Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can attack our moods, our energy levels and our impulses to eat and sleep. According to the NHS, it’s thought that as many as one in 15 people in the UK are affected by SAD between the months of September and April.
If you’re one of them, this piece is for you. We’ve pulled together all the best autumn self-care rituals — big and small — to help make the transition a little easier. While some, like the best sunlight lamps and vitamin D supplements, are tried and true SAD saviours, others are indulgent treats that help transform the long, dark nights into the highlight of your day.
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Treat yourself to some cosy loungewear and pyjamas
Our sleep and loungewear deserve an autumn refresh. It’s the season for luxurious fabrics, from silky, satin sets to velvety soft cashmere.
Asquith Be Grace Batwing – Black, $, available at Asquith
Asquith Long Harem Pants – Black, $, available at Asquith
Rise & Fall Women’s Finest Cashmere V-Neck Jumper, $, available at Rise & Fall
Rise & Fall Women’s Finest Cashmere Joggers, $, available at Rise & Fall
BlueBella Beau Luxury Satin Long Pyjama Set White/Black, $, available at Bluebella
Stripe & Stare Sweatshirt & Lightweight Jogger Set – Midnight, $, available at Stripe & Stare
Slide your feet into a pair of lined slippers
Keeping your feet toasty and warm cannot be underestimated — especially on cold mornings when getting out of bed and a trip to the bathroom seems impossible.
Ugg Scuffette II Slipper, $, available at Ugg
Hush Puppies Charcoal Recycled Good Slippers, $, available at Hush Puppies
Ugg Classic Ultra Mini Boot, $, available at Ugg
Refresh your space with autumn bedding
Dr Jaya Gowrisunkur, a consultant psychiatrist at Priory Wellbeing Centre Harley Street and Priory Hospital Altrincham, recommends introducing “good sleep hygiene” into your nighttime routine if you struggle with SAD. This includes “having no screens pre-bedtime and starting to get your mind in a calmer mode by meditating, writing a gratitude journal or reading a book,” he previously told R29.
Also swap your light, summer bedding for thicker, cosier autumn sheets and winter duvet. With an ultra-soft throw and a mountain of cushions, getting into bed at the end of the day feels less like a chore and more like a treat.
Dusk Feels Like Down Mattress Topper, $, available at Dusk
Bedfolk Linen Bedding Bundle, $, available at Bedfolk
Dunelm Teddy Bear Extra Cosy Marl Reversible Throw, $, available at Dunelm
Rise & Fall The Organic Wool Duvet, $, available at Rise & Fall
Rise & Fall Tonal Check Throw, $, available at Rise & Fall
Indulge in some bath (or shower) treats
Soaking in hot water is proven to be therapeutic to the mind and body, the hot water helping us to release endorphins much like we do when soaking up the sun’s hot rays. An increased body temperature at night also helps us synchronise our natural circadian rhythms, meaning a higher quality of sleep. The same can be said for a hot shower.
It’s not all about how long you spend in the bathroom though. It’s all about transforming your space into a sanctuary and making a daily routine into an indulgent experience. So, light some candles, uncork some sweet-smelling bath oil, and relax; whether that’s for 15 minutes or for several hours.
Neal’s Yard Remedies Womens Balance Foaming Bath 200ml, $, available at Neal’s Yard Remedies
Diptyque Do Son Shower Oil, $, available at Space NK
Laura Mercier Ambre Vanille Honey Bath, $, available at Space NK
Swap out your ice coffees for spiced herbal teas
Autumn is the perfect time to introduce a new beverage habit into your self-care routine: herbal tea. Many herbal teas are naturally caffeine-free and are a natural detox for your body; their high levels of antioxidants help to give you a boost of energy and support your immune system, not to mention they help create a sense of calm. To get into the autumn spirit, we’ve included some of our favourite spiced flavours — swap these into your next at-home film night or mid-afternoon snack break.
Bird & Blend Tea Co Lemon & Ginger Tea, $, available at Bird & Blend Tea Co
Pukka Herbs Organic Three Cinnamon 20 Tea Bags 40G, $, available at Tesco
Teapigs Spiced Winter Red Tea, $, available at Teapigs
Bird & Blend Tea Co Gingerbread Chai, 150g Tin, $, available at Bird & Blend Tea Co
Set the scene with scented candles
Why not invest in a quality candle or two and light them up when you’re not feeling great? Things always look better at candlelight too — even a grey, rainy day outside and your partner’s ratty old sweats. Our favourites are all rich, spicy scents; the kind that really warms up a room, in more ways than one.
Rise & Fall Dark Noir Natural Wax Candle, $, available at Rise & Fall
VeganbunnyCo Chai Latte Scented Candle, $, available at Etsy
NEOM Organics Complete Bliss Scented Candle (3 Wick), $, available at NEOM Organics
AUGUST&PIERS Libertine Scented Candle (340g), $, available at Harrods
Start an indulgent, nighttime skincare routine
Practically speaking, keeping to a skincare routine is great for battling SAD — Dr Jaya is big on maintaining structure. Likewise, as the temperature drops and we start to turn on our heating, our skin suffers. So, this is the season we’ll be adapting gentle, hydrating exfoliators like Lumaskin’s red clay mask, and intensely soothing face oils and masks to our existing lineups.
