Some simple tips Actress Daria Pogodina told our readers how to avoid the autumn blues.
To avoid the notorious autumn blues, you need to occupy yourself with something pleasant, even if with the onset of cold weather you want it less and less.
After all, in fact, with the onset of autumn, nothing changes, but psychologically we need something to make up for the lack of colors and warmth in the surrounding World. Therefore, moving daily along the work-home route and not doing anything else, we only aggravate the apathetic state. In this case, the autumn blues are inevitable.
1. Time for change
My favorite way to cope with the autumn, and any other blues, is through changes in image. You can’t even imagine what a positive effect experimenting with your appearance can bring. If you change in appearance, you feel different! The main thing is not to be afraid. Surely you have long wanted to try new haircut, hair color or clothing style. It's time to decide!
2. Updating the interior
The same goes for updating your home or even your workplace. Add colors and new interior solutions to your home, make it more comfortable, and ideally, get yourself a pet if you don’t already have one. Believe me, returning to a renovated house every day from work will be much more pleasant, and the autumn blues will disappear.
3. New hobbies
New hobbies and the first steps in some new direction of activity will also greatly benefit you. By starting to do something that you have long wanted to try, you concentrate on yourself and gain new experiences and impressions, which means your internal state is less dependent on such external circumstances as the weather outside the window and the autumn blues.
4. The joy of meeting
5. Towards art
We all need a fairy tale in our lives to take a little break from the surrounding reality, and art can become such a fairy tale for us. If in real life there is sometimes a lack of color and emotion, then cinemas, theaters, museums and books are at your service. In addition, communication with art will be a great source of knowledge and inspiration for you! These 5 simple but effective ways, will help you quickly and easily fight the autumn blues.
Autumn is traditionally associated with rain and sadness. But it seems strange to feel sadness when the sun is shining outside the window, and the wind plays with the same “sunny” leaves that have fallen at your feet.
But is this so strange or is there an explanation for this condition?
And is it possible to make the autumn blues recede and allow you to enjoy this wonderful time of year?
Where does the autumn blues come from: reasons for bad mood
The main sources of melancholy that overcome us in the autumn months are the following circumstances:
Short daylight hours. Hormones and neurotransmitters responsible for good mood and vitality are produced mainly during the daytime. Accordingly, the longer the day, the better the mood. As the sun lingers less and less in the sky, the tone also decreases.
Avitaminosis. It is generally accepted that during the summer we replenish our reserves of vitamins and therefore in the fall we are not in danger of being deficient. But this is only relevant for fat-soluble vitamins, which are “stored” in the body. And water-soluble vitamins and minerals(in particular, B vitamins, magnesium, potassium - responsible for the functions nervous system) are quickly washed out. These substances leave the body especially quickly in the heat, when we consume a lot of fluid and sweat - not only excess fluid is removed through the skin and kidneys, but also the substances we need.
The habit of moping. This is the most paradoxical and yet common cause of autumn melancholy. Many people believe that as autumn approaches, it is normal to fall into apathy, and that to some extent it is even romantic. By tuning themselves to this “wave”, they can actually feel a sharp decline vitality, noticing the first fallen leaves and hearing the cry of migratory birds.
Chronic diseases. Along with a decrease in air temperature and a decrease in daylight hours, many chronic diseases may worsen. Deterioration in well-being inevitably entails deterioration in mood.
The reasons listed are the most common, but not the only ones. So, for a student or schoolchild, the source of the autumn blues can be a sharp change in habits. The lack of a daily routine in the summer, when you can sleep until noon, and the need to get up early with the start of the school year can cause constant fatigue and blues.
How to cope with the autumn blues: simple ways
Just because autumn blues are normal, doesn’t mean you don’t need to fight them.
A slight correction of your daily routine will increase the duration of sleep and help cope with drowsiness in the morning. But there are several “active” ways to forget about autumn sadness and fatigue.
Light up the sun in your home
You cannot save on lighting in the fall. Replace the light bulbs in your apartment with more powerful ones, and replace the lamps with “cool” white light with “warm” yellow light. Add regional lighting, for example, place a floor lamp near your favorite chair or sofa or hang a sconce - this will add coziness to the room and a sense of harmony for you.
Make autumn beautiful
Even if it’s raining outside the window and there’s slush in your soul, this is not a reason to dress in inconspicuous clothes and look at the “dull” world. Pair your favorite coat with a bright scarf and gloves, surround yourself with colorful interior details and see that autumn can turn into your personal fairy tale.
