Reviewing Our Self-Care Routines for Fall
By Ashley Geist, LPC-MH SupV, LPC, NCC, QMHP, M.S.Ed.
The arrival of a new season is the perfect time to evaluate our current routines and make changes to support our everyday living and growth. With the long days of summer fading into the background, now is a great time to give some attention to how we are eating, sleeping, playing, and taking care of our minds, bodies, and spirits. Read on for quick and actionable ways to support yourself during this transitional time of year.
1. Inspect Your Sleep
Include your bedroom on your list of any fall cleaning you might be doing right now. This is a great time to notice if your bedding is comfy or in need of a refresh. Is your room dark and cool? Is it time to swap out summertime linens and pajamas for some that might help you to sleep better with the changing temperatures?
Also check out the air and light quality in your room. An air purifier or even a deep clean and an open window can go a long way in improving the overall vibe and environment in your sleeping space. Be sure to cover any lights from technology or try using a sleep mask or room darkening shades, as our brains register even tiny lights from phones, electronics, humidifiers, etc., while we sleep.
2. Enjoy Seasonal Food & Drinks
Eating what’s in season is not only healthy, but also fun! Now is a great time to break out your favorite fall treats and recipes. Soups, stews, and seasonal treats including fresh produce such as apples, pears, or pumpkins are a great way to nourish our bodies and to mark the transition of the seasons. Are you an iced beverage person in the summertime? Fall is a great time to switch back to warm, cozy beverages like herbal or green tea that make mornings merrier and busy afternoons all the sweeter.
3. Boost Immunity
Now is the right time to make changes in our days that help fight off colds and flus. In addition to good rest, consider adding a humidifier to your home and sleeping spaces as the air turns dryer. It’s also a great time to go through and restock the medicine cabinet with cough drops, tissues, and other over the counter items that take the edge off being sick. Stock the pantry with a few of your favorite canned soups for those days when a cold hits and no one wants to go to the store.
4. Enjoy Movement
Fall is a great time to explore what is and isn’t working in your exercise or movement routines. Walking or outdoor activities might need to be adjusted to lunch hours or afternoon times to be outside during the light and warmth of day. As we have less hours of sunlight, now could be a great time to return to that indoor fitness class that you love as well. Keeping active is an important part of our mental health as well as our physical health and immunity.
5. Connect with Nature and Celebrate the Season
If seasonal transitions bring on the seasonal blues, try finding one or two things that you love about this time of year such as the turning of the leaves, seasonal activities, or fall gardening. Finding just a couple of positives can help the transition to feel easier.
6. Plan for Play, Downtime, and Active Rest
In any new season, our schedules can quickly fill with work, home, family, or volunteer commitments, leaving us little or no time for ourselves and feeling grumpy, overwhelmed, and stressed out. Just as you are planning where you will go and what you will do, plan some time and days in your schedule as purposely unscheduled time, or times that you mindfully plan to do something you love, just because it’s fun. Plan a Halloween movie night, take the day off, or visit someone you love, just because.
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