almost completely shut down to save en- ergy begin the process of awakening, re- acting to the warmer soil, the sunlight penetrating into the water, the warmer, milder temperatures. Their bodies begin to crave nutrients and calories so they burst forth from their voluntary tombs to emerge just as the flowers emerge from their hi- bernating bulbs. They also have the urge to procreate in spring because there is abundant food and water, a consummate time to raise their young and have the best hopes for survival for them. Humans are also not immune to react- ing to this re-birth and awakening. Physi- ologically, spring affects us as well. Some call it “spring fever” when actually it is not a fever, of course, but there are chemical changes happening in our bodies as spring gratefully envelops us. The increase in sunlight causes our brain to produce more serotonin, a hormone that at the minimum helps us feel happy. (www.mentalfloss. com) Low serotonin levels can cause de- pression (many feel depressed and have the condition SAD, or seasonal deficit disorder) and is an important neurotrans- mitter in the body. It helps regulate ap- petite, digestion, mood, interaction with others, libido and memory. Also, more sunlight means decreased melatonin in our bodies during the day, which can give us more energy. It also helps naturally regulate normal melatonin production at night, which helps us sleep better. We are exposed to fresh, in-season fruits and veg- etables so we tend to eat better in spring and therefore have better nutrition. The bright colors of flowers (especially yellow, according to science) and the leafing of the trees all affect us visually. Our olfac- tory receptors are stimulated; less clothing allows us to feel the sun and breeze on our skin and to feel more alive in general. We, too, have a kind of emergence from hiber- nating in our homes, offices, cars, and layers upon layers of clothing. There is a feeling of shedding the weight of winter and bursting forth into the lightness (in weight and in sunlight) of spring. The sun- light also triggers the body to produce vitamin D3. When the body naturally produces vitamin D3, it can store it to last throughout the fall, which can lead to more production of Vitamin D3 and sero- tonin. This causes a lowering of blood pressure, and some studies show a de- crease in breast and colorectal cancer (please do your research on how much sun is too much…here is a balance). Most


doctors suggest 10-15 minutes of sun ex- posure per day without sunscreen. (www. medicaldaily.com) Daily sun exposure is also important in maintaining your normal circadian rhythm. This is not just about sleep rhythm. The circadian rhythm also includes physical, mental and behavioral changes in a 24 hour cycle. We’ve discussed some of the scien-


tific benefits of spring, so now let’s list a few simple things to look forward to in spring: (www.theinspiredroom.net) 1. The hope of bright sunshine for a few days in a row, not just one here or the


2. The emerging flowers with their beau- tiful, bright colors and fragrant smells


3. Twittering birds 4. Bunnies seemingly everywhere


5. Rainbows from spring showers and sunshine


6. Putting away heavy winter clothes, bringing out light and bright, light cloth- ing


7. The air after a spring rain…..fresh, clean


8. The soft, fuzzy green of newly leafing trees in the forest


9. The soft, moist ground, soft of sod, soft of grass


10. The tickling of the spring’s cool air on your skin while the sun warms you to the perfect temperature


And this list could go on forever… Here are some trivia facts about spring


you may or may not have known: (www. factretriever.com) 1. The fall and spring equinoxes are the only two times during the entire year when the sun rises due east and sets due west (this means exactly east and ex- actly west), other times of the year it is in the direction of east or west but not exactly.


2. On the first day of spring, a person at the North Pole would see the sun skim- ming across the horizon which begins their 6 months of daylight, day in, day out, while a person in the South Pole


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