Are you already missing the warm sunlight of summer? Have you felt stressed with trying to juggle with back to school routine with older children? Is it difficult to go out in the darker evenings?
Autumn can bring a feeling of change, or a feeling of the need to prepare for our long winters. We know that sunlight has a positive effect on us, so now that the relaxing summer days have come and gone, the shorter, darker and chillier days can sometimes make us feel a bit down.
However, autumn can be a time of relaxation as well. Autumn is a favourite season for many as it is a great time to enjoy the outdoors. The weather is not too hot that we feel like we are melting, and not too cold that we need our winter gear. Some say it’s the perfect “sweater weather”.
To help ease into this season of change, try and take advantage of some of the benefits this season can bring.
Tips to enjoy this Autumn season:
- Going for walks in nature or outdoors (this can have a positive effect to your mood)
- Visit a farm or farmer’s market – apple or pumpkin farms can be fun for the whole family
- Enjoy some of the ‘scents’ and flavours of fall such as cinnamon, apples, pumpkin spice
- Enjoy the taste of fall – try cutting up an apple, sprinkle with some cinnamon and brown sugar and toss it in the oven or microwave
Here’s a mindfulness strategy you can try this autumn when feeling overwhelmed during this season of change:
Mindfulness Strategy: Autumn Senses 5-4-3-2-1
It can be done at a farm, on the streets, at a park, in your backyard. You can try all of them from 5-1, or just choose 1 of them:
5 – Sight
- 5 things you see around you (perhaps something that signifies fall e.g. coloured leaves, leaves falling, squirrels collecting acorns)
4 – Smell
- 4 scents you can smell (e.g. the scent of dry leaves or anything outside, smells of spices)
3 – Touch
- 3 things you can feel (e.g. A dry leaf that has fallen, the feeling of the crunch of the leaves beneath your feet)
2 – Sound
- 2 things you can hear (the wind, the sound of leaves)
1 – Taste
- 1 flavour of fall (best to have something near you such as an apple or cinnamon) and describe the flavour as it slowly fills your mouth.
For further information on steps to feeling better, connect with a Public Health Nurse by eChat or call (416) 338-7600.
