If you can’t remember the last time you sat quietly and honestly reflected on your feelings and your goals, fall is the perfect time to get reacquainted with your mental health.  Find a comfortable place to sit, clear your mind, and prepare to check in with yourself.

• The back to school rush is a memory. By now, parents and children are likely settled in to a weekday routine that is starting to feel comfortable.  Now that everyone’s certain of their responsibilities during the week, you can carve out time for a good workout to release endorphins or a meditation class to become more mindful.  Even when you’re well organized, the weeks can fly by. Learning to be more mindful while you swim laps, practice yoga or meditate can slow time down enough to enjoy the changing season.
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• Summer vacations are over. Summer vacations and long, lazy days at the pool are over.  Before you resign yourself to having cabin fever until next Memorial Day, enjoying the offerings of fall can deliver huge mental health benefits.  Many fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients and minerals that your brain needs to balance hormones and process stress.


• Colder air benefits your mental state. You might not relish the idea of switching out your summer wardrobe for sweaters and jackets, but studies show that colder air during the fall months actually sharpens your memory and clears your mind. Before you resign yourself to hibernating this winter, take advantage of the mental health benefits and take a walk to clear your head and see the changing colors.  Better yet, take a walk over to FitClub and improve your mental and physical health!


• The smells of fall have positive effects on our brains. Scents like peppermint and cinnamon have been linked to better energy and concentration.  Those scents are in abundant supply as autumn rolls around. Adding essential oils and spices to your home can improve your mental health and help you settle in to the cozy-feeling of autumn.


• The holidays are just around the corner. If that thought fills you with horror because it’s the busiest, most expensive, most wonderful time of the crazy year, you’re not alone.  Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, even people that don’t generally suffer from depression report feeling depressed. It’s not the happiest time of year for everyone.  If you’re someone that feels stressed or depressed during the holiday season, this is the perfect time of year to check out a FitClub yoga or meditation class to begin to cultivate coping skills you can use while you wait in long lines while you shop or stand over a hot stove preparing a holiday meal.  When the hustle and bustle arrives, you’ll be glad you took the time now to clear your head and learn to unwind.

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