15 Wellness Tips to Keep You Healthy This Fall

The seasons are changing and the transition to shorter days and cooler weather can be challenging. To help ease the transition, here are 15 wellness tips to keep you healthy in body and mind.

1. Start taking a Vitamin D supplement. Since we get most of our Vitamin D from the sun, natural intake tends to decrease during the fall/winter seasons. To help offset the deficit, consider taking a Vitamin D supplement to boost your mood and immune system.

2. Prioritize your mental health and self-care. The fall and winter months tend to force us to slow down and the shorter, darker days can trigger depression. Consider starting a journal to track your moods and stay more in tune with your feelings.

3. Schedule your annual check-up. Before the winter months hit and flu season ramps up, try to get your health in order by completing your annual tests and getting up to date on your health checks.

4. Boost your immune system. Drinking plenty of water, getting plenty of sleep, frequently washing your hands, and eating nutritious foods are a great place to start.

5. Start preparing for Daylight Savings Time. Make it a point to go to bed earlier when you can, especially the week before the time changes.

6. Schedule some fun for the upcoming months. During the fall and winter months, when the weather is cooler and it gets darker earlier, it’s easy to stay in. While this can be a welcome change, hibernating too much can lead to feelings of isolation and depression. Try to schedule some fun getaways or get togethers to ensure you maintain some level of social engagement.

7. Protect and hydrate your skin. Harsh temperatures can dry out your skin while cloudy weather can make you forgo your sunscreen. Regardless of the weather, be sure to keep your skin hydrated with a quality moisturizer and wear your SPF.

8. Enjoy in-season foods. The fall months are filled with an array of healthy, seasonal foods. Enjoy the bounty by eating fresh beets, broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, kale, pumpkin, broths, roasted squash, roots, and sautéed dark leafy greens.

9. Stay active! Don’t fall victim to the fall/winter slump by becoming more sedentary. Make an effort to move throughout the day whether walking, jogging, hiking, or even doing house or yard work. The key is move your body for a minimum of 30 minutes each day.

10. Dress appropriately. As the fall weather can be unpredictable, consider wearing layers so you’re prepared for unforeseen temperature changes.

11. Do some fall “spring cleaning.” Clean out your closet, organize, and rid yourself of things you don’t need.

12. Prepare your home for weather changes. Before the temperatures change and harsher weather arrives, be sure to check your home for any possible leaks or openings, make sure your heater is in working condition, and replace the batteries in your smoke detectors, CO2 detectors, and flashlights.

13. Refresh your reading and watch lists. When the weather is chilly or wet, and you just want to relax at home, having a new book to read or a new series to watch can help you enjoy the downtime even more.

14. Maintain a schedule. The cooler months can seem to drag on, sometimes triggering feelings of depression and isolation. Stay on track by scheduling time each day to do things enjoy and maintain open lines of communication with friends and loved ones.

15. Be kind to yourself. The start of fall not only means the start of the holiday season, which can cause weight gain, but also the start of shorter days can impact your mood and  the flu season, which can impact your health. Give yourself some grace by listening to your body, properly nourishing your body and mind, and getting plenty of sleep.