Luma Skin Brazilian Red Clay Mask – Hydrating, $, available at Luma Skin
Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil 30ml, $, available at Boots
Neal’s Yard Remedies Frankincense Intense™ Age-Defying Cream 50g, $, available at Neal’s Yard Remedies
Struggling to sleep? Try these herbal and magnesium supplements
Many people with SAD also struggle with getting to sleep; nightmares proving a common occurrence. For those who fall into this category, Lola Biggs, a dietician at natural supplement brand Together Health, recommends upping your magnesium intake, whether with magnesium-rich foods or a supplement before bed.
Earths Secret Sleep, $, available at Earths Secret
Pukka Herbs Night Time Organic Supplement, $, available at Lloyds Pharmacy
HeyNutrition Night Time Complex, 1 Bottle, $, available at HeyNutrition
Feeling low on energy? Stockpile on vitamin D supplements
Key advice from experts is to start upping your vitamin D intake in autumn as, in the UK, our levels of sunlight from October to early March don’t contain enough UVB radiation for our skin to produce its own. You can get vitamin D from food sources like oily fish, red meat and egg yolks or from supplements.
Rhitrition+ Vitamin D. Daily Oral Spray, $, available at Rhitrition+
Ritual Essential for Women Multivitamin 18+, $, available at Ritual
Hum Here Comes the Sun, 30 Capsules, $, available at Cult Beauty
Feel a cold coming on? Up your vitamin C dose
Autumn signals a start to cold and flu season, so it’s a great time to boost your immunity with a varied and colourful diet of fruit and vegetables, and health supplements and vitamins that blend vitamin C.
Wild Nutrition Women’s Food-Grown Daily Multi Nutrient, $, available at Wild Nutrition
Inessa Immunity Complex, $, available at Inessa
Solgar Ester-C Immune Complex, $, available at Cult Beauty
Stockpile lip balm for your dry and chapped lips
Often, come the cold weather, our lips are the first to show the signs of environmental wear-and-tear.
When shopping for the right lip care, opt for lip balms that are made with shea butter, beeswax or petroleum jelly as a hydrating base, hyaluronic acid or peptides to boost your moisture barrier and plump lips up, and hydrating oils to ward off external aggressors, which can lead to dryness and chapping. SPF is also super important (yes, even in autumn and winter).
Malin + Goetz Lip Moisturiser, $, available at Space NK
Dr. Barbara Sturm Lip Balm, $, available at Space NK
Kiehl’s Scented Lip Balm #1, $, available at Kiehl’s
Love, Mememe Strawberry Lip Service CBD Lip Balm 10ml, $, available at ASOS
Get outside (yes, even in the rain!)
According to LloydsPharmacy pharmacist Anshu Kaura, lifestyle changes that take advantage of the sunlight are key. So that means regular outdoor exercise — even when it’s grey and rainy. Make your trips outside less miserable with a stylish new raincoat or rain boots so you’re extra prepared for whatever the weather throws at you.
Mackage Melany 2-In-1 Rain Parka With Hooded Bib, $, available at Mackage
Everlane The Rain Boot, $, available at Everlane
Fulton Huntsman Walking Umbrella, $, available at Selfridges
When in doubt, thick socks!
Cold feet are unhappy feet, so keep your toes extra toasty with thick, cosy socks.
Glassworks London Yellow Rainbow Fleck Thick Socks, $, available at Glassworks London
Ugg Darcy Cozy Sock, $, available at Ugg
Mauna Kea Japanese Socks, $, available at Toast
Bring the sunshine inside with a SAD lamp
Sitting near windows when indoors and making your WFH workspace light and airy is key in darker months. When this doesn’t quite do the trick, invest in a SAD, daylight lamp. These help to replace some of the sun we miss during the colder months.
Lumie Vitamin L Slim SAD Light, White, $, available at John Lewis & Partners
Lumie Sunrise Alarm Wake Up To Daylight Table Lamp, White, $, available at John Lewis & Partners
Beurer TL 30 Ultra Portable Daylight SAD Light, White, $, available at John Lewis & Partners
Try new hobbies and start up new routines
Shaking yourself out of a low mood is hard, but introducing a fun, new hobby — one you’ve been wanting to try for ages — could be just the ticket. What better way to fill up the long, dark evenings than with a craft (especially one that results in a beautiful gift for yourself) or a spot of baking (especially baking that is low maintenance, low mess and doesn’t require a large kitchen)?
Blondies Kitchen Ready To Bake Cookie Dough Roll – Dark Choc & Sea Salt, $, available at Blondies Kitchen
Sculpd Pottery Kit, $, available at Sculpd
Wool and the Gang Lil Take Me Home Blanket, Beginner Knitting Kit, $, available at Wool and the Gang
Go ‘back to school’ shopping
Recapture the excitement of ‘back to school’ shopping for the new season with a fresh daily planner (in sunshine yellow, naturally) or a stylish, new work bag.
Papier Joy Daily Planner, $, available at Papier
ADAMO Primis Z Tote, $, available at ADAMO
Papier Hello Sunshine Weekly Desk Planner, $, available at Papier
Nordace Siena – Smart Backpack, $, available at Nordace
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