As the days become shorter and we experience an increasing number of overcast and dull days, it can actually have a profound impact on our energy levels, wellbeing and overall mood.
You might have felt yourself feeling a bit sluggish or in the need of more snacks throughout the day as a bit of a pick me up and of course, the chill in the air has us reaching for our cosy socks and dressing gowns.
But the good news is, that just by making a few small changes around your home, you can almost immediately turn that mood around. And the experts have shared some of their favourite home hacks to do exactly that this autumn.
So, if you’ve felt more lethargic, anxious or down than normal, here’s how to give your home a mood boosting make over and encourage healthy habits to see you through the season change.
1. Make the most of natural light
‘Lighting is crucial to our well-being during the autumn months, as the reduced daylight hours can significantly impact our mood and energy levels,’ warns Gabriela Peacock, Celebrity Nutraceutical Expert and Founder of GP Nutrition.
Essentially, ‘our bodies rely on natural light to keep our mood-regulating hormones like serotonin in check, and when the sun isn’t around as much, our melatonin levels rise. This makes us feel more sluggish and can even mess with our sleep,’ Clinical Psychologist, Dr Daniel Glazer, concurs. ‘Throw in the fact that our internal clocks get knocked out of sync with the shorter days, and you’ve got a recipe for feeling a bit low.’
Opening your curtains and angling your blinds to make the most of natural light, choosing a sheer inner curtain or sitting closer to a window can all help you to make the most of the natural light. But for those days when it’s basically dull all day long and then the sun sets that bit earlier, this leads us onto our next hack.
2. Invest in a SAD lamp or light
As you can’t just rely on natural light at this time of year, investing in something called a SAD – seasonal affective disorder – lamp or a sunrise alarm clock can actually make a big difference.
Sunrise alarm clocks ‘should help you wake up and go to sleep naturally,’ Ryan reveals. If you want to use the lamp during the day you might be better off investing in a decidated SAD lamp like the Lumie Dash or Lumie Task lamp.
Using one should essentially counteract the effects of reduced daylight and help to improve our wellbeing and mood over these darker months.
3. Bring nature indoors
Unfortunately there will be days when it’s too cold, wet or miserable to get outside during the autumn – and winter – months. So, it’s imperative to bring nature indoors with some houseplant ideas. ‘Adding a few plants around your home isn’t just nice to look at, there’s plenty of research that shows it can help reduce stress and lift your mood,’ Dr Dan explains.
Plus, taking care of them can help to give you a daily routine, which can help to keep you motivated and give you a few moments to slow down.
4. Allow air to circulate
‘As the temperatures drop the home can become damp and mouldy as we tend to keep windows closed and dry laundry inside,’ says MyJobQuote.co.uk’s Interior Design Expert, Ryan McDonough. And ‘this can exacerbate conditions such as asthma and cause us to feel unwell.’
Because of this, it’s important to make sure you have plenty of fresh air circulating around and throughout your home. ‘Opening at least one front and one rear window for around 15 minutes each day will help draw fresh air through your home, but you do need to make sure you leave the internal doors open too,’ Ryan adds. ‘If condensation is building up in rooms, ensure you’re using extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom, and employ window vacs and dehumidifiers to mop up the remaining moisture.’
5. Add warmth
If you’re not quite ready to turn the heating on but the chill is making you feel less than ideal, there are a few things that you can do to keep warm when working from home or in the evenings. ‘Adding textured blankets, cushions, and rugs can create a sense of warmth that’s experienced both physically and emotionally,’ Dr Dan proposes.
‘For an extra touch of warmth, introduce candles and lanterns to create an inviting space,’ adds Swoon’s Head of Design, Sam Greig. ‘When laying out candles, group those of different heights together on a tray or scatter them in key spots to instantly add a stylish but cosy vibe to your room.’
‘When the temperature dips, these small creature comforts can go a long way in making you feel more settled and safe,’ Dr Dan says.
