After the bright sunshine energy of summer fades and we have passed the Autumn equinox it is normal to feel our energy shift with the change of seasons. Although November is still Autumn, it is the turning point towards Winter which means that this month has qualities of both seasons, that of the need for pruning and discernment and for deep rest and visioning.
One of the biggest challenges most people find this time of year is that the nights draw in and our energy begins to naturally shift towards hibernation - just as we move into some of the busiest and most social months of the year!
There are many festivals and celebrations in this last quarter of the year: Halloween, Guy Fawkes Night, Diwali, Thanksgiving, Hannukah and Christmas to name some of them, not forgetting end of year school performances too! There is also a sense of urgency to get outstanding jobs and work projects completed before year end. This can result in us feeling the tension of our bodies pulling us towards rest, and our minds pulling us to action.
If you find yourself being rather irritable or snappy, or feeling overwhelmed and tearful this can be a sign we need to make adjustments. I can’t say I have at all perfected the balance of rest and activity this time of year but there are some simple things we can do to help preserve our energy and our sanity!
Here are my top tips for staying energised as Winter approaches:
1. Reduce The Load
Choose something to let go of – are there any non-essential jobs that you can simply take off your list? Ironing socks comes to mind! Some things are nice to have, but not at the expense of our overall wellbeing. Or maybe you have said yes to too many things, can you cancel an arrangement or let go of a role in a committee or group? If we’re spread too thin we end up feeling we’re failing at everything. Do fewer things and do them well.
Choose something to delegate – the best thing I ever did for my mental health, energy and business was to get a cleaner. I only have her for 5 hours per month but I feel it has given me much more back in terms of free time and energy. If you are the person who does everything, either at home or at work, can you delegate some tasks to others or hire someone else to do them? I also have given my daughter some tasks to do now she is old enough to help out.
Choose something to automate – I have a bit of love hate relationship with technology but there are potentially so many benefits. Are there things in your life you can automate? For example it may be setting up a direct debit or auto-renew on essential services so you don’t forget to pay.
Many online shops offer subscriptions now; if you have a regular product could you have it on a monthly subscription so you never run out? I do this for my toothbrush, where I have replaceable heads posted out to me every few months and I also have a weekly fruit and veg box delivered.
Don’t try to fix everything all at once, just choose one thing in each category and see how it goes. Once that has been sorted, you can revisit and choose one more thing to improve.
2. Protect Your Sleep
Sleep is super important all the time but a healthy rhythm will really make a difference when we don’t have so much sunlight. This lack of light can mess with our natural sleep cycles as we can lose sense of what time of day it is.
Aim to have a regular bedtime every night and to at least one night a week get an early night and give yourself a luxury bedtime routine. You could have a candlelit bath with scented oils or whatever you enjoy, some self massage afterwards with nourishing cream and then curl up with a book and some sleep promoting tea. Personally I like chamomile, and there are several delicious sleep blends available now.
Good sleep hygiene is important. What regular habits can you commit to to help you sleep better? It's important to choose something that is sustainable that you can do very day. One example could be to switch off your phone or at lease put it in airplane mode at a set time each evening and read a paperback instead.
3. Walk Every Morning
To help reset our body clock each day it is really helpful to be up and out early in the daylight – a daily morning walk is ideal. Walking every day has many benefits:
The movement, fresh air and daylight wakes up our brain
Getting outside can help to set our circadian rhythm for better sleep
As a form of exercise walking warms up the body increases our metabolism
Walking is also a great way to help peristalsis and keep our digestion moving
Walking is a simple way to keep fit, and help with weight management
Spending time outdoor every day keeps us connected with nature and lifts our mood.
It's free! No gym fees required.
The easy way to walk daily is to make it part of our daily commute, whether that is to the office or a school run, or both! If you work from home then I recommend taking a ‘commuter’ walk after breakfast and coming home to work. It has the additional benefit of creating a boundary between home-time and work-time so it doesn’t all blur into one.
4. Book yourself some relaxing time out
I notice these days it’s really easy to flop on the sofa at the end of the day and ‘unwind with some TV and social media scrolling. There’s nothing wrong with this from time to time, we are all allowed to veg out! But, we need to recognise that it isn’t really relaxing, it is actually stimulating to our minds and nervous system which in turn affects our sleep and energy levels.
To get the deep relaxation we need to reduce the input to our brains as well as resting the body. There are many options, here are a few ideas:
Listen to a yoga nidra or guided relaxation as a little reset in the day.
Book a massage or some reflexology
Have a quiet candlelit bath
Maybe once a quarter have a spa day
Attend a restorative yoga class or sound bath
Whatever works for you is perfect - or maybe try something new!
If you’d like to have some reflexology, you can book in online for appointments at Primrose Hill or you can contact me to arrange a home visit. You can find out about my monthly online restorative yoga here.