The leaves are falling, the weather is crisp, and the smell of pumpkin spice is in the air, it’s officially Autumn! It feels like it was just yesterday when we were watching the New Year’s ball drop for 2021 and now it is already approaching the holiday season. While time is flying by, there are still plenty of opportunities to partake in the Fall activities.

Autumn Arts and Crafts

According to research published by University College London’s MARCH mental health network, there are proven studies showing that visual arts can reduce anxiety, social isolation, and bring down stress hormones. Textile crafts such as crocheting, embroidery, and knitting have shown positive effects in participants involving increased enjoyment, pride, accomplishment, and self-awareness. Embrace the shift in the weather by crafting up scarves or beanies to make for yourself or for loved ones. Starting an arts and crafts group can establish a social activity to do with friends or family. Perhaps breaking out some fall colors and diving into a painting can be another beneficial project. Celebrate the season with new hobbies.

Enjoy Fall Food

Whether it be cooking pumpkin bread at home or going out to get a nice butternut squash soup, taking part in the seasonal joys of food can have a positive effect on our mental health. The act of sharing a meal with friends and family allows for everyone to experience a sense of community and security. While cooking a meal can stimulate creative growth, finding new and exciting meals to cook can also be a fun activity too. Maybe building your culinary skills can lead to a sense of accomplishment that many mental health professionals encourage.

Change Up Your Wardrobe

The weather is getting slightly colder so you can take that opportunity to change up your wardrobe. Maybe you are feeling a bit bland with your current outfits and need something new or possibly feeling overwhelmed with the state of your closet. This can be a perfect opportunity to go through old clothes or items you never wear and donate them. There are many psychological benefits from just tidying up your closet. Researchers at UCLA discovered that people who tend to have cluttered and disorganized closets can have an increased level of cortisol, a stress hormone. Having a high level of cortisol can over time lead to sleep issues, high blood pressure, mood swings, and low energy levels. While cleaning out your closet isn’t a fix-all, it can help your stress levels and give you a feeling of achievement.

Embracing the Fall season with creative and engaging activities has been shown to have encouraging effects on our mental health. Whether it be crocheting a scarf or cooking up a festive recipe taking some time to explore new creative avenues can be a great way to welcome Autumn. If you or someone you love would like some extra help with finding new appealing activities to help boost your lifestyle, please reach out. We are always here to help!