As I’ve shared before, I love fall. It’s a beautiful season with a lot to teach us. Fall is a time of letting go – a time to contemplate what’s truly important in your life, and to release whatever doesn’t feel like it’s nourishing you anymore. It’s also a great time to eat some really delicious fall foods, like pumpkin, apples, and cinnamon.
But at the same time, fall can be a challenging time for many people. As the days get shorter and cooler, many people notice that their mood and energy levels start to shift. This is sometimes referred to as the “autumn blues,” and it’s very common.
It’s undeniable that we’re all affected by the weather and the seasons, and it’s normal to feel some changes as the year progresses. It’s okay to feel different in autumn than you do in summer, and as long as you can still live your life the way that you want to, the shifts aren’t a problem.
But there are some people who find that the autumn blues affect their daily lives. If this is happening to you, there are ways to combat the autumn blues and help keep your mood and energy levels up during this season. To start, we need to understand why the autumn blues are so common.
Why do people get the autumn blues?
There are a few different reasons why the autumn blues can happen.
One of the major ones is the reduction in sunlight as we move into fall. It’s well-known that a lack of sunlight can trigger a sad or even depressed mood. As the days get shorter, many people will start to feel a little lower on energy and will experience a mood shift, simply because they’re exposed to a lot less sunlight on a daily basis.
In addition, most people get more exercise in the summer than they do in other seasons. We naturally tend to spend more time outdoors when it’s warm and sunny out, and some of that time is spent being physically active. People often swim at the pool or beach, take walks, go hiking, and play outdoor sports during the summer. When fall comes, we tend to do a lot less of these things, or even none at all. Because exercise has a strongly positive effect on mood, a reduction in exercise will almost always cause a corresponding shift in mood.
Similarly, for some people, autumn can bring a reduction in social time. All those lovely outdoor summer activities are things we very often do with our family or friends. Spending time in the presence of people we feel connected to is hugely beneficial for our mood. When fall comes around, our social calendar might empty out a bit, which in turn impacts our mental state.
There’s also the stress factor. Summer is a lower-stress season for many people. Our daily routines may be different in summer – particularly for those who have kids, who don’t have to manage their kids’ school, homework, and activities during the summer. As school and activities ramp back up, we often find that it’s harder to keep track of everything. Many people feel a lot more pressured and rushed once fall starts, and don’t have nearly as much free time as they had in the summer.
With all of these different shifts, it’s no wonder the autumn blues are common. And for people living with chronic skin conditions, fall may bring some additional challenges.
How the autumn blues interact with skin conditions
Fall weather tends to trigger skin flare-ups. In many places, the air is humid outdoors during the summer. During the fall, the air gets much drier outside. We also turn on our indoor heating systems, which dries out the indoor air even more. Dry air makes most skin conditions worse, so many people start to notice more flare-ups as we move into fall.
If you experience more flare-ups, it’s common to start to feel more negative emotions around your chronic skin condition. Some people feel frustrated that they can’t seem to get their skin under control. Others feel depressed that they’ve had this condition for years and it seems that it will never go away. All of this can contribute to making the autumn blues worse.
Also, in general, people with chronic skin conditions are more likely to experience mental health challenges. If you’re already experiencing a tendency towards depression or anxiety, then adding the extra challenges of autumn could affect you more.
It’s common for the autumn blues to strike people with chronic skin conditions – but that doesn’t mean it’s inevitable. In fact, we have a lot of control over how we respond to the change of seasons. The first step is to shift how we think about fall.
Shifting towards a more positive fall mindset
The first step towards beating the autumn blues is to work towards shifting your thought patterns around the season. Often, we believe that our thought patterns aren’t in our control – that they’re something that just happens to us. But this isn’t true. In fact, we have a lot of control over our mindset and thought patterns. With persistence and patience, you can learn to develop a more positive attitude towards fall.
As the summer ends, many people start to dwell on the end of the good times of the summer season. They think about what they’ll miss – no more picnics, beach days, outdoor concerts, pool time, summer fairs, long evenings at the playground with the kids.
When we think about what we’re losing, it’s natural to start to feel a sense of grief or sadness. I certainly wouldn’t ask you to deny your emotions – that’s not healthy. But at the same time, as summer is ending, fall is also beginning – and there are a lot of things to love about fall.
Whenever you find yourself dwelling on the end of summer, take a pause. For a few moments, allow yourself to remember all the good moments of summer. Remind yourself that those memories will always be a part of you.