And for those who are interested in handmade, just look around: sunny pumpkins, late autumn flowers and other gifts of nature will allow you to decorate your interior with amazingly beautiful compositions. And the process of making decor will bring no less pleasure than the result.
Cook tasty and bright
Autumn is not the time for dieting. The body fights drowsiness and fatigue, and it needs strength to do this. Make sure your menu contains enough “healthy” fats ( vegetable oils, fatty varieties sea fish) and squirrel ( fermented milk products, eggs, meat and poultry). And take the time to beautifully decorate the dish and set the table. Such a meal will bring not only gastronomic, but also aesthetic pleasure and lift your spirits.
But if no methods or remedies help cope with the blues, consult a doctor. Various diseases and conditions can be disguised as the autumn blues, from hormonal disorders to depression and chronic fatigue syndrome.
The autumn months often bring melancholy and sadness. But you need to get rid of a depressed mood, and our tips against the autumn blues will help you do this.
Many people experience depression when the weather gets cold. This is quite understandable: after all, the sun is getting smaller, and the weather itself seems to be starting to feel sad outside the window. But there is absolutely no need to mope. Moreover, in this state you can get completely bogged down. You can always improve your affairs, and ours will help you with this.
It is advisable to start preparing for autumn in the summer: relax actively, spend more time in nature and the sun. This will fill you with impressions, and you will have something to remember in the coming months. And if you didn’t manage to go on vacation, or the autumn sad mood is already creeping up on you, use the following simple tips that will help you not to be depressed.
Take time to relax
Autumn blues often appear only because your body lacks rest. As there is less heat, a lot of energy is required to maintain energy in your body. normal temperature. This means that you get tired faster. But no one cut their working hours. Therefore, try to get enough sleep: healthy sleep should last 7 hours. And give yourself time for a pleasant, non-committal rest.
Change your diet
Food is another way to replenish your energy in the fall and avoid the blues. Eat a little more high-calorie foods and, very important, fruits. Among other things, it is not advisable to give up sweets. Chocolate contains substances that improve mood, and this has long been proven by scientists. We also invite you to pay special attention to autumn dishes that can boost your energy.
Take up an interesting hobby
The second reason for the autumn blues is monotony. But it will not cause any special problems: it is only important to understand the reason and you will already have the opportunity to deal with it. Take up an interesting hobby: collect, visit exhibitions and cinemas, dance, if you have dreamed of doing this all your life, but did not find the time. By the way, no one canceled singing your favorite songs either.
Add bright colors
Try replenishing your wardrobe with clothes in pleasant bright colors: red, orange, yellow and green. When it's drizzling outside and bad thoughts creep into your head, these warm shades will remind you of the sun even on a cloudy autumn day. But gray, black and white are best avoided. If suddenly your finances are not too good, go through your existing wardrobe and choose the brightest notes.
Get rid of sadness with laughter
When a person feels good and has fun, he begins to smile and laugh. As it turns out, there is also the opposite effect. Try to smile at yourself more often in the mirror and during pleasant or joyful events (and they definitely happen). Watch your favorite good comedy and laugh heartily at it. You will enjoy it even more if you share this pleasure with your friends and family. If you can't wait to laugh right now, then we suggest you take a look at our comic horoscope. He will tell you what the Zodiac Signs do when they are drunk.
Walks and meetings with friends
Of course, walking in the rain is not very pleasant. But the rest of the time it is quite possible. Dress warmly, invite friends to your favorite cafe or party, go on a visit. Communication and fresh air will help you find beauty in gray autumn days, and communication will relieve the feeling of loneliness. In addition, sitting inside 4 walls all the time is simply boring, so it’s better to alternate a warm blanket with the promenade, even if it seems to you that you are ready to stay in your apartment until spring comes.
Be active
Movement is one of the keys to good health and mood. Of course, you need to calculate your strength and time. But the most ordinary dancing at home near the stove or morning exercises will already lift your mood, even if it seems something boring and ridiculous. Moreover, active morning awakening is very useful: it tones the body and you will definitely spend your day cheerfully. Don’t be afraid to have a little fun in the morning and don’t worry if your first workout with a machine or yoga steps makes your family laugh. Maybe they'll join you in a couple of weeks?
Every day can and should be successful. Take luck by the tail. Find out how to do this and what things will be successful today in. Best wishes, and don't forget to press the buttons and
With the onset of autumn, there is only talk about a decline in mood. Many of us are so reluctant to let go of summer that we feel like we are ready to hibernate! It remains only to decide some “nuances”, such as: who will work instead of us, do housework, take care of the children... All this is simply called “autumn blues”. What is behind it and how to neutralize it - we will discuss today with professional, practicing psychologist Vladimir Gabmarov.
