There’s no better time than fall to brush up on self-care practices. The changing of the seasons can be an important reminder to maintain and improve your physical and emotional health as best you can — and to set yourself up for success the rest of the year.
“As the holidays approach and the weather is colder, you may find yourself at home more. This is a great time to go through your schedule and your goals, and reassess,” says Sanam Hafeez, PsyD, a psychologist in private practice in New York City and faculty member at Columbia University.
With daylight hours dwindling through the season, remaining intentional about your mental health can help stave off seasonal depression, create a routine for staying positive, and keep your health in check.
1. Take a Walk
Exercise is an important part of staying healthy. And it doesn’t have to stop just because it’s cooler outside.
Consider walking with a friend who can help keep you accountable and motivated. Socializing also helps exercise the brain. Plus, it can make walking way more fun, which boosts your energy and mood, Dr. Li says.
2. Spruce Up Your Space
A change of any season can be a great time to do some deeper cleaning and ready your personal space for the months ahead.
“Whether it’s your kitchen, your living room, your closet, or your garage, fall is the time to put away your summer things and use this as an opportunity to get rid of items that you don’t need and unclutter your living space,” Li says. “Organizing your nest is a common self-care practice that makes most people feel better.”
A cleaner, less cluttered space can help relieve anxiety and stress, Dr. Hafeez says.
It can go beyond organization, too. Improving the temperature and quietness of your bedroom or sleep environment, when possible, can help you sleep better.
3. Set Life Goals
Summer vacations may have wound down. But autumn can be a great time to refill your bucket list of goals for travel, work, and life in general.
“Take the time to dream and imagine what you would love to do someday, and write down a list that you can refer to from time to time,” Li says. “Aspiring to a goal or a dream can be grounding by making you appreciate where you are today and where you would like to be in the future.”
Setting goals can improve your mood and mental health, and goals themselves can be great motivators.
And setting boundaries on what you will and will not do can be just as important.
“Boundaries are essential for self-care and help you prioritize,” says Hafeez, adding this is especially important as school and activity schedules ramp up in the fall.
4. Dive Into Fall Recipes
Start planning your autumn menu, Li says. Eating in-season fall ingredients, such as broccoli, squash, apples, pumpkins, and pears, can have nutritional, price, and environmental benefits.
Fresh broccoli has a higher concentration of vitamin C in the late summer and fall compared with other seasons, for example. Root vegetables, such as carrots and beets, which often are picked in the fall, contain antioxidants that are good for heart health.
If these foods are grown and sold near where you live, they may come at a lower cost to you than out-of-season foods imported from other areas.
Working with a registered dietitian can also give you more ideas for healthy meals that incorporate fresh and readily available foods.
5. Embrace the Sunlight
Although there are fewer daylight hours in the fall than in prior months, it can be wise to take in the sunlight when you can get it.
Symptoms can occur with any season change, but they are most common in the fall.
Symptoms may include:
Appetite changes, including wanting foods high in carbohydrates
Weight gain
Fatigue
Sleeping more than usual
Low energy
Depression
“For my patients who get seasonal affective disorder, or down mood related to shorter days and less sunlight, I recommend using a therapeutic light box as soon as we turn the clock back in the fall,” says Gail Saltz, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City.
Light boxes mimic outdoor light from the sun. They may help alter brain chemicals related to mood, though research is limited.
In addition to light therapy, treatment for seasonal affective disorder may include psychotherapy and medications.
Talk to your doctor if you notice that your mood dips with shortening days and cooler weather.
6. Bust Out Your Cozy Sweaters
Sweater weather has arrived, and little feels cozier than a soft cocoon-like layer on a brisk day. Not only can this feel good to the touch as a soft, soothing sensation (hygge 101!), but it can also boost your mood.
Wearing clothing you associate with positive feelings can make you feel good. This can include everything from putting on a jacket in your favorite color to feeling snug in something that is warm.
7. Set Aside Time for Meditation
As fall gives way to the holiday season, the chaos of life can contribute to unhealthy stress levels. It may be a good time to consider meditation.
As many as 1 in 5 U.S. adults say they have practiced some form of meditation, which can have numerous health benefits.
Mindfulness meditation can reduce anxiety while also improving sleep quality, especially among people who already have symptoms of depression. There are numerous other types of meditation, as well, from visualization and mantra meditation to yoga.
If you’re new to meditation, numerous apps and guided programs are available to walk through the basics. You also can ask your doctor about an approach to meditation that might work best for you.
The Takeaway
Refresh your self-care routine in the fall by integrating activities such as taking walks, decluttering your space, and simply setting goals.
If you have seasonal affective disorder, consider light therapy and professional guidance to manage your symptoms.
Meditation can also help ease stress and anxiety that may come from life activity picking up as the holidays come around.
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Kelsey M. Latimer, PhD, RN, is a psychologist, nurse, and certified eating disorder specialist, and is the founder and owner of KML Psychological Services.
Dr. Latimer earned her PhD and master's degree from the University of North Texas, with an emphasis in child and adolescent development and in neuropsychology. Throughout her doctoral training, she became passionate about the prevention and treatment of eating disorders, women's issues, trauma treatment, and anxiety management. She has since overseen several nationally recognized eating disorder treatment programs.
She recently earned a bachelor's in nursing from Florida Atlantic University and is in the process of completing a master's of nursing, with a psychiatric mental health focus, which will allow her to become a medication provider. In addition, she has been accepted into an intensive research training and certification program at Harvard Medical School for 2024.
Latimer's focus is on empowering people to be informed and aware of their health and well-being, which includes increasing access to care. She has made over 50 invited appearances to speak about topics such as body image, dieting downfalls, eating disorder evidence-based treatment, college student functioning, and working with the millennial generation. She has been featured in dozens of media outlets and is a coauthor of the children's book series Poofas, which helps children understand their emotions and develop positive self-esteem and self-talk.
Karla Walsh is a freelance writer, editor, and level one sommelier who balances her love of food and drink with her passion for fitness. She has over 15 years of experience covering health, food, fitness, psychology, beauty, and beyond. Karla's work appears in print or online for brands like CNN, TIME, Food & Wine, Allrecipes, BHG, Runner's World, EatingWell, Shape, Peloton, Travel + Leisure, and more.
