Your DOSE of Stress Relief for Spring
Spring is a season of renewal, but for ambitious women juggling careers, family, and personal growth, it also brings unique stressors. In this episode, we’re back with our popular DOSE framework—exploring how your brain’s feel-good chemicals (Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins) can help you manage stress around spring holidays, work pressures, spring cleaning, and more. You’ll find gentle, practical ways to boost your mood, motivation, and emotional resilience, turning your busy spring days into moments of ease and balance.
Download your free DOSE Reflect and Respond Checklist and your brand-new DOSE of Spring Inspiration handout at psychope.com/dose.
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Harness your Happy Hormones for Stress Relief this Spring!
Hello and welcome! You’re listening to the PsycHope Self-Help Podcast: A space for women where psychology illuminates paths to healing, hope, and personal growth. I’m Dr. Jennifer McManus, a clinical psychologist and I’ll be your host. Each episode, we’ll explore a different way to use psychology to enhance emotional wellness. Hope you enjoy the show!
Keep scrolling for the full transcript in case you want to dive into the details!
It’s episode 51. And, we’re back with another DOSE-themed show for you. Lots of listeners have been letting me know how much you’re enjoying learning about harnessing our brain’s natural feel-good chemistry for stress relief, so today, we’re diving back into those DOSE chemicals—Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins—with a focus on helping you manage stress during the spring season.
Now, springtime can be truly refreshing—often thought of as a season of renewal and new beginnings—but it also comes with its own unique stressors. Today, we're going to explore how the DOSE chemicals can support you in navigating stress related to the many aspects of life for busy, ambitious women during springtime.
Free DOSE Resources for Stress Relief
To support your stress relief even further, we've prepared some free resources to accompany this episode: the already popular DOSE Reflect and Respond Checklist and a brand-new handout, Your DOSE of Spring Inspiration for Stress Relief. You can download these resources right now at psychope.com/dose. As always, you can just click the link in the show notes to grab your free resources.
We're about to jump right into practical ways you can leverage your DOSE chemicals to ease springtime stress, but if you're curious to dive deeper into the science behind these powerful neurochemicals, make sure to check out our earlier episode: Harness Your Happy Hormones for Stress Relief: A DOSE Primer, which was episode 42.
So, let’s start today’s episode by recognizing the stressors that may surface during springtime.
As mentioned, spring is often painted as a season of renewal and fresh starts—and it absolutely can be—but the season of spring also brings its own unique stressors, especially for highly ambitious women who juggle busy careers along with all the other pillars of life.
First, let’s talk about holidays and celebrations during spring. This season has some big ones—like Easter and Passover. Even if you’re not deeply religious, maybe more culturally Christian or Jewish, you might still find yourself hosting family gatherings, attending dinners, or navigating difficult family dynamics. Then, right around the corner, we have Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, which for many of us can stir up complicated emotions, pressures around gift-giving, or expectations about how those days “should” look. These holidays can be particularly challenging if we’ve lost a parent. Spring also involves graduation season. Perhaps you’ve gone back to school or worked on another credential or certification. Maybe a loved one is hitting an educational milestone. And, suddenly you may be managing invitations, events, or expectations, all layered with plenty of emotional significance.
Then there’s the big bucket of work and business pressures. For those with ambitious careers or running their own businesses, the second quarter can bring intense demands—think quarterly reviews, pushing toward financial goals, or navigating tax season (just thinking about taxes might be raising your stress levels!). There’s often an unspoken urgency around this time to meet certain benchmarks before the year slips away, which adds a subtle yet persistent pressure.
Of course, one silver lining of spring is the prospect of vacation planning like that well deserved spring break, but even that can feel like another big task at times. While vacations are meant to be restful and rejuvenating, they often come with their own set of stressors, from figuring out logistics and scheduling, to managing work responsibilities so you can actually step away guilt-free.
And speaking of managing all the things, we can’t forget household and life management. There’s something about spring that makes many of us feel like we “should” be tackling big projects: spring cleaning, decluttering, organizing our spaces, preparing the garden, or catching up on maintenance tasks that piled up over the winter. All good things, yes, but they can easily feel overwhelming—especially when you’re already juggling so many balls in the air.
Spring can also amplify pressures related to social expectations and self-image. As the weather warms up, there’s often an increased awareness or anxiety about physical appearance, especially as we shift away from layers of winter clothing. Plus, after a quieter winter, more social invitations start coming in, bringing excitement for some—but social anxiety or a sense of not quite feeling “ready” for others.
And let’s not forget about the physical health side of seasonal shifts that affect a lot of people. Spring allergies, colds, or adjusting to daylight saving time can make us feel out-of-sync physically and emotionally. You might notice shifts in energy levels, disrupted sleep patterns from the longer daylight hours, or just a sense of fatigue from adapting to seasonal changes.
The last potentially stressful area I want to acknowledge is how spring often brings reflections on career ambitions and personal growth. Just as we associate spring with new beginnings and fresh starts in nature, we often do the same internally. You might be reflecting on your career path, evaluating your personal goals, or feeling a gentle (or sometimes not-so-gentle) push to reassess where you’re headed and how far you’ve come. While this self-reflection can be motivating, it can also bring stress around measuring up or feeling behind on your personal timeline.
If any—or all!—of these resonate with you, please know you are definitely not alone. So, let’s get into some practical and hopefully helpful ways you can tap into your DOSE chemicals this spring, bringing a little extra joy, ease, and calm into your days.
Dopamine
First we have dopamine, your feel-good chemical, which is linked to motivation, reward, and satisfaction—perfect to harness during this energetic yet demanding season.