Vladimir, let’s first figure out what is correct to call the autumn blues.
Autumn blues are a fairly typical psychological state for many people. It is associated with a deterioration in mood and a decrease in emotional background. In addition, appetite and sleep patterns change, and motivation for activity disappears.
What exactly is happening to us, and what are the causes of this condition? Restructuring of nature or something else?
Naturally, many people associate autumn with worsening weather, cold rain, slush, decreasing daylight hours, etc. It’s getting cold not only outside, but also in apartments, which is not good news. A reduction in daylight hours leads to changes in hormonal levels and physiological changes in the body. In this regard, some people experience slight weakness, slight drowsiness, and mild emotional depression in the form of mild sadness.
Could people confuse some underlying problems with the autumn blues? And does the latter have any special symptoms, when is it worth sounding the alarm and contacting a specialist?
Autumn blues are not always a disease. The usual low mood background. If we talk about mental disorder, then this is the zone of psychiatry and the activities of psychiatrists. Signs of illness of underlying problems are identified with prolonged apathy, prolonged ongoing depression, lack of a positive emotional response to joyful events, frequent mentions of death, and painting the emotional background in dark colors (a touch of tragedy). Also, people cease to be happy with their relationships and exhibit pronounced introversion, deep thoughtfulness, sleep disturbances, and suicidal tendencies.
So, it’s not always a disease, which is good news. Nevertheless, there are those who suffer from the blues, and there are lucky ones who are bypassed by it. Who is at risk? Why do some feel exhausted, while others continue to live as if nothing had happened?
Let me make a reservation right away that the autumn blues occur in both women and men, so there is no preference for gender. But still, more women seek consultation in practice. This can be explained quite simply: it’s just that men seek help much less often; they have their own, not always correct, “methods” of dealing with depression. That's how it works male psychology. Moreover, girls are more emotional. In general, regardless of gender, the dynamics of the onset of the disease are largely determined by lifestyle. People who are busy with work, family, and leading an active and mobile lifestyle are less susceptible to the autumn blues. As one client recently put it, “I just don’t have time for nonsense.”
An interesting nuance about the weather. Tell me, does the fact that we have more sun save Buryatia in this decadent autumn period?
Maybe. But, as one wise man said: “Everything is in our hands.” Much depends on your view of the situation, your attitude towards what is happening, as well as your social well-being and environment.
Is it possible to escape from the blues? In the literal sense of the word: to another city, country.
Why not, if the means allow and there are all the possibilities for this. A change of scenery, new acquaintances and communication, a distraction from everyday worries have a beneficial effect on your state of mind. However, as Pythagoras said: “Do not chase happiness, it is in each of us.”
Sometimes it seems that, in general, everything is in order. You get enough sleep, everything is fine at home and at work. But you don’t like autumn, and this at least spoils your mood...Just don't focus your attention on your least favorite or favorite season of the year. Pay attention to those things that charge you with activity and improve the brightness of your life.
How exactly can we help ourselves?
Sometimes only a specialist is able to figure it out, correctly assess the psychological state and provide the necessary assistance in a timely manner. But you can cope with a bad mood on your own. So, if you don't have enough sunlight, just get up earlier, spend more time fresh air. You can also lead an active lifestyle - force yourself to move more! Please yourself in moderation with various delicacies, play sports, go out into nature with your family or colleagues. During your lunch break at work, try to leave the room. Special attention pay attention to nutrition: consume more vegetables, fruits and berries. Try to balance your biological clock and maintain a daily routine. In the end, learn to notice beauty even in dullness, and the sun will certainly return to your heart!
Question - answer
"Uninvited Nostalgia"
“Hello, Vladimir! I have a strange autumn problem. I don’t know what it’s called, but every fall I live through some scenarios from the past. I have total nostalgia for everything: old favorite clothes, smells, friends, relationships, music. What's happening to me? Is this very bad? And how can I deal with this? Such memories make me, let’s say, at least sad.”
