Easy tips for autumn blues
Have you been feeling a bit low on energy and mood recently? Don’t be hard on yourself, it’s entirely normal when seasons change. After all, we are part of nature and nature has a deep effect on us. Yet you don’t have to struggle with low mood, disrupted sleep or seasonal cold.
Here are a few simple things you can do today to feel your best self and enjoy the golden autumn!
Eat seasonally
Autumn is the BEST time to enjoy an astonishing variety of delicious natural produce! Let your creativity flow and discover new recipes, play with colours, flavours and feed your body and soul with vitamins, essential fatty acids and other nutrients your body needs to remain healthy and resilient for the winter months to come. Not sure what’s in season? Here is an up to date list! http://www.eattheseasons.co.uk/ (opens new window)
Vitamin D & B supplements
Their deficiency has been linked to fatigue, low mood, depression, memory loss, weight gain and several types of cancer. Use any opportunity to enjoy natural sunshine (remember sunscreen!), and invest in good Vitamin D3 (doctors recommend between 2000 IU/day - 4,000 IU/day) and Vitamins B complex supplements. Their daily intake will help you bring back the energy, sharpness of mind and boost your mood (I can attest 100%).
Herbal or green tea instead of coffee
Resist the temptation to have a fifth coffee of the day because you’re low on energy (pointing a finger at myself...). Likely, it is coffee that first gives you a boost yet soon after makes you feel totally drained. For a healthy and efficient pick me up try peppermint or green tea. Refreshing and known for their multiple health (and beauty!) benefits, they will increase energy levels without subsequent drowsiness.
Wear layers
The temperature changes rapidly throughout the day, ranging from scorching one moment to cold and wet the next (not something unusual in Scotland). Wearing layers will help you regulate your body temperature easily and avoid getting sick. Plus, you can play with all the colours and create fabulous outfits - autumn is my favourite season for dressing up!
Get fresh air
Whether you're exercising outdoors or letting the fresh air into your home, natural ventilation is healthier than breathing stale air from the indoors. Regular ventilation reduces bacteria count in the air, decreases humidity and helps alleviate allergy and asthma symptoms.
Exercise
Even the lightest of exercises will improve oxygen and blood circulation, and support your physical and emotional wellbeing. Haven’t been doing your 10K steps a day? Neither have I. Baby steps! Even a 15 minutes stroll will make you feel refreshed, just be consistent and it will soon pay off.
Meditate
Yoga and meditation help to regain balance and reduce anxiety. Try these amazing FREE guided meditations with lovely Ailey from R.E.S.T. here (opens new window).
Regulate your sleeping pattern
Disconnect from any screens at least an hour before bedtime, set regular bedtime and wakeup times, and try to relax as much as possible before going to sleep. Chamomile or Lemon Balm (Melissa) tea are well known for their calming effects and we highly recommend a warm cup of these an hour before sleep.
Our 100% natural and soft Lavender & Flaxseed eye pillow helps to de-stress, relieve eye tension after a long day of computer work, soothe facial muscles while you enjoy a warm, soothing scent of dried lavender flowers. Can be used as warm/ cold compress too! Check it out here (opens new window).
And most importantly... Prioritise Yourself
We are all in a hurry, that’s a fact. So much so, we rarely prioritise our physical and emotional wellbeing, putting neverending to-do lists before our wellness. In turn, our health and mood suffer affecting our productivity and overall quality of life. Do yourself a favour and set aside some “me-time”, even if it’s just 30 minutes every day, be it morning or evening. Self-care is not vanity - it is a celebration of you, paying respect to your precious body and reconnecting with self to allow healing.
Create a calm, cosy ambience with your favourite music, scented candles that evoke good memories, enjoy a simple beauty ritual to feed your skin and senses. It doesn’t need to be long or complex, make this time YOURS just as you enjoy it!
If you’d like to find out how to create a simple yet effective natural beauty routine to keep your summer glow for longer and nourish your skin in colder months - keep an eye out for our next blog post!
I hope these few easy tips will help you enjoy the sweater weather, stay healthy and in good spirits.
Do you have your favourite mood and energy-boosting tips? Share them in the comments below!