9 Reasons We Love Spring in Michigan!
Spring sneaks up on you when you live in Michigan. Suddenly, there is a fresher feel to the air – birds are tweeting, warbling, andย chirping as you amble to your car in the morning. And miraculously, the barren trees are sprouting a riot of flowers. The grass is lush and green. I have to admit, as a Florida transplant to Michigan, I have been a little unreasonable when it comes to accepting the staying power of a Michigan winter. Even now, we steel ourselves for the inevitable spring flurry or grey days, a reminder to enjoy every warm baby-blue day we get.
9 Reasons We Love Spring in Michigan
We love spring in Michigan because it’s fleeting. In fact, spring in Michigan is better because of the hardships we endured over the long winter. So, put your cell phone in your backpack, purse, or pocket and experience the extraordinary beauty and health benefits of a Michigan spring. The shot of springtime dopamine from the pleasure center of the brain also helps to replace the craving for addictive substances (including cell phones)! Here’s our take on 9 reasons to love the season:
1. The relief after the long, hard winter
It’s sort of like the old joke:ย Patient: Doc, every time I take a drink of coffee, I get an excruciatingย pain in my eye. Doctor: Take the spoon out of the cup. In other words, spring feels so good because of what it doesn’t have in it. No longer dealing with the inconvenience of ice, snow, and biting cold suddenly makes you feel wonderful – for no particular reason – other than life is just easier.
Ironically called snowfall cherry trees.
2.ย A Big Boost to Mental Health
Unless you are Stieg Larsson (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), perpetual gray skies, icy winds, and barren landscapes eventually make you feel blue and unproductive. There is a reason Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD) is most prevalent at the start of winter. With the coming of spring, it’s natural to feel happier as nature is blooming so joyously! The sense of rebirth and renewal reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and improves everyone’s disposition.
3.ย Theย Beauty that Surrounds
Positive patterns of brain activity are associated with looking at something as beautiful as a border of forsythia. It works the same way as art in public places doesโthe reward and pleasure centers of the brain are triggered. So, the colorful springtime landscape enriches and improves Michiganders’ quality of life.
Forsythia, a harbinger of spring recovery.
4. Farmer’s Markets and Digestion
What a pleasure to sampleย fresh produce in the spring! Local farmer’s markets, such as theย Fulton Street Farmer’s Marketย in Grand Rapids, are opening, and the options for homegrown foods abound. Kale, asparagus, and peas are rich in vitamins and ripe in spring. Eatingย alfresco in the Michigan sunshine is good for digestion!
5. Exercise Redux
Without the impediments of ice and snow, we all feel a newfound zest for outdoor activities. Biking along a dappled country road, running in the park, or taxing our cardio capabilities sprinting up the Sleeping Bear Dunes reawakens childlike awe. Aย 2022 study on older adults by the American Psychological Association found that awesome experiences reduce self-focus, which is a good thing at any age. Awe also promotes social connection and joy and decreases stress.
6. Extra Daylight and Vitamin D
Spring brings extra daylight, and extra daylight brings natural Vitamin D. What a welcome bonus after the darkness of winter! There is a correlation between depression and a lack of vitamin D. Studies have shown that the lower the vitamin D level, the greater the chance of depression.ย Vitamin D helps ease depression,ย and getting outside with friends isย a cornerstone of successful recovery!
7. Look Better Feel Better
Household heating and winter’s cold wind suck the moisture out of everything. Spring cleaning applies to personal grooming here in the north. Michiganders clean up their acts and look better in the spring. And when you look better, you feel better!
8. Water, Water All Aroundย
It is impossible to write an article about Michigan’s health benefits without talking about the Great Lakes. When the weather warms, splashing in the big lakes or walking along the shore is a hugeย health and wellness benefit to those who live in Michigan. And we areย surrounded by Great Lakes experiences and opportunities.
The splendor and power of Lake Michigan…
9. Community and Connection!
Bears do itโemerging from hibernation and spending time with friends helps build a healthy mindset. No more cabin fever for those of us who live in the mitten state! Outdoor activities like picnics in the park, after-dinner strolls, or working in an urban garden develop a sense of shared community and pride in this marvelous place we live.
Springtime in Michigan brings a rebirth of all things, a widening of the path to recovery, and a natural broadening of interests. At Sanford Behavioral Health, our campus provides recreational therapy, art therapy, and recovery outings, which give the residents an opportunity to participate in real-life scenarios in the safety of treatment. Coupled with other evidence-based practices, excursions create a well-rounded experience in rehab. Long-dormant social interaction, learning, and fun are rekindled. Excursions also provide an opportunity to experience 12-step meetings that may enhance long-term recovery. Spring reminds me, and all of those who experience its splendor in Michigan, that life is well worth living. And worth living well.
