🍂 Why Autumn Naturally Makes Us Slow Down

Have you noticed that the shift to fall almost always makes you want to slow down a little?

Everything seems to invite you to stay home and wrap up in a blanket: long nights, shorter days, cozy routines.

While our habits tend to stay the same no matter what month it is, our minds and bodies seem to understand autumn as a different season.

And maybe this is exactly what its supposed to do.

🍁 A Season of Change

Spring inspires us to achieve more from the previous season.

Summer inspires us to experience and autumn inspires us to reflect.

Everything seems to slow down: gardens go dormant, foliage falls, and days grow shorter.

Unconciously, we find ourselves lingering at home more, settling into routines, and becoming preoccupied by thoughts about past and upcoming years at the doorstep of a new season.

Autumn invites us to take a breather and contemplate the journey so far.

🌅 Shorter Days Means Less Hurry

For many of us, shorter days mean we unconsciously crave a slower lifestyle.

The extra hours of darkness seem to inspire us to stay in, wind down, reflect, and appreciate the little things in life.

No, of course we should not curl up and wait for spring to come (we're NOT bears!), but we allow ourselves to acknowledge that taking life easy is in no way a bad thing.

*A lot of times, our habits are key to managing how well we handle life in general...⬇️

Habits Over Hype 1: The January Factor *

🛋️ Create One Designated Comfort Zone

Not every room needs to become a comfort zone (trust us, we know from experience).

Instead, find a small corner or your home and make it your cozy domain of relaxation.

Maybe it could be a favorite chair, a nook at the end of the couch, or a spot by the window with a good book.

When life calls for more activity than usual, having a specific cozy spot as your safe zone makes the world of a difference.

Sometimes progress is simply a matter of simply slowing life down.

☕ The Return of Ordinary Comforts

Have you also noticed that drinks that taste particularly good seem to crop up more this time of year?

There is a reason why soup tastes better in October than it does March.

Or why nights spent indoors and surrounded by familiar objects feel significantly more comforting than any other time of year.

During autumn, ordinary goods such as hot drinks or personal rituals become true commodities of wellness and life. 

They ground us and remind us that health can very much be a matter of simple joys, good habits, morning coffees, healthy meals, and long walks under leafy skies. 

The little things matter just as much as the big things.

*Need some ideas on what to do for a more comfortable living space? We've got you covered! ⬇️

Fall for Your Home: Creating a Cozy Sanctuary*

🔬 Why Your Brain Likes This

Part of the reason for all this cozy downtime might be biological.

Your brain seems to crave the change of seasons and adjusts its inner clock according to the amount of daylight it experiences.

Most of us actually start to feel the need to slow down as the hours of daylight shrink, as we enter a phase of rest and preparation for the darker winter months ahead.

This biological disposition may very well explain why we often feel the need to slow down during this time of year.

Researchers have found that external light exposure can play a major role in the regulation of our circadian rhythm, the innate biological clock that regulates rest-wake patterns, and other physiological processes throughout the day.

In addition, variations in light exposure have been found to disrupt the circadian cycle, thus, also affecting mood and sleep.

I think, this might be exactly what we feel in our bodies during this particular time of year. 

This subtle change of our biological clock that responds to the decreasing amounts of daylight seems to be the reason behind our autumn longing for less adventure and more evenings spent at home. 🌿

🚶 A Shift in Focus

Most of us tend to make the shift from summer to autumn wellness pretty effortlessly. As health often seems to be measured in how much we achieve during the warm months, it is only fair to give ourselves a break as soon as the weather starts to change.

Whereas summer health used to be a matter of achieving more autumn wellness measures health in a completely different way.

Maybe we should ask ourselves fewer questions related to how much can I achieve today and more questions related to what really matters right now.

A stroll, a conversation, healthy food, and some quiet time for reflection are sometimes just as important for our wellbeing as an intense workout session is during the summer months.

*Learn how to take it easy and unwind everyday! One stretch at a time..⬇️

A Bit Of A Stretch*

❤️ Self Care Means Taking Stock

As the year slowly winds down, you may have found yourself rethinking the usual patterns of your life.

It makes a lot of sense as we seem to enter a kind of contemplative state during autumn and therefore may begin to question ourselves.

We might assess our lives, what works and what does not work, which habits are healthy, and which ones are starting to take a toll on our health and wellbeing.

We can take a moment to reassess and make small changes in our everyday life without putting pressure on ourselves for not getting it all perfectly right.

Actually, it seems that the autumn wellness trend acknowledges that reflection can be an important pillar of our wellbeing just as much as our physical health.

Maybe it is actually important to give regular self assessment a chance every once in a while and make small necessary changes.

🏡 Time To Create Space For Comfort and Connection

One of the things I love most about autumn is that it makes us realize that we should make more room for the things that bring us joy and peace on a personal level.

The season gently reminds us to make room for the people, activities, and habits that make life worth living.

This could mean setting aside time and space for family, cooking meals that bring us joy, connecting with distant friends, or finding little comforts that help us get through the busy weeks ahead.

As we enter a slower phase of the year, the changes in our mood often reflect quite accurately the change of seasons - it is only natural to feel a little down as the days get shorter outside, so why not make room in our routines to treat ourselves to more comfort, warmth, and time spent with people who matter to us.

*Don't let the change in seasons or the shorter days bring you down. We wrote something on this for you.⬇️

Isn't It SAD?*

🌟 The Bottom Line

Autumn really has so much to offer - and not just in regards to the change of palettes outside. The shortening days, cooler weather, and long evenings remind us that health is truly a state of mind and is achieved in many varying forms, just like the lives we lead.

As the season starts to unfold itself slowly and surely all around us, it gives us the quiet space and gentle nudge to take it easy and let it sink in.

Give yourself time and space to slow down and allow yourself to take stock of your life. 

Perhaps this is simply the way autumn invites us to care for ourselves.

Sources

¹ Effects of Light on Human Circadian Rhythms, Sleep and Mood. Somnologie (2019). Review article examining how light exposure influences circadian rhythms, sleep regulation, and mood.

² Ciradain Rhythms and Mood Disorders: Time to See Light. Neuron (2023). Review discussing the relationship between light exposure, cadicain timing, sleep patterns, and emotional well-being. 

Have you noticed how Autumn affects your mood and makes you want to take it easy?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

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