you know nothing’s gone wrong—it’s just part of your cycle. And you can prepare for it.

2. Have a plan.

Be proactive about weathering and welcoming the change in season. “It’s better to be in the driver’s seat,” Dr. Sharp says. He recommends making a plan that includes some form of self-care you enjoy. For instance, you might commit to getting a walk in every morning, double up on therapy for a month, or pencil in fun activities every weekend. Pretty much everyone could benefit from reprioritizing the basics—like getting plenty of nutritious food, hydration, movement, and solid shut-eye, Dr. Sharp adds. (And if you have spring allergies, stock up on non-drowsy antihistamines you can start taking when symptoms come on and/or see your doctor.)

Another element Dr. Sharp advises including in your plan is hanging out with friends, since that’s a pretty reliable mood booster. You can also spend some time in public places where people are leaning into and enjoying spring, Dr. Sharp says, like the park—it can be infectious. (On the other hand, if that makes things worse, that’s another sign you might be dealing with SAD, Dr. Sharp adds.)

3. Take it slow.

Don’t expect yourself to gleefully leap into spring at the first sign of sunshine and birds. “It can be helpful to let yourself gradually ease out of your winter hibernation, instead of pressuring yourself to switch into being more active and social overnight,” Dr. Bacow says. “Pace yourself and take the time you need to adjust.”

Dr. Sharp suggests taking small, intentional steps to help yourself embrace the season at your own pace. That could look like committing to doing one “springy” or social activity a week (while protecting your beloved couch potato time). “Change is hard,” Dr. Bacow says. “The only way to get through a transition is to be kind to yourself and patient with yourself.”

4. Make a ritual.

Spring holidays and celebrations can help us mark and process the passage of winter into spring. “We have these gatherings that humans create meaning around that help us with this transition,” Dr. Sharp says. There’s Easter, Passover, Holi (the colorful Hindu festival), the Spring Equinox, and, in Switzerland, Sechseläuten—where they burn a giant snowman effigy.

If you don’t usually celebrate spring holidays, ask a friend or family member who does if you can join the festivities, Dr. Sharp says. Or create your own ritual. Host a “Hello, spring” dinner with friends. Make a flower crown. Journal on what you’ll miss about winter and what you’re looking forward to in spring or summer. Hell, swap out your broody winter playlist for one with fresh tunes.

5. Get support

If this time of year is especially tough for you, definitely seek support from a mental health professional, Dr. Sharp says—especially you’re experiencing any of the symptoms of SAD we talked about. There’s no reason to struggle alone.

One parting tip from a fellow springtime sufferer? Remind yourself it’s not gonna last forever. (That’s kind of the whole deal with seasons, come to think of it.) It’ll be summer—then fall, then winter—before you know it.