Springtime_lethargy
Springtime lethargy
State of fatigue or depression at the onset of spring
Springtime lethargy is the state of fatigue, lowered energy, or depression associated with the onset of spring. Such a state may be caused by a normal reaction to warmer temperatures, or it may have a medical basis, such as allergies or reverse seasonal affective disorder.[1] In many regions, there is a springtime peak in suicide rates.
Psychological and socio-cultural factors also play a role.[2] The opening lines of Eliot's classic poem express some of the complex emotional associations that may be familiar to those who experience dark moods in the spring:[3]
April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Occasionally, such lethargy or depression may be described as "spring fever", though this term also relates to an increase in energy and restlessness or to romantic and sexual feelings in the spring.
The German term Frühjahrsmüdigkeit (lit. "Spring fatigue") is the name for a temporary mood or physical condition, typically characterized by a state of low energy and weariness, experienced by many people in springtime. It is not in the category of a diagnosed illness but rather a phenomenon thought to be initiated by a change in the season. Reportedly, an estimated 50–75% of people in Germany have experienced its effect.[4]