Then shift your thoughts towards what you’re looking forward to about fall. Think about colorful leaves, taking the kids to the pumpkin patch, fall flavors, making Halloween costumes, wearing your favorite sweater, having a cozy cup of hot tea…whatever it is that makes the fall season magical for you.
Mindfulness can help you to become more aware of the wonderful things about the season that you’re in. This simply involves noticing and appreciating exactly what’s around you in a given moment in time. Try to take at least a few minutes each day to practice mindfulness, whether that’s during a walk, while drinking a cup of coffee or tea, or even simply while sitting quietly by a window.
Taking care of yourself in the fall
It’s also important to make sure that you’re meeting all of your needs throughout the fall. As I mentioned earlier, there are a few different reasons why the autumn blues tend to be so common. Making sure that you’re supporting the health of your body and mind will help you to keep your energy levels and mood up during the fall.
Make time for friends. The weather may not be conducive to a picnic, but that doesn’t mean you can’t meet up with your friends for lunch or dinner. Make plans to spend time with friends and family regularly during the fall. The “bonding hormone” known as oxytocin is produced when you spend time with people you love and trust, and this is great for your skin, your mindset, and your overall health.
Get plenty of exercise. The extra exercise we get during the summer is part of why it’s often our happiest season. You can combat the autumn blues by making sure you get plenty of exercise during the fall too. You can still do outdoor activities like going for walks and hikes in the fall – just make sure to wear the right clothes for the weather. If the weather is a barrier, then you can also shift to indoor exercise – go to the gym, play an indoor sport, or even go for a walk around the mall. Pay attention to how much you exercise in the summer, and try to match that amount in the fall.
Choose healthy foods. When the autumn blues strike, it can be tempting to reach for sweets or junk food for comfort – but this will only make you feel worse. These foods create inflammation, damage your gut microbiome, and don’t provide your brain and body with the nutrients they need to function well. Try to focus on eating nutritious food. As I discussed last week, there are plenty of delicious and healthy options to choose from during the fall season.
Manage stress. You may not be able to stop the calendar from filling up in the fall, but you can control how you respond. Make sure to take some time for yourself – put this on the calendar, and treat it as seriously as any other commitment. You should give yourself at least 15 minutes every day, and at least a few hours once a week. During this time, focus on doing something you enjoy, whether that’s reading, taking a bath, or listening to music. This is known as self-care, and it’s hugely important for your well-being.
Consider trying a light box. This is a device that’s designed to mimic sunlight (safely). It can be very helpful as the amount of sun declines. You simply sit in front of the light box in the morning. Not everyone finds this helpful, but for many people, it provides a mood boost that helps to combat the autumn blues.
What if you’re depressed and don’t know it?
Feeling the autumn blues is normal. But for some people, the shift in mood goes beyond that. Some people find themselves experiencing a full-blown mental health issue, such as depression. If you’re strongly affected by the autumn blues, it’s important to consider the possibility that what you’re dealing with might actually be depression.
It’s entirely possible to be depressed and not know it. In fact, this happened to me. I’ve shared that story in a previous blog post. I was depressed for years, but I didn’t realize it. I didn’t feel sad, and I wasn’t crying all the time, so I didn’t think I could be depressed. Instead, I was irritable and felt emotionally numb. I didn’t understand at the time that this can be what depression looks like.
If you feel a shift in your mood during the autumn, it could be the autumn blues. However, if that change in your mood is persistent – and especially if it keeps you from functioning in your daily life, doing the things that you need to do, like work, school, and caring for your family – then it’s a good idea to check in with a therapist to discuss this. It’s possible that you could be dealing with depression. If so, then it’s important that you find out, so you and your therapist can make a plan to get you feeling better again.
Support for dealing with the autumn blues
Even if you’re pretty sure that you’re experiencing the normal autumn blues, you could still choose to seek support from a therapist or counselor to help you find ways to manage this. It can be very valuable to get new perspectives from a mental health professional. It’s certainly been incredibly powerful in my own life.
You can also seek support from others who might be going through something similar. Our communities are wonderful places to connect with other women who are on their own transformational journeys. Inside Mind Gut Skin Academy, we also discuss lots of ways to improve your self-care and ensure that you’re meeting your own needs to help you stay healthy on all levels. The brand-new version of the program will launch very soon – stay tuned!
Comments