Natalya, 24 years old
Hello, Natalya! Indeed, memories are, first of all, a sensory part - images, impressions, emotions, feelings. Memories can be bright, sad, difficult, dark, joyful, etc. This is typical for every person. In moderate doses they give positive effect. For example, the smell of a “confectionery” takes us back to childhood, because it reminds us of the pies that our mother or grandmother baked. Children running alongside with backpacks on their backs evoke memories of a carefree childhood. We remember how good it once was, but we become sad because we can’t get it back. But it is one thing to sometimes succumb to the mood of memories and quite another to become dependent on them, living only in memories. Therefore, it is important for you not to get stuck in the past. In fact, living in the past, which has passed, and in the future, which has not yet arrived, is the path to frustration (anxiety). It is necessary to live here and now, to enjoy the present moments of life. After all, the past cannot be returned, and the future has not yet arrived.
Excessive nostalgia occurs when the present does not bring joy, and the future foreshadows problems. Perhaps now you to some extent lack happy moments that you remember and idealize them. Therefore, try not to idealize the past. I understand that it is impossible to fully control feelings, but you can control your actions.
Soundtrack for autumn
“As autumn begins, it’s as if my daughter is being replaced by someone else. She hits the sad music. Includes the groups "Spleen", Zemfira. It seems to me that this only makes it harder for her, but she says that, on the contrary, it is easier. Like, it’s like the soundtrack to autumn. Is there anything I can do to help her? Maybe if she listened to something positive, it would be easier for her..."
Svetlana, 46 years old
Hello, Svetlana! I understand your feelings about your daughter. If boys are raised to be courageous, then girls, accordingly, are raised to be gentle and sensual. Much depends on physiology. Perhaps your child has a predominant melancholic temperament. The most important thing is to accept your daughter for who she is. Help her feel confident. Emotions arising under the influence of music can be divided into perceived and felt. Take a closer look at your daughter’s behavior and emotional state. Perhaps in this way she is trying to complement the picture with emotional colors; sometimes sad motives, on the contrary, bring back bright colors to life. But this doesn't mean you need to listen to sad music all the time. Everything should be in moderation.
Has your friend gone crazy?
“Every fall, my friend does stupid things. I don’t know why this happens, perhaps she wants something bright in this gloomy time. But she either leaves a wonderful guy for some incomprehensible person, then dyes her hair blonde, or runs away to another city, changing jobs and leaving friends. I feel a little uneasy because this happens at different intervals, but every time – as soon as summer ends. Is it possible to somehow hint her about going to a psychologist? Or am I exaggerating and there’s nothing wrong with that? Why does she need these changes? Why at this time of year?”
Alexandra, 32 years old
The psychology of autumn bad weather is often associated with a person’s mood. At the same time, not only its deterioration is observed, but also an emotional upsurge. Perhaps in bad weather, in this case, personal expression occurs. Parting and unfulfilled hopes have something in common with the psychology of feelings reflected in the songs of our reality. Perhaps, in this case, bad weather only turns on a compensation mechanism to realize one’s dreams and fantasies, but over time this does not find personal satisfaction within and fades away.
The school year with tears in my eyes and... a thermometer
“Whether it’s blues or not, our son has tears in his eyes every school year, which is why he often gets sick in the fall. How should we deal with him? Tell me please! We have often heard about psychosomatics, about how we depend on our mood, our emotions. Maybe there is some kind of grain in this.”
Svetlana, 41 years old
Thoughts that arise with the approach of cold, damp autumn trigger the mechanism of negative attitudes. A person expects in advance an increase in the symptoms of the disease, and the endocrine system is very sensitive to nervous overstrain. However, a child’s reluctance to go to school may be accompanied by a number of other factors. Specialist consultation is required.
Reading time: 2 min
If, with the onset of autumn, mood swings become more frequent, an unstable psycho-emotional state, inhibition of thinking, and drowsiness begin to appear, then this means that the person has been overtaken by the autumn blues. Recent research results from scientists at the University of Oregon have shown that more than 90% of people experience significant changes in their well-being as cloudy autumn days approach.
Autumn blues in most cases is not a disease; it is often a normal reaction of the body to the rejection of cold and lack of sunlight. It manifests itself in the fact that you often don’t want to do anything, loved ones irritate you, everything is seen in gray, your mood tends to zero.
Reasons
Autumn blues are often observed among suspicious, overly responsible, pedantic, and impressionable people. It is more often recorded in women than in representatives of the stronger sex. This period is characterized by general depression, instability of mood, and a half-asleep state.
The reasons for the occurrence of the described condition may be a decrease in daylight hours, the predominance of rainy and cloudy weather, cold weather and associated hypothermia of the body, a genetic tendency to mood swings and an obsession with bad feelings, stressful conditions, somatic pathologies, and metabolic disorders.
