Spring fever has biological basis

Now that it’s no longer so cold and dark, do you have a big smile on your face? Do you have the urge to skip work and lay in the grass?

Two University of North Carolina medical professionals looked at the phenomenon and say: Yes, seasons do affect our mood. And “spring fever” is real.

Well, sort of.

“It depends on what you mean by ‘real,’ ” said Jon Abramowitz, professor and associate chair of psychology at the University of North Carolina.

“When the weather turns warm, people are definitely tired of being cooped up, and they get excited about the warm weather and getting to do stuff outside,” he said.

Excitement may trigger the brain to secrete endorphins. Those are the chemicals that give you that sense of well-being. They chemically resemble morphine, the narcotic derived from poppies.

Exercise may also contribute to spring fever: “Exercise is just as good as antidepressants for depression,” Abramowitz said.

Dr. Thomas Koonce, associate medical director at the UNC Family Medical Center, said that more sunlight may just help end the winter blues. Lack of daylight can cause depression because of changes in levels of melatonin, which helps regulate sleep.

He added that there isn’t much scientific evidence that spring puts people in the mood for love.

But people do feel better and more energetic when it’s warm, he said. Some studies show sperm counts are actually the lowest during hot summer months.

The university says research shows a small peak in births in February, meaning people got romantic the previous spring. But more babies are made in winter because more are born in August and September.