Spring fatigue - why you're so exhausted right now

The big yawn

The Yellow Emperor: „Qi Bo, a strange phenomenon: the days are getting longer, the sun is returning - and yet my subjects are complaining of leaden tiredness. Shouldn't they be flourishing like nature?“

Qi Bo: „Majesty, that is precisely the paradox of spring fever. Imagine a river that has been under ice all winter. Now the ice is beginning to melt. The water wants to flow - but the melting takes energy. The river is in motion, but not yet free.“

Dr. Weber: „That's a perfect metaphor! Scientifically, this is exactly what happens: the body has to change its entire hormonal system. It has been producing melatonin - the sleep hormone - all winter. Now it has to switch to serotonin - the happiness and wakefulness hormone. This changeover takes weeks and requires enormous amounts of energy.“

The Yellow Emperor: „So tiredness is a sign of change?“

Qi Bo: „That's how it is. In TCM, we call this time the transition from the water element to the wood element. The kidneys have given their all over the winter. Now the liver awakens and wants to move the Qi upwards and outwards. But when the reserves are empty, the awakening stops.“

Why now?

The Yellow Emperor: „Explain to me in more detail: what happens in the body during this transition period?“

Qi Bo: „Your Majesty, liver qi is like a young shoot in spring. It wants to grow upwards, spread out, flow freely. But after the long winter, this rising Qi encounters resistance: the cold has not yet completely disappeared. The kidney essence is exhausted. The center is weakened by the heavy winter food.“

Dr. Weber: „Die Wissenschaft sieht das ganz ähnlich. Nach Monaten mit wenig Sonnenlicht sind die Vitamin–D–Speicher niedrig — das beeinflusst Energie und Stimmung. Die Blutgefäße, die sich im Winter zusammengezogen haben, weiten sich jetzt — der Blutdruck sinkt, wir fühlen uns schlapp. Und der Stoffwechsel muss von Wintermodus auf Frühlingsmodus umschalten.“

The Yellow Emperor: „So the body is fighting on several fronts at the same time?“

Dr. Weber: „Exactly! Hormone changes, vascular adaptation, changes in metabolism - all at the same time. No wonder we're tired. The body is working hard right now, even if we're just lying on the sofa.“

Qi Bo: „The old masters knew that the transition is more exhausting than the state itself. It is not the deep winter that exhausts us - but the awakening from it.“

The two faces of spring fatigue

The Yellow Emperor: „Are there different types of this fatigue?“

Qi Bo: „Yes, your majesty. I see two patterns:

The first is the Empty-fatigue: The reserves are exhausted. The kidney jing is exhausted. The substance for awakening is lacking. These people are deeply tired, just want to sleep, have no strength for anything.

The second is the Stagnation fatigueQi wants to flow, but it is blocked. The liver qi accumulates. These people are tired AND restless at the same time. They want to, but they can't. They lie awake even though they are exhausted.“

Dr. Weber: „Faszinierend! In der modernen Sicht unterscheiden wir ähnlich:

Some have a real State of exhaustion — die Reserven sind leer, es fehlt an Nährstoffen, das System ist ausgelaugt.

The others are ‚wired but tired‘ — aufgedreht, aber ausgelaugt. Das Nervensystem kommt nicht zur Ruhe.“

The Yellow Emperor: „Two different problems that feel the same?“

Qi Bo: „Exactly. And they need different solutions.“

Freeing the river

The Yellow Emperor: „Good, now people need practical help. What advice do you have for this spring fatigue?“

Qi Bo: „Three things, Your Majesty: Move the liver qi, strengthen the center, and gently guide the body into the new.“

Dr. Weber: „I add: fill up on light, boost your metabolism and give your body time to adjust.“

The insider tip: the liver loves expression

Qi Bo: „There's something most people don't know, Your Majesty: The liver hates suppression. Every swallowed emotion, every unspoken thought stagnates the qi.“

The Yellow Emperor: „So spring fatigue is also a question of feelings?“

Qi Bo: „Absolutely. Spring is the time of the wood element - and wood wants to grow, express itself, take up space. If you suppress your feelings, you block this natural impulse.“

Dr. Weber: „Das ist auch aus heutiger Sicht spannend! Unterdrückte Emotionen halten den Sympathikus aktiv — das Stresssystem. Der Körper bleibt im Alarmzustand, auch wenn keine Gefahr droht. Das kostet enorme Energie.“

Qi Bo: „The solution is simple: expression. Write, speak, move, be creative. Giving the liver qi an outlet releases the stagnation.“

Dr. Weber: „Auch die moderne Psychologie kennt das: Schon 15 Minuten Schreiben am Tag können helfen, Stress loszulassen und die Stimmung zu heben. Die alten Meister wussten das intuitiv!“

Wisdom to take away

The Yellow Emperor: „So spring fatigue is not a weakness, but a sign of change?“

Qi Bo: „That's right, Your Majesty. The body is working hard right now. It is saying goodbye to winter and preparing for awakening. This tiredness is not your enemy - it is the price of transformation.“

Dr. Weber: „And the good news is that we can support the body with the right measures. Light, exercise, expression - and patience. The changeover takes about 2-4 weeks. After that, the energy comes naturally.“

The Yellow Emperor: „What do you say to the people who are suffering the most right now?“

Qi Bo: „Be gentle with yourself. You are not lazy. You are not weak. You are a human being in the most challenging time of the year.“

Dr. Weber: „Und: Geh nach draußen. Jeden Tag. Das Licht ist das Beste, was wir haben.“

The Yellow Emperor: „Then may the liver qi flow freely and the spring tiredness disappear. Spring is coming - a little more every day!“

Preview:

The Yellow Emperor: „In March, we focus on spring allergies - when pollen becomes a nuisance.“

Qi Bo: „We're going to talk about the Wei-Qi and the lungs - your first line of defense against external intruders.“

Dr. Weber: „I explain the histamine system and why some people react and others don't.“

The Yellow Emperor: „Until then - may your Qi flow freely and your awakening be gentle!“

About our „3 Wise Men“ story

Who are the Yellow Emperor and Qi Bo?

The Yellow Emperor (Huangdi, 黄帝) is said to have lived around 2600 BC and is regarded as the mythical founder of Chinese culture and medicine. Qi Bo was his most important advisor and personal physician. Their discussions about health, illness and human nature were recorded in the most important fundamental work of TCM.

The book: Huangdi Neijing

The „Huangdi Neijing“ (黄帝内经), also known as „The Yellow Emperor - The Fundamental Work of Traditional Chinese Medicine“, was probably written between 200 BC and 200 AD. It is the oldest surviving work of Chinese medicine and consists of dialogues between the Yellow Emperor and his advisors - mainly Qi Bo.

This work is to TCM what the Bible is to Christianity: the absolute foundation. All the important concepts - yin and yang, the 5 elements, qi, meridians and acupuncture points - are systematically described here for the first time.

Our modern approach: The 3 wise men

In our series „The 3 Sages“, we bring the Yellow Emperor and Qi Bo together with the fictional modern doctor and microbiologist Dr. Weber.

Important note: All three characters and their conversations are purely fictitious and invented by us.

We use this narrative form, similar to the dialog form in the book Huangdi Neijing, to convey the often complex relationships of TCM in an understandable and entertaining way. When the 4000-year-old emperor is confronted with modern science, enlightening „aha moments“ arise which show that ancient wisdom and new research often speak the same language: Ancient wisdom and new research often speak the same language - just in different words.

This makes TCM lively, understandable and practically applicable for your everyday life.

The dialogs are creative interpretations - not historical documents. For medical questions, please consult a qualified TCM therapist or doctor.