While most people welcome the changing seasons, cooler fall temperatures are a reminder that shorter days and holiday festivities are near.
With autumn’s arrival, taking care of your mental and physical health is essential. Make the most of the season with these 10 self-care tips for fall!
Enjoy Fall Activities
According to one recent survey, 51% of Americans consider fall their favorite season — and who could blame them? Fall offers plenty of seasonal fun activities to fill your calendar, including:
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Apple picking
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Pumpkin picking
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Playing backyard football
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Watching your favorite Halloween movies
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Decorating your home
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Hiking
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Photographing the changing leaves
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Attending a local Oktoberfest event
The best part — the whole family can participate, allowing you to create and capture new memories together.
Sip on Something Warm
Is there anything cozier than snuggling up with a hot beverage? Incorporate warm drinks and quiet time into your self-care routine this season.
Enjoy a freshly-brewed cup of coffee on colder mornings, and warm your hands with hot cocoa, apple cider or tea in the afternoon. Research shows that drinking half a cup of tea lowers cortisol levels and reduces your risk of depression.
Savor the flavors and sensations, taking deep breaths between each sip to help you unwind.
Stay Active
Summer is an easy time of year to be active. You might be going to the beach, swimming at the pool or playing outside with your kids in the warm weather.
As the weather gets colder, though, being active is even more important. Exercise can boost your mood and keep you healthy during cold and flu season.
If it’s too chilly to jog outside, consider investing in a treadmill or other at-home equipment. Incorporate it into your daily routine by walking on the treadmill while you watch TV. You don’t need a complicated workout regime to reap the benefits.
Volunteer in Your Community
Volunteering is an excellent way to practice self-care, whether cleaning your local parks, joining a cause you’re passionate about or serving others at a soup kitchen.
This fall, do something kind for someone in your community. It might even be as simple as tutoring a child in school or raking an older neighbor’s yard.
Lending a hand can be such a positive experience that many psychologists recommend volunteering as an integral part of patient treatment plans for depression.
Declutter
While spending more time indoors during the fall, consider decluttering your home for a more relaxing environment.
Sometimes we don’t realize the amount of stuff we’ve accumulated, which could cause us to feel overwhelmed.
Go through your closet and drawers and decide what you want to keep or throw away. You might also donate your belongings to a shelter or local charity.
Get Outdoors
With most of our days spent behind a computer screen, a little fresh air can significantly improve our mood.
Studies suggest that a minimum of 10 minutes of sitting or walking outside is all you need to reap positive mental health benefits.
Slip on your sneakers and grab your playlist to enjoy the last bit of sunshine before winter arrives.
Start a Gratitude Journal
Practicing gratitude is an excellent form of self-care, allowing you to improve your sleep and lower inflammation by recognizing what you’re most grateful for.
This practice doesn’t have to occupy much of your day, either. All you need is about five or 10 minutes for reflection.
Start writing down one thing you’re grateful for in a journal daily to boost your mood and concentrate on all that’s good in your life.
Avoid Getting Sick
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recorded about 35,000,000 flu cases during the 2019–2020 season, significantly reduced amid pandemic lockdowns the following year.
With more people moving about, preventing flu and other nasty bugs is crucial.
Wash your hands frequently, dress warmly and clean household surfaces regularly to avoid getting sick.
Nourish Your Body
Halloween candy and pumpkin pie might send your taste buds into overdrive — however, eating healthy and exercising are much better for you.
Make a conscious effort to choose healthier options and find indoor exercises you can commit to doing during seasonal changes.
Protect Your Boundaries
Setting boundaries is essential to every self-care practice and helps enhance your well-being.
Many people struggle to enforce boundaries, especially when they receive pushback from those most affected by them. However, they’ll prove most valuable when faced with an influx of holiday invitations and obligations.
Remember that you’re one person who can’t be everywhere at once. Permit yourself to say “no” this fall and only participate in the things that bring you happiness.
Developing a self-care routine isn’t selfish. It’s necessary to prevent burnout. Keep a list of self-care tricks in your back pocket and start small as the season changes. Your health depends on it.
Tell us how you practice seasonal self care in the comments!
About Cora Gold
Cora Gold has a passion for living a happy, healthy life and sharing inspiration with other women and moms to do the same. Cora is the Editor-in-Chief of women’s lifestyle magazine, Revivalist, and she can be found on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.
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