Often, the autumn blues in a schoolchild is a consequence of the child growing up, excessive criticism and strict upbringing on the part of adults, which led to this feeling. The described illness can appear after mental or physical stress, exposure to extreme situations, or after serious injuries.
Symptoms of autumn blues
For this condition, various combinations of symptom intensity are possible, namely:
– instability of emotional state;
– changing established behavior;
– impairment of cognitive functions;
– lack of desire to work;
– decline in interest in any activity;
– reluctance to maintain social contact or, on the contrary, a desire to attract attention to your problem due to poor health;
– reduction in the quality of work;
– fussiness;
– lack of ability to concentrate;
– incompleteness of actions;
– irritability;
– poor sleep at night;
– dissatisfaction with oneself and others;
– early rises and daytime sleepiness;
– demanding, critical;
– night sleep with awakenings;
– difficulty falling asleep;
– changes in taste preferences;
– the emergence of irrational;
- internal dialogue in which a person analyzes his actions.
How to deal with the autumn blues
There is no universal advice on how to get rid of the autumn blues. In each case, it is necessary to select a treatment regimen, taking into account the severity of the symptoms, the characteristics of the genetic history (presence of depressive conditions in relatives), concomitant diseases, personal interpretation of sensations, general health.
Most experts are convinced that an independent analysis of the usual lifestyle will allow a person to understand where the failure occurred and eliminate these negative phenomena by making adjustments to the daily routine. 
Autumn blues and melancholy must be met with a smile. This is just a bad mood that will certainly change over time. And for this to happen as quickly as possible, we recommend listening to specialists (psychologists, psychotherapists, therapists) who give the following recommendations:
– it is necessary to review the daily diet, compensate for the deficiency of vitamins, protein foods and minerals, and abandon weight loss diets;
– protect yourself from emotional stress;
– you should eat foods that stimulate the synthesis of serotonin, which include bananas, fish, fruits, nuts, dairy products, dark chocolate, vegetables, dates;
– it is important to monitor the replenishment of vitamin D, which is found in fatty fish, cheeses, seaweed, butter, chicken yolks;
– give preference to freshly prepared juices from carrots, beets, oranges, rather than drinks containing caffeine;
– include herbal teas (thyme, St. John’s wort, rose hips, linden) in the diet;
– tincture of eleutherococcus, lemongrass, and ginseng will help adapt to rainy weather in the fall;
– you should not resort to strong strong drinks, they will only intensify this condition;
– it is important to remember that physical activity in a state of blues is simply necessary. Only physical activity will allow a person not to get stuck in his condition;
– daily walks in the fresh air will fill the brain with oxygen and improve well-being;
– the autumn blues will recede if you organize jogging in a forest area, in a park, take part in a football tournament, hiking in the mountains, swimming in a natural body of water;
– your well-being can change dramatically after visiting a bathhouse or sauna;
– yoga, fitness, wushu, shaping, aerobics can also help cope with the blues;
– it is important to make the most of the daylight hours: get up with the first rays, go to bed early, do not stay up past midnight;
– the autumn blues cannot withstand the following rule: countryside cycling after the clouds have cleared;
– it is necessary to pay sufficient attention to artificial lighting due to the reduction in daylight hours;
– a solarium can help maintain a good mood in the fight against the autumn blues;
– maintain a daily routine;
– have dinner no later than two hours before going to bed;
– before going to bed, do not strain yourself mentally;
– exclude horror films and thrillers from evening viewing;
– it is important to equip the sleeping area with a high-quality mattress and a comfortable pillow;
- ventilate the room before going to bed;
– keep the temperature within 20 degrees Celsius;
– taking a warm pine bath before bed will calm your nerves and restore peace of mind;
– drink tea at night from sedative herbs (melissa, mint, chamomile, oregano);
– creativity can restore a wonderful mood, so in inclement weather it is better not to sit at home and be sad, but to go to a museum or theater and enjoy the exhibits, paintings or actors’ performances there;
– it will be appropriate to communicate with cheerful people and hone your sense of humor with them;
– in case of severe symptoms, it is necessary to seek medical help from a psychotherapist; only the doctor will select an adequate program of pharmacological therapy. A course of psychotherapy will also not be superfluous, allowing you to identify the real causes of the autumn blues.
Thus, ideally, in order to overcome the described condition and avoid a bad mood, one should find out the reason that forced it to develop and work specifically with it. If you can’t cope with the autumn blues on your own, then it would be advisable not to delay and seek help from specialists.
Doctor of the Medical and Psychological Center "PsychoMed"
