Summer is gone, which means fall is officially here! As great as fall can be in terms of pumpkin spice lattes, colorful scenery and an overall cozy vibe, one thing that is not so amazing about it is the time change. With the time change comes many obstacles–one of those obstacles being a healthy and comfortable routine. But no need to fret, there are many things you can do right now to get your fall routine starting off in the right direction!
One thing that I think many people struggle with, especially college students, is not getting enough sleep. With things such as classes, extracurricular activities and jobs it can be difficult for one to focus on something as simple as getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep. Once the clocks fall back two hours on Nov. 3, though, this will make it even harder to get into the habit of a good routine. According to “Sleep Education,” something simple to do now is to shift your bedtime 15-20 minutes earlier each night before the fall time change. Adjusting your body to light and dark, with light being in the day and dimmer lights in the evening, can help your body get into a good routine as well. While it may be difficult at first, this can overall help you in the long run.
Anyone who knows me knows that I love to be on my phone. I will scroll for hours without even knowing that three hours has passed me by. The majority of the time this occurs is when I am just about to fall asleep. In order to feel more healthy and awake, especially during the time change, is to limit screen time. When we are on our phones it triggers the melatonin in our bodies, so our bodies may think it is daytime when in reality it is time for bed. Not only do our phones affect our sleep, but they also affect our social interactions. Fall is a time to make fun memories! Go to the pumpkin patch, drink that apple cider and take in the beautiful scenery. I promise, your phone can wait.
If you haven’t figured it out from my past articles, I have a love for all things skin care. While I do have a specific skin care routine that I follow pretty much all year long, fall is the time when I really make sure to stick to it. I am sure we have all heard of seasonal depression. This is something that I really start to feel around the time fall comes around, so I make sure to continue to do the things that make me happy such as taking care of my skin, body and hair. Something as simple as taking an everything shower while blasting my favorite tunes is something that automatically boosts my mood.
A basic but effective way to get a jump start on the time change is to focus on movement and mindfulness. Going to the gym, taking a walk, doing yoga or even practicing daily affirmations are all things that can get you into a healthy mindset. Even though it may not seem like it, getting into a positive headspace is truly the start to being able to have a happy and fulfilling life. In terms of daylight savings, though, being able to have the ability to be mindful with your body gives you the opportunity to also have a healthier sleep schedule, diet and overall a better adjustment to the time change.
Hopefully by now you have a better idea of how to kickstart daylight savings. Doing things such as taking a walk, getting a good amount of sleep and limiting phone usage are all things that can impact not just the time change, but your life as a whole. So why not get a head start tonight and go to bed 20 minutes earlier than you usually would? I believe in you, you’ve got this! Happy fall!