10 tips to help you beat the autumn blues

With the days growing shorter and there being less light, sunshine and warmth, it can be difficult to transition out of the summer months and settle into autumn and colder weather. In this period of time, we can often find ourselves feeling as though we have less energy, and are more prone to feeling low or unmotivated.

In this article, I aim to explore ways that you can beat the autumn blues, and once again find motivation and enjoyment despite the colder weather.

1. Get out during the day

Finding time to make the most out of the natural light can be an important tool in assisting you in adjusting to the change of season. Make sure you go out during the peak of the sunshine which is usually around midday or lunchtime.

2. Exercise and eat well

Making time to keep physically active during the autumn months is very important, and will help you in feeling healthier, more energised and more active. Even though we may not feel like going out to exercise, it can make a huge difference in increasing levels of positivity.

Finding a good balance between eating the carbohydrates that we crave more in the colder months, with a good level of fresh fruit and vegetables will provide a good balance in our diet. This will also go toward giving us more energy and providing our bodies with the vitamins we crave, particularly in the winter months.

3. Be more social

This may sound like an important tip for any time of the year, but it's especially true in the winter months when being home in the warm may sound more appealing than going out to visit friends.

Spending more time with loved ones, friends, family and pets really can assist with how we manage the transition into the colder months. It also allows us to be in control of how much we let the changing seasons affect us or disrupt our usual routines or interests. Doing something different to our usual routine can assist us to feel more outgoing and allow us to concentrate on the good things and people we have in our lives.

4. Be altruistic

Caring for others, whether it is volunteering a few hours of your time at a homeless shelter or just doing something extra for a friend or family member, can really improve mental health in the winter months. It is also key to keeping relationships going and can bring you closer together, adding a great deal of satisfaction to your mental health.

5. Be kinder to yourself

In the colder months, we can be more prone to being insular, so it's even more important that we take time to be kind to ourselves. Give time back to yourself for the things you enjoy doing in your spare time. Even if you are only able to find a short amount of time, this will still allow you to feel happier, more content and invigorated.

It can be helpful to remind yourself that the low thoughts and mood you experience can be a result of the lack of light and sunshine, which your body needs.

6. Develop better sleeping patterns

It can be a common feeling to wake up more tired than usual in the winter months, and we all crave more sleep when the seasons change. The increased hours of darkness increase our levels of melatonin, which is a natural hormone, produced by our bodies. When the sun goes down and darkness occurs, we produce more melatonin.

Often, we can go against our body's natural inclination to sleep by drinking coffee to wake ourselves up during the day, or by eating larger portions of food in the evening which makes us sleepy. However, sticking to a more regular pattern of sleep, and ensuring we go to bed and wake up at the same time will assist us in transitioning into autumn.

7. Be goal orientated and challenge yourself

During the summer months, there is more positivity floating around, and it can be much easier to try new things or explore new interests. In the colder months, however, we can tend to fall into a more comfortable routine. By setting yourself new and challenging goals, you allow your mind to focus on new interests. Even if your goal is simply to finish reading a book you started months ago, setting targets and sticking to them in the winter months will give you a fantastic sense of achievement.

8. Plan a short break

Booking a short break outside of where you live can really help in getting through the winter months, as it not only gives you something to look forward to but is also a new experience. It doesn't necessarily need to be somewhere warm either, as simply doing something different to your usual routine can make a big difference.

9. Music, art and creativity

Listening to music we enjoy can really raise our mood and bring us back to ourselves, and help us re-engage with parts of ourselves we feel we lost when summer ended. Being creative or taking part in art class or club, for example, can also go towards making us feel more alive, engaged and happy during times when the inclination is to feel grey or miserable like the weather.

10. Consider seeing a therapist

Being able to talk about your issues and worries with a qualified and experienced therapist can enable you to feel a tremendous sense of relief, especially in times when you are more prone to feeling sad or low.

A therapist will be able to help you work through your autumn and winter blues, and work with you to develop strategies to manage the transition of season. This support and guidance can allow you to live a life that feels more connected, real and meaningful in the winter months.

It's common to feel affected by changes in weather and seasons. However, if these feelings repeatedly occur each year, and are interfering with your day-to-day life, it could be a sign that you have seasonal affective disorder (SAD).