If you're still feeling the chill a heated blanket can go a long way to making you feel better when the mercury drops.
6. Turn lights on first thing
With the clocks going back in October, this can often throw our circadian rhythm and sleep cycle out of sync. And even though it’s nice to have a lie in at the weekend, the experts warn against sleeping in too late. ‘Sleeping in will reduce that morning light signal which can make your body clock run a bit later each day, so you almost feel like you are living with mild jet lag,’ says Dr Victoria Revell, Associate Professor in Translational Sleep & Circadian Physiology, at the Surrey Sleep Research Centre.
‘When you wake up each morning, turn on all the lights or use a light box while you get ready for your day – this will keep your clock in sync, wake you up, and put you in a good mood.’
7. Remove clutter
As we transition from summer to the colder months, we end up accumulating quite a few things. Whether that be Christmas gifts (if you’re ahead of the game), boots and shoes at the front door, or even autumnal and Halloween decor. 'Prolonged exposure to untidy environments can make us anxious and overwhelmed,’ says Hammonds Fitted Furniture's Interior Design Expert, Melissa Denham. ‘This is because clutter represents unfinished tasks and being surrounded by situations that the mind deems incomplete can trigger a stress response.’
So, you’ll want to take the time to sort through and decide what you really need. Once you’ve identified what you want to keep, donate or recycle, something as simple as investing in some storage solutions can make such a big difference to how your home looks and feels. From shoe cabinets and racks that hide them away out of sight to multi-purpose pieces of furniture, they can all help to keep a clear floor space.
8. Encourage healthy eating with a snack area
If you’ve found yourself craving hearty or comfort foods, there’s a scientific reason why that might be the case. According to Nutritional Therapist Lucia Stansbie, ‘Going towards colder days we crave more calorie dense foods in order to increase our body fat layer. This is a survival mechanism in most mammals, as fat is a very much needed energy reserve (in the wild food is much scarcer in winter) and thermally insulates our vital organs helping us to stand the cold better.’
Even though we don’t live in the wild like our ancestors, ‘our bodies are still wired to adapt accordingly to the seasons to offer better chances of survival.’ So, if you find yourself reaching for unhealthier snacks to keep you going throughout the day, it’s worth thinking about how your kitchen is set up.
‘Having healthy, easy-to-reach snacks like fruit or nuts visible on the counter can subtly encourage better choices,’ Dr. Daniel says. ‘Rearranging your kitchen to make these healthier options more accessible can help you maintain energy levels and avoid the sugar crashes that can make a low mood worse.’
9. Utilise draught excluders
A cold home is not going to do anything for your overall wellbeing, in fact it can leave you more vulnerable to health issues. Draught excluders and window treatments are a great place to start to keep your home warm without adding to your energy bills.
‘To help maintain a consistent, warm temperature, it’s wise to do some draught-proofing around the house,’ Ryan recommends. ‘Self-adhesive strips, fabric excluders and thermal curtains are some of the simplest ways to block cold draughts around windows and doors.’
In addition to this, ‘getting the right window dressing can help reduce your energy usage too, as heat loss through windows accounts for roughly 25-30% of the energy used in our homes,’ advises Helen O’Connor, Product Manager at 247 Blinds.
10. Enhance your garden for wildlife
We’re not the only ones to find autumn a bit challenging but thankfully there are a number of ways that we can support wildlife in our garden. ‘Even small efforts like adding bird feeders, nesting boxes, or a simple log pile can provide shelter and food for birds, hedgehogs, and other creatures as they prepare for the colder month,’ says Sean McMenemy, Founder of Ark Wildlife.
If it’s especially cold or the weather is a bit too unpredictable for you to get outdoors for a walk, stepping outside into your back garden or onto your balcony can allow you to get some fresh air and ground you in nature, helping to perk you up on a particularly long day.
Which autumn home hack will you be trying out first?
