The Breath of Spring: How Seasonal Change Shapes Your Nervous System

How Does Spring Affect the Nervous System?

Spring affects the nervous system by increasing light exposure and environmental stimulation, which recalibrates your circadian and ultradian rhythms.

As winter softens into spring, your body undergoes a biological adjustment. Increased daylight alters melatonin production and shifts your circadian rhythm, the internal clock that regulates sleep, hormones, and energy [1]. This transition can leave you feeling both energized and slightly unsettled as your nervous system adapts to the new season.

What Are Ultradian Rhythms?

Ultradian rhythms are natural biological cycles that occur throughout the day in 90 to 120-minute intervals, governing energy, focus, and recovery.

During the transition into spring, these internal rhythms can become slightly compressed or irregular due to shifts in light exposure [2]. This often leads to bursts of heightened energy followed by deeper dips in fatigue. Your capacity for sustained attention, rest, and even breathing rhythms may fluctuate more noticeably during this time. Tuning into your breath provides a gentle anchor to stabilize these cycles as your body recalibrates.

Fresh Start Breathwork with Jesse Coomer

A revitalizing breathwork session to clear winter stagnation and invite the energy of a fresh beginning.

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How Does Breathing Influence Brain Activity?

Breathing directly influences brain activity by signaling safety or stress to the autonomic nervous system.

Your autonomic nervous system controls the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) responses. When stress or seasonal stimulation increases, your breathing naturally becomes faster and more shallow. Conversely, slowing and deepening your breath activates the vagus nerve, which restores safety and calm [3]. Because breathing is both automatic and consciously controllable, it serves as a direct bridge between the body and the mind.

Pause to Calm with Gray Caws

A gentle calming practice to slow the nervous system and create a moment of stillness within a stimulating season.

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What Are the Best Breathing Techniques for Spring?

The best breathing techniques for spring include activating practices like Kapalabhati and Bhastrika to clear winter sluggishness, followed by balancing practices like Alternate Nostril Breathing.

In traditional Ayurvedic wisdom, spring is a time of clearing and renewal. Kapalabhati (skull-shining breath) and Bhastrika (bellows breath) are rhythmic, forceful breathing patterns that stimulate circulation and generate internal heat. Studies show that consistent practice of Kapalabhati improves key markers of lung function, such as forced vital capacity (FVC) and peak expiratory flow [4]. To counterbalance this activation, Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana) offers a regulating effect. Research suggests that this practice significantly reduces blood pressure and resets the autonomic nervous system [5].

Kapalabhati Explained by Ryan Bean

A clear, guided introduction to the Kapalabhati technique, covering the mechanics, benefits, and proper practice for spring renewal.

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Kapalabhati Pranayama by Ryan Bean

A full guided Kapalabhati practice to stimulate circulation, clear the respiratory system, and energize the body for spring.

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Awakened Breath by Ben Holt

An energizing breathwork practice to awaken the body and mind, aligned with the rising energy of the spring season.

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What Do Breath Masters Say About Seasonal Transitions?

Breath Masters emphasize that we must use the breath to move with the season rather than resist the changes in our energy.

Breath Master Ed Harrold notes that "how we breathe is the master regulator for both the circadian and ultradian rhythms as well as the response of our Autonomic Nervous System" [6]. Breath Master Josh Seiler explains that conscious breathing regulates nervous system energy, and that starting the day with intentional breathwork helps build resilience for these seasonal shifts [7]. Breath Master Joely Franklin teaches that the nervous system speaks through felt sense, and that balanced breathing counts help you reconnect to your body and find relaxation during moments of overstimulation [8]. Breath Master Jesse Coomer reminds us that the breath gives you a buffer, allowing you to respond with care instead of reacting out of habit when your system feels wired [9].

Alternate Nostril Breathing with Ed Harrold

A guided Nadi Shodhana practice with Ed Harrold to balance the autonomic nervous system and support a smooth seasonal transition.

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Breath Awareness: Nervous System Soothing with Joely Franklin

A gentle, felt-sense practice to soothe an overstimulated nervous system and restore inner calm during seasonal transitions.

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How Can You Support Your Nervous System Today?

You can support your nervous system today by consciously lengthening your exhales and softening your inhales.

Spring brings more light, activity, and expectation, which your nervous system interprets as an increase in input. If you feel restless, experience sleep changes, or notice quick upper-chest breathing, understand that this is adaptation, not dysfunction. Simple practices like extending the exhale stimulate the vagus nerve, signaling safety to the body and supporting a smoother seasonal transition [10].

Let Go and Just Be with Jen Bailey-Hobbs

A deeply restorative practice to release the tension of seasonal change and settle into a state of presence and ease.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I feel anxious in the spring?
The nervous system interprets the rapid increase in daylight and environmental change as stimulation, which can elevate stress hormones and cause low-level anxiety or restlessness.

When is the best time to practice breathwork in spring?
Ayurveda and modern chronobiology suggest that morning practices (between 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM) are highly beneficial for synchronizing breathing, energy, and circadian rhythms as the body prepares for the day.

Can breathwork improve lung capacity?
Yes, vigorous pranayama techniques like Kapalabhati and Bhastrika have been shown to improve pulmonary function parameters, including peak expiratory flow rate, when practiced consistently.