"Every year, the arrival of Starbucks’ fall menu signals that summer is officially on its way out. I love PSLs as much as the next girl, but around this time every year, I get in a major slump. My wellness routine is almost non-existent (what was excitement for smoothies, morning sunlight, and outdoor workouts a couple of months ago is nowhere to be found). No matter how much we love barn jackets and rewatching Gilmore Girls, “September Scaries” is real—at least when it comes to our health routines. Maybe a summer of happy hours and weekend vacations has left you feeling drained and disconnected from your body, or maybe you’ve lost all the motivation you had at the start of summer.
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But just because you’re no longer craving smoothies and salads and it’s no longer appealing to go on a hot girl walk first thing in the A.M. doesn’t mean your health has to suffer. You already know that your body requires care year-round (not just when it feels easy) and that your wellness routine should be enjoyable rather than forced. There are simple ways to find motivation and prioritize your well-being—even if seems like the last thing you want to do. Stop playing Summertime Sadness on repeat and try these seven tips to get you out of your end-of-summer slump.
Dr. Allie Sharma, MD, MSc
Dr. Sharma is a psychiatrist and the co-founder & chief medical officer of Being Health. She focuses on crisis management, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and stress through a trauma-informed lens.
1. Prioritize Mental Health Over Physical Health
While we should prioritize both our mental and physical health year-round (after all, they are one and the same), we tend to naturally feel more inclined to care for our physical well-being during warmer months (think: outdoor jogs, fresh fruits, short shorts—you get the idea). If you’re craving comfort foods instead of salads and have no motivation to go to the HIIT class you couldn’t get enough of in July, that’s OK. Well-being is cyclical, and the body needs different things in different seasons. Especially if you deal with seasonal affective disorder come colder months, your mental health likely requires higher priority than fitness goals or optimal nutrition right now. You can exercise and eat foods that will serve as medicine for the body in other ways (more on that below), but don’t force yourself into a workout or meal that doesn’t feel good.
Psychiatrist Dr. Allie Sharma says it’s common to have an emotional reaction to the end of summer, and prioritizing mental health first and foremost is crucial. “Find ways to cope that are healthy and adaptive so that your emotional reaction does not get suppressed or converted into something unmanageable,” she advised. Make any (or all) parts of your wellness routine focus on mental health: relaxing yoga instead of HIIT, oatmeal and coffee at the kitchen table instead of a smoothie on the go, reading in bed before getting up instead of an A.M. workout. Prioritizing your mental health will make your wellness routine feel better and be more enjoyable for you through this season.
2. Set New Intentions
You know that excitement you get from getting something new: a workout set, a relationship, a desk organizer (#adulting)? Goals are no different. Although we typically set our health resolutions for the year on January 1, the start of fall is an ideal time to hit reset and establish new dreams. Now that we’re over halfway through the year, we can reassess what we really want, as well as what’s working and what’s not. And there’s just something fresh and inspiring about fall, like the excitement that came with starting a new school year as a kid.
If your health routine has gone out the window, start with a clean slate by developing a new set of small goals to strive for. Maybe you don’t feel motivated to work out in the morning anymore, so try switching your sweat sessions to the evening. Or, if you no longer crave a smoothie for breakfast, opt for other nutrient-dense, high-protein breakfast options that will fuel your body better. Maybe your social calendar has been packed, so you haven’t taken time for yourself, so you set a goal for the new season to schedule a self-love date every week, get to bed an hour earlier, or read a new book for 30 minutes every night. Listen to what your body and mind need, and put new goals in motion accordingly.
3. Schedule Plans You’ll Look Forward To
When you have something to look forward to, you look to the future instead of dwelling on what was or should’ve been. From a workout class to spending time with your friends to working on a hobby you love, keep a calendar specifically for activities and events you can excitedly anticipate. “Whatever the activity is, joy positively fuels our emotions and impacts both physical and mental health,” Dr. Sharma said.
So whether it’s booking a vacay (or staycation), making plans for upcoming holidays like Halloween or Thanksgiving, getting tickets for Sabrina Carpenter’s tour, or the daily and weekly things like reading a new book or going for a walk with friends, schedule activities that will give you a boost of feel-good energy. Be intentional with your time and fill it with what you value and what truly brings you joy. You’ll actually be excited about this season, and the September Blues will be a distant memory.
4. Catch Up on Sleep
It’s called beauty sleep for a reason, but a lack of sleep not only contributes to dark under-eye circles but also to mood swings, lack of concentration, and anxiety. “Sleep is foundational for both physical and mental health and can be so healing, especially in a time of stress or when feeling down,” Dr. Sharma said. While the CDC recommends an average of seven hours a night, Dr. Sharma advised prioritizing getting even more sleep, or however much you need to truly wake up feeling well-rested (and ideally without an alarm).
Summer may have kept you in vacation mode, causing later nights and more difficulty getting quality shut-eye. If you’ve deviated from your regular sleep pattern, go back to the basics of sleep hygiene. “If you’re having difficulty sleeping, reserve the bedroom for the 3 S’s: sleep, sick, and sex,” Dr. Sharma recommended. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, cut off exposure to bright lights two to three hours before bed, and establish a wind-down routine. If you’re in need of a sleep schedule reboot after the summer months, the beginning of fall is the perfect opportunity to catch up on sleep and prioritize rest.
5. Rethink Your Exercise Routine
ICYMI, your body needs different things in different seasons—and that goes for exercise, too. If you’re not feeling up for the same boxing class or a 5-mile run that you loved in the peak of summer, don’t force it (forcing yourself into intense workouts you don’t want to do can actually make you more stressed). Instead, align with your energy, mindset, and emotions. Whether that’s doing a cozy cardio session or working out à la lazy-girl style, lean into movement that feels enjoyable this time of year. Does your body crave staying indoors and doing gentle yoga flows or at-home Pilates, or does going for a long walk while listening to a motivating podcast (ahem, The Everygirl Podcast) and enjoying the last of the warm weather sound fun?
6. (Actually) Take a Break
Sometimes, a lack of motivation or being in a slump is not a sign to push through but a sign that you desperately need a break. Dr. Sharma recommended using PTO as a tool to avoid burnout and lack of motivation. “PTO is there for a reason; to prevent burnout and promote overall well-being,” she said. Taking breaks, in general, is crucial for our overall health. Besides the mental health benefits, we typically feel more motivated and excited about fitness, nutrition, or healthy routines when we give ourselves a break (think: planning healthy meals on Monday after a weekend where you ate out a lot, or how good a workout class feels after you’ve been on vacation).
If you can, taking even one day off for a long weekend or a self-care day can help you get out of a slump (it’s time we stop saying “I’ll take my PTO when things slow down” or “I’m saving up my PTO for when I take a big trip” and actually take some much-needed and deserved time off). According to The American Psychological Association, time off can improve mood and reduce stress. But you don’t have to take time off to give yourself a break. Spend a weekend, evening, or any day off (see: Labor Day weekend) as a “break day” or “break weekend” to turn your phone off, sleep in, and spend the day relaxing or doing activities that you love and fill you up. Engaging in relaxing and enjoyable activities (that can include reading, napping, adult coloring, or going for a hike) can lower cortisol and improve mood, so you come back from the break feeling more rested, motivated, and excited to take on your life.
Katherine Chang, Wellness Staff Writer
Katherine Chang is The Everygirl’s Wellness Staff Writer with over five years of experience in the health and wellness space. She navigates the latest wellness topics and trends through studies, articles, and is always first in line to try them firsthand.