As the clocks fall back and the days shorten, that familiar seasonal slump starts to creep in: less sunlight, lower energy, and that meh feeling that tends to hit right around 4:45 p.m.
To help us cope with this seasonal shift (and make peace with those early sunsets), we turned to Dr. Elisabeth Crain, psychotherapist and behavioral psychologist, for her best advice on keeping spirits high when the daylight runs low.
Feeling off since daylight saving time ended? Same. Here are 5 ways to beat the early-sunset slump, according to a behavioral psychology expert.
1. Prep Your Mind (and Space) for the Season
As Dr. Crain puts it, “When considering seasonal behavior, it’s important to observe animals in nature and how they deal with the changing seasons.” Her advice: take a cue from them and start leaning into what you enjoy about this time of year.
“Focusing on the things we love about the season can help ease the transition,” she explains. “For example, fall is the time for pumpkin spice lattes, cashmere and wool sweaters, and the changing colors in the leaves.”
By creating anticipation around what makes the season special, the transition feels less jarring, and a lot more joyful.
2. Create a Sensory Sanctuary
When the world outside feels dim, make your space feel warm. Dr. Crain suggests leaning into sensory comforts: textured blankets, plush socks, warm lighting, and candles with grounding scents like pine, clove, or amber.
If you’re a bath person, now’s your moment—try a calming soak or magnesium flakes before slipping into your coziest robe. Engaging your senses helps regulate mood and signal calm to your body.
3. Revisit the Things That Used to Make You Happy
The little things that once brought you joy still can. Dr. Crain suggests revisiting cozy childhood memories like “pumpkin carving, decorating your Christmas tree, lighting fires, or making hot cocoa.” These rituals offer emotional comfort and help reconnect you to the warmth of the season.
4. Reframe the Darkness
“Each season—just like life itself—presents change,” Dr. Crain says. If you find yourself struggling with shorter days, this simple reminder can shift your perspective.
“When we can maximize the things we like about each season, we can better transition to the time change and help mitigate the effects of seasonal affective disorder (SAD),” she explains. And if you truly can’t get into the season, she says, “know it will be gone and replaced by another soon enough.”
5. Check In with Yourself
Dr. Crain encourages using this slower season as an opportunity for reflection. “We can look at the upcoming months of less sunshine as an opportunity to go inward, to be more pensive, to become more insular, and to practice self-care and reflection,” she says.
Take stock of your current routine. Are you moving, resting, and caring for yourself? “So much of our health is a psychosomatic response,” she adds. “When we take care of ourselves, we show up better for others.”
The colder, shorter days can be tough, but they’re also a chance to slow down, reset, and refocus on self-care. Embrace that extra hour of sleep, find joy in the small things, and remember that being cozy is always a good coping strategy.
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