Spring is finally here! Yesterday marked the first day of Spring for the northern hemisphere, so you can bet that here at SunHeist, we are stoked that the days are getting longer and brighter. In our eyes, more sunshine means more happiness! But as excited as we are, we got to thinking: how much do wereally know about spring? 

For this month’s post, let’s dive into 5 questions about spring so you can leave with a better understanding of the season! 

Why does spring exist?

Spring, or any of the seasons for that matter, exist thanks to Earth’s axial tilt of 23.5 degrees. What this means for us in the northern hemisphere, is that during spring and summer, we are tilted towards the sun–whereas we are tilted away from the sun in the fall and winter. During yesterday’s vernal equinox, the sun officially passed the equator from south to north, marking the start of spring in the north, and fall in the south. According to thePacific Science Center, these equinoxes are theonly 2 days of the year where the sun rises due east, and sets due west everywhere on the planet! Finally, if the earth was not tilted and was perfectly perpendicular to the sun, there would be no seasons, or changes to when the sun rises and sets.

 Why does spring always start in March?

Over 400 years ago, in 1582,Pope Gregory XIII decided that the actual calendar days were drifting away from the church’s seasonal preference for Easter, specifically. This is primarily due to the fact that the calendar originally established by Julius Cesar was still in use at the time–which was about 11 minutes off. So with the removal of 10 calendar days, and 3 leap years every 400 years, the calendar was reconciled to get the calendar almostexactly matched to the Earth’s actual orbit. Essentially all countries around the world now recognize what is known as the Gregorian calendar. If this change had never happened, the first day of spring would have wound up in the middle of winter!

What’s with all of the chirping and singing birds?

During spring, migratory male birds arrive at their preferred nesting location about 1-2 weeks before females. Once they identify their “territory” they will chirp and call to alert other males of their claim–and hopefully lure females to stop by and check them out as a mating candidate! The“dawn chorus” as it is often called, tends to be the best time to hear these calls, and tends to peak in volume and variety in late May / early June when breeding is at its highest. 

PRO TIP: If any of you live in the southeast like we do, you do NOT want to mess withmockingbirds this time of year. They are very territorial and will swoop at you multiple times to scare you away from their area! You have been warned!

Is spring fever real?

In short, maybe! Increased daylight is shown to increase serotonin levels, which in turn generally boosts people’s moods. Also there is research to support that along with the light,  increasing temperatures can trigger other physiological responses within the body such as restlessness. For those reasons, you may feel inspired to exercise more (or clean your house!), eat lighter, or find it a bit harder to sleep in. The good news of course is that it is not a serious illness, and if you are feeling like you have more energy to take on the day, we say “have at it!”

Are there any additional health benefits to spring?

Yes, lots! For one, as foliage returns to plants and trees, they begin their process of consuming carbon dioxide from our atmosphere. Some estimates state that up to 25% of CO2 can be consumed by plants. Additionally, many people like to open their windows when the weather gets nice which can reduce prolonged contact with indoor air pollutants. Finally, more sunshine means more natural vitamins! Feeling a little bleh? Get outside for your daily dose of vitamin D!