Don't be blue this Autumn
The clocks have gone back, the evenings are getting darker, the days shorter, the rain doesn’t seem to stop, and the chilly mornings can make it a struggle to get up. Late Autumn can be a challenging time for us all.
Adjusting to these gloomy conditions can have unpleasant side effects. It’s not uncommon to feel fatigued, have difficulty concentrating and trouble sleeping. For some, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can be seriously debilitating and cause lack of motivation, depression and even have a concerning effect on mental health. If you’re particularly down or depressed for a long period of time, it is advised to seek professional medical help.
However, thankfully for most people this feeling is just a temporary state of mind and feeling fed up with the long dark nights, missing the warm sunshine of summer is very normal. But, with a few simple steps, we can help shake away those winter blues.
Here are The Colourful Garden Company’s top tips…
- Eat Well - your diet can improve your mood. We may crave sugary food but the crash after the sugar rush can make us feel worse than we did before. Research suggests a Mediterranean style diet made up of plenty vegetables, fruit and lean protein, extra-virgin oil, yoghurt and cheese, nuts and grains, can lead to a healthy mind and body.
- Get outside - plenty of daylight not only helps with vitamin D ‘the sunshine vitamin’ but it is also good for the mind and soul and helps us to function better. A short walk when the sun is shining, or even wrapped up well in the pouring rain can do wonders for you.
- Regular exercise is an important component to physical and mental health and can really help if you’re struggling to manage your moods. If you’re not used to doing any exercise, be sure to take it easy at first and not push yourself too hard.
- Turn up the tunes…. Music and dancing can be the best tonic if you’re feeling the blues. It has been shown to boost oxytocin and serotonin levels in your brain both of which can be instant mood boosters. So put on your favourite tunes and bring back those happy summer memories.
- Finally if nothing else works (or even if it does), pamper yourself - there’s nothing better to lift your mood than a luxurious bath filled with your favourite oils, light a scented candle, treat yourself to a body scrub, prepare yourself a hair treatment. Next, pour yourself a glass of wine or a herbal tea, play some mellow music, dig out that book you’ve been desperate to start. Make sure to have a gorgeous rich body lotion for after your bath, with a big fluffy dressing gown and some very cosy slippers.
For some original picnic inspiration, checkout The Colourful Garden Company’s range of personalised willow baskets.