Is your teen sleepier in spring?

You’d think that saying goodbye to the dreary months of winter would leave us full of vitality and raring to go. But for some people, especially teenagers, the onset of spring can actually have the opposite effect. ‘Spring asthenia’, or ‘Spring fatigue’ as it is also known, is how doctors describe the feelings of drowsiness or even extreme tiredness that this time of year can bring.

Why is my teen tired all the time?

Adolescents are thought to be especially susceptible to spring asthenia, since their biological clocks go through important shifts and changes as they grow. This means that their inability to get out of bed in the morning isn’t necessarily due to laziness – though that probably doesn’t help! Spring fatigue can leave teenagers with low vitality levels, which can sometimes be accompanied by dizziness, muscle tension and a loss of appetite.

The good news is that there are some simple (and enjoyable!) steps that you can take to overcome spring asthenia.

Which foods are good for spring fatigue?

If you want vitality, you need nutrients. A balanced diet with good sources of energy, vitamins and minerals, is key to strengthening your body and your immune system – which means you need to include plenty of fruits and vegetables. The problem is, these can be dreaded words for many teenagers to hear. But there are actually lots of tasty ways to tempt them with the nutrients their bodies crave. For example, give them snacks and meals that are high in vitamin C, which studies show plays a key role in fighting fatigue and improving vitality levels.^1,2 Since the body cannot make or store vitamin C, it needs to be obtained through the diet on a daily basis.¹

Top Tip: Give your teenager a Vitamin C breakfast boost!

The morning is the perfect moment to give your tired teen a vitality boost. There are loads of delicious recipes to choose from, including our favourite: The Zespri Green Rise and Shine Omelette. The combination of kiwi, avocado, raisins and turkey turn a boring breakfast into a tasty treat. What’s more, since Zespri Green kiwifruit are exceptionally high in vitamin C³, you can serve this up safe in the knowledge that your teenager is getting the nutrients they need to feel full of vitality. In fact, with 85 mg of vitamin C per 100 g, Zespri Green kiwifruit are one of the most highly concentrated sources of vitamin Cof all commonly eaten fruits – that’s even more vitamin C than the amount found in oranges!¹

So next time your teen asks “Why am I so tired?”, hand them a Zespri Green kiwifruit!

Sources

1. National Institutes of Health. Vitamin C. Available at: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/ (accessed 15 November 2016)
2. Carr AC, Bozonet SM, Pullar JM, Vissers MC. Mood improvement in young adult males following supplementation of yellow kiwifruit, a high-vitamin C food. Journal of nutritional science 2013; 2:e24
3. New Zealand Ministry of Health. New Zealand FOODfiles 2014 Version 01. Available from: www.foodcomposition.co.nz/ ) accessed 15 November 2016)