People often think of spring as a time when the days get longer, the weather gets warmer, and things start over. But for people who have health problems that last a long time, the change of seasons can bring on problems they weren’t expecting. Changes in temperature, humidity, allergens, and activity levels can all change how chronic conditions show up and how well symptoms are managed. You can help keep things stable and stop flare-ups if you know about these effects and do something to stop them before they happen.
Why Spring Can Be Hard For People Who Are Always Sick
Changes in the environment affect the body a lot. People with long-term illnesses may find that even small changes in the weather or their daily routine make their symptoms worse. A lot of things happen, like
Changes in temperature: In the spring, the days are usually warm and the nights are cool. These changes can make arthritis worse by making joints hurt more and become stiffer. People with heart disease may notice that their blood pressure goes up or down, or that they are more sensitive to changes in temperature.
Allergens in the air: In the spring, pollen from trees, grasses, and weeds can make asthma, chronic sinusitis, and other breathing problems worse. Allergies can also make you sleepy and make it hard to fall asleep.
Changes in how active people are: People want to be outside more when the weather is warm and the days are longer. Exercise is good for you, but doing a lot of it all at once can hurt your body, especially if you have heart disease, joint problems, or metabolic disorders.
Changes in humidity: When the air is more humid, it can make skin problems like eczema, psoriasis, and other inflammatory skin disorders worse. It can also make it harder for people with COPD or asthma to breathe.
Even small changes in these things can affect how well your medications work, how well your symptoms are controlled, and how healthy you feel overall.
Spring Weather and Common Long-Term Health Problems
Changes in temperature and humidity can make joints hurt and feel stiff, especially in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. In the spring, when the weather is unpredictable, it’s normal to feel bad in the morning and at night.
If you spend a lot of time outside and are around allergens, your asthma, chronic bronchitis, and sinus problems may get worse. People with mild seasonal allergies may notice that their symptoms get worse.
Heart and blood vessel problems: Changes in temperature and activity can affect blood pressure and circulation. People with heart disease, high blood pressure, or a history of strokes should pay attention to how they feel when the weather changes quickly from hot to cold.
Diabetes and metabolic conditions: Changes in diet, exercise, and hydration during the seasons may make it harder to keep blood sugar levels stable. When it’s warm outside, people tend to be more active and eat outside more. This can change the levels of sugar in their blood.
Skin Problems: More sun, humidity, and pollen can make eczema, psoriasis, and other long-term skin problems worse.
How to Stay Stable in the Spring
You need to plan ahead for how to deal with long-term health problems in the spring. Small, regular changes can have a big impact:
Check your vital signs and symptoms every day. This includes things like having trouble breathing, pain in your joints, or high blood pressure or blood sugar. Early detection of changes can help stop problems from getting worse.
If you need to, talk to your doctor about changing your medicines for the seasons. You might need to stop taking your allergy medications, inhalers, or anti-inflammatory drugs for a short time, for example.
If you want to avoid allergens, close your windows on days when there is a lot of pollen, use air purifiers, and take a shower after being outside. It’s important to talk to a doctor about your breathing problems to make sure they don’t get worse.
Plan your activities carefully: spend more time outside, wear the right shoes, and warm up before you work out. Don’t push yourself too hard all at once; listen to your body.
Skin Care: Use moisturizers to keep your skin from getting dry in the spring when the wind blows or the humidity changes. Put on sunscreen before you go outside to stop flare-ups from happening.
Make sure your routine is balanced. Getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, and eating well all help keep things stable. Don’t suddenly change your diet or stay up late; these things can make health problems worse in the long run.
When to Go to the Doctor
Preventive measures can often help with spring-related flare-ups, but there are some signs that you need to see a doctor right away:
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- Sudden or very bad pain in the chest or joints
- Breathlessness that doesn’t get better with regular medicine
- Very big changes in your blood sugar or blood pressure
- Long-lasting tiredness or strange symptoms that make it hard to do normal things
If you don’t act quickly, small problems that happen every year can turn into big ones.
The Main Point
Spring can be both refreshing and hard for people who have health problems that last a long time. People can stay healthy and enjoy the season by learning how temperature, allergens, activity, and humidity affect the body and taking small, proactive steps. To do well during seasonal changes, you need to stick to your daily routines, keep an eye on your symptoms, and get medical help when you need it.
Spring doesn’t have to make things worse or cause problems. Spring can be a time of new beginnings for both the world around us and our own health and happiness if we plan ahead.
Dr. Barbara R. Edwards is an experienced Penn Medicine Princeton Health internist who has practiced medicine for over 25 years. She is also the academic director of the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health.