Spring Sunshine

Going Somewhere Warm for Spring Break Is Better Than Going Somewhere Cold

Photo by Willian Justen de Vasconcellos on Unsplash

When the flowers start blooming, the weather gets sunnier and the days are longer. This can only mean one thing: spring is here! With spring rapidly approaching, a beloved break comes along. Spring break is a week-long holiday break at schools and universities. This break is a great time for students to recharge and prepare for the last couple of months in school.  During spring break, students typically vacation at different destinations, such as Seaside and Breckenridge, and some even go on cruises. Many families struggle with picking a spring break location and whether or not they should go somewhere warm or cold. Because of the access to vitamin D, salt water and warmer weather is proven to cure seasonal depression, traveling somewhere warm for spring break is better than traveling somewhere cold.

One of the most crucial vitamins to the body is vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin in many types of food. When ultraviolet (UV) rays hit the skin, it triggers vitamin D synthesis. The body is only able to absorb calcium when vitamin D is present, and since calcium is a necessity for the bones, vitamin D is equally as important. When the weather is warmer, so is the skin, which makes absorbing the vitamin much easier and more effective for the body. Going somewhere warm for spring break will allow your body to absorb more vitamin D, which will boost your overall health.

Additionally, most families that go to a warmer place for spring break tend to go to the beach. Not only does a warm day at the beach allow for increased vitamin D absorption, but the salt water is beneficial to the skin. Salt water contains many minerals that are crucial to the body like zinc, potassium, calcium and magnesium. One of the skin-related benefits of salt water is that it is a treatment for eczema. According to the National Eczema Association, eczema affects around 10–20% of children and 2–10% of adults. Eczema is an inflammatory condition that causes itchy patches of skin. Salt water has been known to be a natural remedy to help eczema because of its nutrients that can reduce swelling, calm itching and cleanse the skin.

Warm weather has positive benefits not only on the skin but also on the mood. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) occurs when someone feels less like themselves and sad due to seasonal changes. SAD most commonly occurs in the fall and winter and not in the spring or summer. According to the Mayo Clinic, the reduced amount of sunlight throughout fall and winter could disrupt the circadian rhythm, which is the body’s internal clock, leading to feelings of sadness. Reduced sunlight also can cause less serotonin, which can also lead to depression. Traveling somewhere warm for spring break can help people get out of SAD and return to their happy selves.

Even though warm weather has its health benefits, so does cold weather. Cold air is good for the brain, strengthens the heart and leads to better sleep. With the air being cold, it can boost brain activity and improve focus. When our body needs to make more energy to keep us warm, decision-making quickens and people tend to stay calmer. Because the heart has to work harder to pump blood through your body and maintain a regular body temperature in the cold, the heart muscles become stronger. Usually, colder months mean shorter days, which causes us to produce a hormone that helps us fall asleep quicker and stay asleep longer called melatonin. Although cold weather has multiple health benefits, so does warm weather.

Some could say that families could alternate between warm and cold climates every year or so to get both climates’ benefits. Since both warm and cold weather have their positives, it is up to the family if they want to spend the vacation on the beach and feel the UV hit their skin or ski down a mountain while knowing their heart is becoming stronger.