There is a reason for every season, there’s no doubt about it! With each change of season comes an opportunity to re-evaluate. Take stock of your lifestyle and prepare your system for the changes in weather ahead! It’s not just spring that’s a great time to clean and cleanse your system. No matter where you live, autumn is a great time in the seasonal cycle to get into a few revitalizing habits. Here are four ways to boost energy levels this autumn and help you through the cooler months.
1. Sleep Well and Stress Less
Let’s start off with a double whammy to get maximum energy boosting effect. Look at ways to help with both your sleep and stress levels. They’re not mutually exclusive by any means. If you’re experiencing high levels of stress, it’s going to affect your quality of sleep. If you’re not sleeping well, you’re going to be more inclined to be stressed and anxious during the day. Addressing one is going to help the other and vice versa.
First up, make every attempt to get enough sleep and be in a consistent pattern. The optimum amount of sleep for most adults is around seven to nine hours per night. Yes, that means every night on a regular basis! Our bodies are doing amazing things while we sleep. There are studies that show that when you’re in sync with your circadian rhythms, your immune system is able to function at its best. Help keep your immune system in check. This will help you be more resistant to any colds and flus and beat the dreaded lurgies associated with cooler weather.
In a busy world, stressing less can be easier said than done. Find ways to help you de-stress that you actually enjoy. Exercise is one. Although that said, getting out and about to exercise can be way easier in spring and summer than it is in autumn and winter. If that sounds familiar to you, find things you can do indoors to get your body moving and keep the circulation flowing instead. The other side of the coin to de-stressing is doing things that help you relax and be calm. Watch a funny movie or spend time with family or friends who you laugh with. Meditate or simply enjoy a relaxing shower or bath. Make sure you’re taking the time to do things that help you de-stress and keep your energy levels up.
2. Stay Hydrated
Keep your hydration and water intake up, even as the weather is cooling down. Water is an essential part of our bodies. It also has an important role to play in the way that our bodies immune and respiratory systems function. Staying adequately hydrated isn’t just about drinking loads of water. You can also help with hydration through the types of food you eat and/or juice.
There are many fresh nutritious foods available in autumn that can help give your energy levels a boost. They also keep you hydrated whether you eat them whole or juiced. Pumpkins aren’t just for Halloween, get some pots of pumpkin soup going too. Look out for other root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots and squash. Don’t forget your greens either. Broccoli, celery, spinach and kale are packed with all the good stuff. For the sweeter side, look to pomegranates, pears, and persimmons
3. Get Your Vitamin D Levels Checked
Vitamin D is important for your immune system and bone health. We get some Vitamin D intake from a few food sources such as oily fish, eggs, and dairy products. However, most of our Vitamin D is made naturally by our bodies from exposure to natural sunlight. Even in sunny climates your exposure to sunlight during the winter months is usually less. This means your Vitamin D levels can drop. Similarly, after a long hot summer where it may not have been sensible or smart to spend a lot of time in the sun, Vitamin D can also be low. Ask your doctor or physician for a Vitamin D test and advise on supplementation if your levels of Vitamin D are looking low.
4. Take Care of Your Mental Health
A shift to shorter, darker days can also have an effect on your emotions and mental wellbeing. Many people find that the transitions in season have an impact on their moods and emotions.
If you find that you’re struggling to fight off stress, depression and anxiety, you need to act – fast! Make sure you have a good diet, move your body, and do things that you enjoy. If it doesn’t seem to help, ask your doctor whether some internal factors might be to blame such as hormonal misbalances or oxidative stress, which would mean the cause of the issue is happening at the cellular level. If that is the case, there are products out there that focus on reducing overall levels of oxidative stress in the body (if you don’t know what is molecular hydrogen yet, now might be the good time to find out!)
The Bottom Line…
In the northern hemisphere during fall and winter the days may be getting shorter, but it can be a busy and exciting time. There’s Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas getting close!
As with the suggestions for addressing sleep and stress, take care of both your mind and body.