Spring is a great time to create a little goals checklist, capturing tasks like filing your taxes, spring cleaning, or organizing the garden shed. Each time you check off an item, your brain gives you a hit of dopamine, motivating you to keep moving forward. It’s like a gentle cheerleader saying, “You’re doing amazing!”
Another lovely way to tap into dopamine this time of year is to take some spring walks or hikes. Look closely and you’ll see tiny buds emerging on branches, flowers starting to bloom, or birds busy building their nests. Each sign of nature's progress that you can spot gently stimulates your dopamine production, reinforcing your sense of growth and motivation.
And speaking of things to look forward to, don’t underestimate the joy of planning fun springtime activities. Simply scheduling a picnic with friends or a weekend outing creates joyful anticipation that naturally boosts dopamine, helping you stay inspired even when life gets busy.
Our last dopamine enhancing tip is to remember to celebrate your small wins. Maybe you successfully planted your spring flowers or wrapped up a big project at work—taking time to acknowledge these moments amplifies dopamine’s rewarding effects, reinforcing your motivation to tackle whatever comes next.
Oxytocin
Now we’re going to explore oxytocin, which is the chemical behind feelings of connection, trust, and warmth, perfectly suited to the busy social gatherings of springtime.
Whether you're hosting Easter, Passover, or other meaningful gatherings, intentionally creating moments of genuine connection—maybe through heartfelt conversations or shared laughter at the dinner table—can enhance oxytocin for both you and your loved ones, making events feel even more special.
Another nurturing practice is expressing intentional gratitude, like writing thoughtful cards for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. Since these holidays can be complicated, I do want to mention that these letters can be to honor the memory of those who may have passed or to a maternal or paternal figure in your life. Putting your appreciation into words not only deepens emotional bonds, but triggers a heartwarming release of oxytocin.
Collaborating with others on tasks like vacation planning or spring cleaning also provides a perfect opportunity for bonding. Sharing ideas, goals, or even simple tasks like sorting out closets has the potential to strengthen relationships and naturally increases oxytocin.
And sometimes, the simplest gesture is all you need: a gentle hug or even placing your hand softly on your heart during moments of stress or overwhelm provides an instant boost of oxytocin, comforting you with your body’s own internal hug.
Serotonin
Serotonin is up next and it plays a key role in keeping your mood balanced and helping you feel emotionally grounded, which is especially important when spring responsibilities start piling up.
A simple yet powerful serotonin booster is spending intentional time outdoors, particularly in the gentle morning sunshine. This exposure to natural light helps stabilize your mood, increasing feelings of calm and optimism, even on busier days.
Another beautiful way to connect with serotonin is through mindful gardening or nurturing plants. Gardening draws you into the present moment, grounding you in sensations like the feel of soil or the scent of fresh blooms, gently increasing serotonin.
Spring is also the perfect season to begin or deepen a practice of spring-themed meditation. Whether meditating in your backyard, park, or balcony, the fresh air and nature sounds help center your thoughts, enhancing serenity and serotonin production.
Last, let’s not forget the comfort of spring cleaning rituals. Clearing clutter and organizing your space can provide comfort, reinforcing a sense of order and calm that gently increases serotonin levels.
Endorphins
Finally, we come to endorphins, which act as your body’s natural stress-relievers and mood lifters. When endorphins are released, they can help you feel refreshed and uplifted and that’s especially important during emotionally or physically busy periods.
One fun way to encourage endorphin release is to engage in playful outdoor activities. Whether it’s tossing a frisbee, playing badminton, or organizing a friendly game of croquet, playful movement and shared laughter significantly boost your endorphin levels.
Making time for regular exercise, even simple activities like biking through your neighborhood, jogging on a spring morning, or stretching or doing yoga in your garden, can provide a soothing release of endorphins, gently easing stress and boosting your mood.
Another fun approach is to dance to your favorite playlist, like in your kitchen or outdoors. Music combined with movement is a powerful, uplifting combination, easing stress and providing a wonderful release of endorphins.
You might also consider taking your creativity outside — perhaps sketching blooming flowers or photographing nature — both of which can gently stimulate endorphins. Immersing yourself in creative expression while connecting with the calming beauty of nature during springtime offers a soothing release, lifting your spirits and helping stress fade into the background.
Tapping into your DOSE Chemicals
So, there you have it—super simple yet meaningful ways of tapping into each of your DOSE chemicals to bring more ease, positivity, and balance to your busy spring days.
As we wrap up, I want to remind you about the two free resources that accompany this episode—the DOSE Reflect and Respond Checklist and the brand-new DOSE of Spring Inspiration for Stress Relief handout. Both can be wonderful supports to help you navigate springtime stress with greater ease and a sense of lightness. You can find them both at psychope.com/dose or just click the link in the show notes.
Winding down now, I want to wish you a spring filled with plenty of sunshine, warmth, and calming moments that gently nourish your mind, body, and spirit.
Much peace until next time!
The information shared on the PsycHope Self-Help podcast is done so with the understanding that it does not constitute professional help nor is it a substitute for professional help. If you think you might benefit from more than self-help, there are resources listed in the show notes.
Show Notes
Episode 51, originally published on May 13, 2025.
Download your free DOSE Reflect and Respond Checklist and your brand-new DOSE of Spring Inspiration handout at psychope.com/dose.
Disclaimer
The information shared on the PsycHope Self-Help podcast does not constitute professional help nor is it a substitute for professional help. If you think you might benefit from more than self-help, here are some helpful resources:
Find a therapist:
Psychology Today, directory for locating a psychotherapist. More details here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/
Mental health crisis resources:
Crisis text line: text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor for any emotional crisis
