Anna, a Sussex based Nutritional Therapist, shares her simple but effective wellness hacks to support energy, gut health, and overall mood this autumn
Although the end of daylight saving means we get an extra hour in bed (hooray!), the change in time can still affect our circadian rhythm, the internal clock responsible for our sleep, along with so many other important biological processes.
Here are a few tips that can help your body adjust to the time change, and to the darker days to come too.
1. Sleep hygiene
Practising good sleep hygiene can help to improve the quality of our sleep, which has immediate knock-on effects for our energy and mood. This includes things like: sticking to a good sleep routine every night, avoiding devices a few hours before bed, and limiting caffeine too late in the day.
2. Get outside
Ensure to step outside in the morning, even if it’s just for 5 minutes. It’s so tempting to stay inside when it’s cold, but a short walk in the morning can help to regulate our circadian rhythm and improve our sleep due to the exposure of our retinas to natural light.
3. Keep hydrated
It’s definitely harder to keep on top of water intake in the colder months, but switching to herbal teas such as lemon and ginger, peppermint, and echinacea is a great way to ensure you are drinking enough. This can help to maintain our energy levels, and support our skin that can dry out with the heating on.
4. Eat a balanced healthy diet
Keeping up with a balanced healthy diet, ensuring that you are eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, wholegrain, healthy fats (such as olive oil and avocado), omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish, and healthy protein sources such as lean meats, legumes, and tofu to support your energy, gut health, and mood.
Dr Anna Sanniti 