Seven preconceived ideas about the effect of the change of season on the body

Some say you should treat yourself to dandelions when spring rolls around so your liver can survive June. As winter approached, our spirit would go straight to our socks, only to disappear completely, only to rise again three months later with the return of the spring sun. What if we got it all wrong? A chronobiologist, nutritionist, dermatologist, and naturalist sift through preconceived notions about the changing of the seasons.

Seasonal rhythm change with seasonal depression

False. There is no inevitability. Seasonal depression affects 4-6% of French people and only occurs in autumn or winter due to the decline in light. The internal clock, especially the sleep-wake cycle, is controlled by daylight. “When the days get shorter, the brain secretes melatonin for a longer time. This prolonged exposure of the body to what we call the ‘night hormone’ may explain seasonal depression,” says André Klarsfeld, a chronobiologist and professor at the Ecole Ecole des Physiques et des Chemisiers in Paris. The result: sadness, anxiety, fatigue…

If autumn and winter can be synonymous with depression, spring and summer, on the contrary, rhyme with good humor. “Light allows you to have a good sleep-wake rhythm and feel more active. Blues and greens have a positive effect on mood, and so do all the new products that hit the shelves and disrupt the winter routine,” explains psychiatrist and author Michelle Lejoie. 4 seasons of good humorr(1). However, for André Klarsfeld, the seasons, and therefore the changes, are less and less visible in the modern era. “Artificial light is the first endocrine disruptor, the presence of light disrupts our organism at night without us knowing about the long-term effects,” warns the chronobiologist.

The body is tired

CORRECT: When the good weather arrives, you may feel a little sluggish simply because your rhythms change. “Each change of season is stressful for the body, it has to adapt to the change in schedule, rhythm and diet,” explains naturalist Olivier Panisset. “The transition is very gradual, we add a few minutes a day so that the body does not get sad. The time change may affect you depending on your timeline. If you are a morning person, you will be more tired in the summer due to the lengthening of the days. Likewise, evening workers will find it a bit more difficult in the winter,” says Andre Klarsfeld.

Blue and green have a positive effect on the mood, as well as all the new products that appear on the shelves and disrupt the winter routine.

Michel Lejoie, Psychiatrist

We sleep less

CORRECT: A change in brightness affects your internal clock and therefore your sleep, whether it’s the arrival of the cold season or spring. “Compared to the usual rhythm, we have a gap. So we need to reprogram ourselves to go to bed earlier and at set times in order to have a good night’s sleep,” advises author of the book, nutritionist Raphael Gruman. The Mind Diet: The World’s Best Brain Diet (2).

You should do a detox treatment

True and false. There is no consensus on detoxing during the changing seasons. According to Rafael Grumman, you should do a one-week treatment with a menu of vegetable juices, soups and less animal protein to avoid the feeling of fatigue due to the toxins accumulated during the winter. According to the nutritionist, liquid-only detoxes should last no more than two days. Olivier Panisset also recommends avoiding overly restrictive treatments. “One week of vegetable juice will increase fatigue. It is necessary to eat more cooked vegetables, maintaining a diversified diet,” explains the specialist. Dietitian nutritionist Florence Foucault recommends eating balanced and seasonal food. “If the body is tired after winter, then you should only eat seasonal fruits and vegetables when spring comes and not overdo it,” emphasizes the specialist.

If the body is tired after winter, then you should eat only seasonal fruits and vegetables when spring comes and not measure.

Florence Foucault, dietitian, nutritionist

You need to change your diet

CORRECT. “If there are seasonal vegetables, it is not unreasonable. winter gives roots with lots of carbohydrates to better withstand the cold, and in spring we have artichokes or asparagus to stimulate kidney function and eliminate excess,” explains Olivier Panisset.

You should take nutritional supplements

Not so sure. The issue of nutritional supplements divides experts. Olivier Panisset recommends taking vitamin D in the winter and magnesium in the spring. Florence Foucault advises against self-medication. “We do not systematically take any nutritional supplements. If our diet is varied and balanced, there is no reason to take supplements,” he says.

If the diet is diversified and balanced, there is no reason for supplements

Florence Foucault, dietitian, nutritionist

We are losing our hair

CORRECT: Fluctuations in light and temperature cause hair loss to increase when fall and spring arrive. This condition, called “seasonal alopecia,” affects women more. “It varies from person to person, some people won’t see a difference, others will notice it more,” explains dermatologist Nina Russ, author of the book. The leather is in excellent condition (3). According to the expert, excessive hair loss, on the other hand, should be a warning. “It is necessary to consult when it develops very quickly and for a long time,” advises the specialist.

(1) 4 seasons of good humorby Michel Lejoyeux, Éditions JC Lattès, €18.
(2) The Mind Diet, The World’s Best Diet for the BrainBy Anne Dufour, Raphaël Gruman and Carole Garnier, Éditions Leduc.s, €18.
(3) The leather is in excellent conditionby Nina Ross, Éditions Solar, €6.90.