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Home / Blogs / Winter’s Dream of Spring
April 9, 2026
Groundhog Day release poster from Wikipedia
“And Winter slumbering in the open air, Wears on his smiling face a dream of spring!”
I was introduced to this poetry verse when I first watched the movie Groundhog Day, where Bill Murray’s character recites these poetry lines pulled from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “Work without Hope.” “Phil” delivers this line in a rather cheesy, over the top manner, so I didn’t take it very seriously as a kid (as you can imagine, I didn’t even know it was poetry at the time, I just thought it was silly adult talk). I have rewatched this movie every year since, as my parents are avid seasonal movie re-watchers. The more I absorb these words at each year’s cusp of spring, the more I am beginning to believe that Sam may have been onto something.
“Spring’s Coming”, painting by Billy Jacobs
I wouldn’t consider myself a poetry girl. However, to the delight of the poetry lovers and the dismay of my fellow poetry-phobes, I have decided to include Coleridge’s piece in full:
All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair— The bees are stirring—birds are on the wing— And Winter slumbering in the open air, Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring! And I the while, the sole unbusy thing, Nor honey make, nor pair, nor build, nor sing.
Yet well I ken the banks where amaranths blow, Have traced the fount whence streams of nectar flow. Bloom, O ye amaranths! bloom for whom ye may, For me ye bloom not! Glide, rich streams, away! With lips unbrightened, wreathless brow, I stroll: And would you learn the spells that drowse my soul? Work without Hope draws nectar in a sieve, And Hope without an object cannot live.
I have no doubt there are endless interpretations of this poem. My interpretation, however, is the only one I care about for the time being. In an attempt to avoid reliving any English class trauma, I’ll keep this analysis brief.
Coleridge portrays a theme of hope and its entanglement with a goal or objective. Without a goal, hope dies, and work becomes an empty burden. He contrasts this with the driven labor of Nature (nature personified), positioning himself as the aimless worker amongst the symphony of its buzzing anticipation of spring. But do we not also await spring? I believe we are just as driven by the changing of seasons as Nature is in this poem. Just as there is evidence to prove a bee’s motivation to harvest honey at the coming of spring, there is a reason we feel a rejuvenation at the end of a long winter.
Seasonal Affective Disorder graphic by Lotus Psych Group
Unfortunately, I can’t sit here and write about the positive effects of spring while you all stay ignorant of my personal gripes. I am a major winter hater, so whether this whole article is a long form of my own confirmation bias will be left up to you, but I digress.
During the winter, I am almost always sick and in a bad mood. I used to think there was just something wrong with me, but turns out I have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) to thank. More commonly known as “Seasonal Depression,” SAD is a depression condition that is commonly correlated with colder seasons. The main variable contributing to this condition is the lack of sunlight, which is why SAD often declines at the start of spring. There are biological processes driving this phenomena, meaning it’s time to get technical.
Picture of person basking in the sun from “Walking on Sunshine” article by Molly Davies from The EDIT Blog
The amount of time between sunrise and sunset is a significant variable influencing mental and emotional health. When spring arrives, the amount of sunlight increases and our internal chemistry shifts. Increased sunlight boosts serotonin, which regulates mood and focus, while simultaneously decreasing melatonin, the hormone that signals the body to sleep when it is surrounded by darkness. This is why we feel a sudden surge of productivity as the days grow longer during the spring.
Yakushima (Island) National Park from National Parks of Japan website
It isn’t just the light that saves us in the spring, it’s the green. After the months of grey and brown, the human brain reacts powerfully to the return of green. The physiological power of green goes beyond aesthetics, having the ability to lower cortisol levels (stress hormones) and promote emotional balance and mental restoration. There is also substantial evidence that even just seeing green can help your body heal and recover from physical trauma, making this color a lot more powerful than it lets on.
Seeing spring isn’t the only thing that’s good for us, but experiencing it as well. Remember when I was complaining about getting sick during the winter? Well there’s a biological reason for that too, which brings us to forest bathing. A forest bath refers to a leisurely visit to, you guessed it, a forest. This activity was coined in Japan, where it is known as Shinrin-yoku. The practice of shinrin-yoku is deeply rooted in Japan’s Indigenous spiritual tradition, which finds sacred energy in mountains, trees, and nature. While Japan is credited with the term shinrin-yoku, the concept at the heart of the practice is not new. Many cultures have long recognized the importance of the natural world to human health, proving how intertwined humans are with nature.
Picture of Dr. Qing Li from The Forest Bathing Institute website
While the concept of forest bathing is ancient, it was only officially integrated into modern wellness in 1982 by Tomohide Akiyama of Japan’s Forest Agency. This was a direct response to the growing sensory overload of city life and a lack of green space. By the early 2000s, the need for nature became even more critical. As the tech boom pulled us further into the digital world, we began to succumb to what researchers call a “nature deficit disorder.” Dr. Qing Li, a pioneer in this field from Nippon Medical School, estimates that the average American now spends a staggering 93% of their time indoors. This sedentary, screen dominant lifestyle has shocked our bodies, contributing to skyrocketing rates of chronic disease, high blood pressure, and mental health crises.
The antidote, however, is found in the air itself. Dr. Li’s research proves that trees emit phytoncides, which are natural essential oils that act as a biological bridge between the forest and our health. When we inhale tree aerosols produced by these oils, our bodies respond by increasing Natural Killer (NK) cells which help fight off infection and tumor growth. Phytoncides simultaneously lower our production of stress hormones, leading to better sleep, a relaxed nervous system, and reduced blood pressure. In a culture dominated by technology, the practice of forest bathing is vital to a healthy life. In fact, just one forest bath a month can be enough to significantly improve your immune function and help you reset from the demands of modern life.
My favorite trees from my backyard in bloom last week. Photo: Chloe DiStaso
As spring introduces more sunlight, warmer temperatures, and a restorative green landscape, we begin to feel a resurrection. People are out, birds are chirping, and smiles feel a little easier. However, spring can quickly slip into the intensity of summer heat without us even realizing, especially if our faces are buried in a screen the whole day. With April ushering in the springtime air of Winter’s dreams (a little callback for you), think of ways you can enjoy nature rather than passively moving through it. Tend to a garden, take a deliberate walk through the trees, suggest sitting outside during that coffee with a friend. Lean into the buzzing anticipation of the season and wake up from winter’s slumber. Being outside is a privilege, so if you can, please don’t take it for granted. Your body and your mind will thank you.
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