US EditionSpring Fatigue Is a Cultural Rather than Biological Phenomenon
Researchers surveyed 418 participants over a year and found no biological evidence for spring fatigue, attributing it to cultural expectations rather than seasonal changes.
- Published this week in the Journal of Sleep Research, the study led by Christine Blume and Dr Albrecht Vorster found no seasonal increase in spring tiredness after an online survey starting in April 2024.
- An established term for spring fatigue makes people monitor normal tiredness, and around half of participants initially reported feeling it, while Blume says media interest rises as daylight returns.
- Researchers evaluated responses from 418 participants to questions on exhaustion, sleepiness, and sleep quality using six‑week follow-ups, underpinning seasonal comparisons.
- Blume recommends getting daylight, staying physically active and ensuring sufficient sleep to combat spring lethargy, while researchers note the biological night is longer in winter, so people should feel fitter as days lengthen.
- Chronobiological analyses show people sleep more in darker months, but despite less sleep in summer, participants did not report increased exhaustion.
15 Articles
15 Articles
People are not more exhausted in spring than in other seasons. This is the result of a new study by the University of Basel and the Inselspital Bern. The researchers thus question a widespread opinion.
The birds chirping, the sun shining – and you can't get out of yawning any more. What's that about? At any rate, biologically measurable spring fatigue doesn't seem to be, according to a new study.
For spring fatigue there is no empirical evidence, shows a recent study. It is a cultural construct, similar to the Midlife Crisis. How does such collective illusions come about?
The phenomenon is firmly established in this country and almost everyone knows it - but according to researchers there is no scientific evidence for the alleged spring fatigue. Outside the German language area, the feeling is even completely unknown.
The sun comes out, the days get longer – and we get tired? That's what the term "spring fatigue" suggests, at least. However, a new study found no evidence to support this claim, even though many respondents thought they were affected.
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