Autumn can be a time of busyness but as the nights draw in and the trees shed their leaves it is also a time to let go, to draw in, to nourish and nurture ourselves, a great time to develop self-care practices. Self-care can be anything, it doesn’t have to be candles and bubble baths, it is anything that is you taking care of you, whatever works for you. Here are a few ideas for Autumn self-care:

1. Have An Early Night

As the nights get longer, nature is telling us we need rest and sleep, in days gone by people would have slept for longer as the nights were longer. Set an intention to have an early night, wind down before going to bed.

2.  Keep Hydrated

This time of year can be dehydrating with the change in weather and heating, we can also find ourselves drinking less water as it is not as warm, without realising it we become less hydrated. Keep up the hydration, you could try fruit or herbal teas if you don’t want to drink much cold water at this time of year.

3. Bake Something

It can be lovely to smell freshly baked foods in the home, baking can be an opportunity to be creative, you don’t have to be good at it, experiment and enjoy the process.

4. Walk In Nature

Nature has so many benefits for our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing as does walking. This time of year as the leaves are changing colours can create beautiful scenery for a walk. Notice as you are walking what you see, any sounds, any smells, what feelings arise, what sensations do you notice in your body.

5. Snuggle Up With A Blanket

Autumn often evokes a sense of comfort, wrapping up in a warm blanket, maybe with a hot drink, a book or watching something on the television.

6. Savour A Hot Drink

Savour your favourite hot drink, sit down with it, take your time over it, enjoy the moment.

7. Yoga

Practice yoga, whatever kind of yoga you like, maybe go to a class or do a class online. Yoga is great way to build mind-body connection, practice mindfulness and destress.

8. Spend Time With Loved Ones

Spend time with loved ones, arrange to do something together or spend time together at home. Call a friend and connect. Nourish yourself by connecting and being present with others.

9. Declutter

As part of the letting go that this season brings it is a great time to declutter around the home, you might also want to declutter your emails or activities that have become a habit but no longer serve you.

10. Aromatherapy

Essential oils can support us energetically, physically, mentally and emotionally.

11. Breathwork

Spend a few minutes a day practicing different breathwork exercises, experiment, see which you like, notice the difference in how you feel after a few minutes of breathwork.

12. Gaze At The Stars

Go outside at night and spend some time just gazing up at the stars.

13. Try Something New

Try doing something new, maybe a new hobby, a new recipe, a new route to work, a new coffee shop or restaurant.

14. Adjust Your Skincare Routine

As the seasons change, so too do the needs of our skin, as the weather changes and we have heating in our homes and workplaces it can be drying on our skin. If you notice your skin become drier you might need to adjust your skincare routine for your face, your body and your hands.

15. Journal

There is no right way to journal, whatever works for you. Your journal is a safe space for you to brain dump your thoughts and ideas. It might be bullet points or free writing, you might prefer to journal in the morning or the evening, whatever works for you, it is your practice.

16. Unplug From Social Media

Set aside some time to unplug from social media, maybe for a day, maybe at certain times during the day. Only follow accounts that are aligned with you and your values, unfollow anything that doesn’t make you feel good.

17. Learn To Say No

It can be automatic to say No to things we don’t really want to do or don’t have time to do, overcommitting ourselves. Practice saying No to things that take you away from what is in your best interests or things that drain you of energy rather than give you energy. When it is not possible to say No to something that is going to deplete you, plan for something that will nourish you to do afterwards.

18. Read A Book

Read a book, even if only 10 pages or for 10 minutes, any kind of book you enjoy.

19. Gratitude

Practice gratitude, it can be for anything, big or small. There might be times it is for a cosy bed or warming food, or it might be family and friends. You might find it easier to do this in the morning or before you go to bed and notice what you were grateful for in your day.

20. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness doesn’t have to be meditation although it can be. Mindfulness is just noticing in the present moment without judgement. You could incorporate some mindfulness into your day by trying mindful eating or going for a mindful walk.

21. Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra is great to do before sleep, it helps relaxation and is great for stress reduction and nervous system regulation.

22. Create A Joy List

Create a list of things that bring you joy and do some of the things from your list. When you need a moment of joy you can also come back to your list and remember and visualise something from your list.

23. Mix Up Your Workout Routine

Try something different, move around what you do when, maybe try something new.

24. Sort Your Autumn Wardrobe

Sort your Autumn clothes, donate anything you no longer wear to charity.

25. Visit Your Local Tourist Sites

Have you visited the tourist sites where you live? Many of us don’t visit what is on our doorstep. Are there any attractions near you you have always meant to visit but never got round to?

26. Enjoy Nourishing Seasonal Food

This is a season of comfort food, enjoy seasonal whole foods.

27. Create Your Ideal Morning Routine

Do you have a morning routine that sets you up for the day or is it a mad rush to get out of the door in the mornings? Create a routine that works for you and your lifestyle that will set you up for the day, what does that look like for you?

28. Visit A New Place

Visit somewhere new, maybe for a walk, a day trip or even a weekend away.

29. Decorate Your Home

Decorate your home, or maybe an area of your home. Can you make it feel cosy and comforting? Can you bring some Autumn vibes into your home? Maybe it’s bringing some nature into your home with decoration, plants, essential oils, photos or pictures.

30. Create A Playlist

Create a playlist of your current favourite songs.

31. Go On A photo Safari

Go for a walk and take some Autumnal photos.

32. Introduce A New Habit

Is there a new healthy habit you have been wanting to introduce? Maybe it’s bringing in some more movement into your day, maybe it’s a new bed time routine to help you sleep, maybe it’s eating more whole foods. You don’t have to make big changes or do everything all at once, pick one thing and focus on that.

33. Spend Time With Yourself

Spend time with yourself, without distraction, doing something just for you.