8 Ways to Improve Your
Mental Health This Autumn
Tips for Embracing the Season with Mental Well-Being - By Cora Gold
Reading time: 3 minutes
Fall usually entails beautiful foliage, cooler weather, and cozy drinks. While enjoying these seasonal joys and more, try to include mental health in the conversation. Some people experience autumn anxiety, manifesting in low moods during these months. Ease the emotional fatigue with these tips.
1. Get Optimal Sleep
Sleep is crucial for your mental well-being. Unfortunately, the average person gets 40 minutes less sleep during the “Spring Forward, Fall Backward” change, also known as Daylight Savings Time. The yearly practice makes sense to conserve natural light during the earlier fall days.
Adjust your sleeping conditions. A cooler temperature makes the room more comfortable. You can also change your waking and bedtime to subtly adjust your body clock.
2. Try Out Yoga
Yoga melds breathing practices, meditation and movement to help enhance all aspects of your well-being. It also specifically strengthens cognitive skills like awareness and memory.
You can usually take beginner classes at a yoga studio. Keep an eye out for some fall discounts. Alternatively, look for online tutorials. You can break out the mat and practice the poses in the comfort of your home.
3. Go for an Outdoor Walk
Go for a walk outside and soak up as much sunshine as possible. While fall may not be as dark as winter, there is significantly less light each day. This darkness may contribute to autumn anxiety. Exposure to bright light can increase serotonin levels in the brain. Invest in a lightbox for extra brightness even when indoors.
4. Have a Nutritious Diet
The fall season brings many delicious foods, from banana bread to pumpkin spice lattes. Be mindful of how much you consume and aim for a nutritious diet. Make sure you’re getting enough fruits and vegetables with your meals. And as with every season, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated!
5. Enhance Your Interior Design
A change of scenery is good once in a while. Improve your interior design with fall elements. Real plants can improve people’s well-being, which is beneficial for those with anxiety, depression and dementia. Add in a pumpkin or two. Fall flowers like African daisies, chrysanthemums and dahlias are also beautiful.
6. Have a Cozy Self-Care Evening
Self-care is the ultimate stress reliever. Make sure to keep an evening of the week free and just stay in and rest. You can take the extra time to enjoy the skincare application. Make yourself a delicious dinner while watching a movie. Stay warm under a blanket with a hot cup of chocolate and enjoy life.
7. Limit Social Media Use
Social media is fun to scroll through, especially with all the fall-related content. However, it may heighten anxiety and depression in teens and young adults. Avoid excessive use and set limits on your phone to protect your peace. Use the extra time for hobbies like writing or painting.
8. Plan for the Parties
Fall is usually a prelude to many gatherings and parties, especially with the upcoming holidays. Take the initiative to plan out the logistics of hosting and attending. You can set aside a day just to contemplate them to ease any existing worries and quiet your mind.
Manage Your Autumn Anxiety
Improving your mental health this fall will make you more resilient to the season's stressors. It also exercises mindfulness, which helps you experience the present moment. Put your well-being first, and good things will come.
