Did you ever notice that the end of summer can leave you feeling a little blue? And it’s not just because you have to go back to school or say goodbye to your beach vacation.
There’s actually a scientific reason why you start to feel sluggish, slow and sleepy when the leaves change. While taking a breather after summer is by no means a bad thing, these changes can also leave you feeling unmotivated and low-energy, which is never fun. Many of us also start to feel sad around this time of year due to hormonal and nutritional shifts.
Luckily, you don’t have to accept a dip in your energy levels this fall. You may not be able to prevent the summertime from slipping away, but you can prepare your body for seasonal changes with a few hacks to your diet and lifestyle. Below, we’ll tell you how to optimize your autumn energy levels and keep the summer vibes rolling deep into the cooler months.
Why Energy Levels Drop in Autumn
It’s normal to feel a bit down when summer ends. But you’re not just lamenting the good times you had during the warmer months. You’re actually being triggered by real changes happening in your body. The primary culprit is a reduction in sunlight. You get less sun when the days become shorter and you spend more time indoors. This causes a drop in serotonin, which can turn your mood sour and affect sleep patterns.
It also affects your body clock, which can further upset your hormonal balance and cause feelings of sadness or depression [1]. Turning the clocks back can also affect your mood and make issues like stress and anxiety even worse [2].
Seasonal issues are accompanied by changes to diet and exercise. The autumn is jam-packed with holiday feasts, and as the weather cools, it’s hard to resist indulging in unhealthy comfort foods and much larger portions. Consuming more sugary snacks, processed foods and caffeine can cause big spikes and dips in your energy levels, leaving you feeling disoriented and moody [3,4].
We also tend to exercise less as work ramps up and the weather gets chilly. Exercise is critical for regulating your body clock, stress levels and mood. If you’ve been getting your steps all summer and then become a couch potato in the fall, you’ll probably start feeling ‘bleh.’ Autumn energy issues can affect more than your mood. They can also lead to weight gain, nutritional deficiencies and a weakened immune system. So, what can you do to keep those energy levels up?
How to Boost Your Autumn Energy Levels
Taking control of your energy levels is all about maintaining healthy summer habits and preparing your body for seasonal changes. Make a few of the changes below and you’ll notice a big difference.
Be Mindful Of Your Diet
In summer, we eat more nutrient-dense produce and raw foods (think salads, fresh fruit and stuff). In cooler months, we eat more carbs, meats, sugars and sauces which are high-calorie and low in nutrients. Replacing that summertime salad with a heaping pile of alfredo pasta for lunch, even a few days a week, can drastically reduce your intake of essential vitamins and minerals, leading to brain fog, fatigue and moodiness.
We’re not saying that you can’t munch a peanut butter cup on Halloween or grab a turkey leg on Thanksgiving, just keep an eye on your vitamin and mineral intake to make sure your body is getting everything it needs. If you want to add some energy-boosting nutrients to your next meal, try these:
- B Vitamins: B vitamins are critical for a healthy metabolism (aka turning your food into energy). They are known to provide a quick energy boost, with B-12 leading the pack. Get your B vitamins from seeds, beans, eggs and liver. You can also add B-complex supplement to your morning drink to get all 8 of them in one go.
- Vitamin C: You know you need vitamin C to keep that autumn cold at bay, but it’s also great for boosting energy. Like B vitamins, C plays a big role in metabolism. It also boosts energy at a cellular level. Vitamin C is needed to fuel the mitochondria—the energy center of your cells. Without this fuel, your mind and muscles can lose their edge [5]. If you’re feeling lethargic this autumn, eat an orange of a red bell pepper. Or, grab a highly bioavailable vitamin C supplement.
- Magnesium: Magnesium is a super mineral needed for hundreds of body processes, and many of those support mental clarity and mood. This is because magnesium is an electrolyte, greasing the wheels of communication between your brain, organs, muscles and more [6]. More magnesium means a clearer mind and a more reactive body. Unfortunately, most Americans don’t get enough of this nutrient, likely because it’s mostly found in dark leafy greens [7]. If you’re not crazy about kale and spinach, get your magnesium from a supplement.
Speaking of low-energy, it can be tiring to track your intake of every little micronutrient. If you don’t have time to read food labels, take a daily multivitamin to cover your bases. Manna Liposomal Multivitamin contains the nutrients you need to promote summer-strong energy levels all year round.
Stay Active
Exercise has long been known to boost energy levels, sharpen the mind and reduce stress. In the autumn, physical activity is more important than ever. For some, seasonal changes can result in a condition called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which can cause low energy and depression.
Studies have shown that exercise is a natural and effective treatment for these symptoms [8]. Exercising releases endorphins (good mood chemicals), making you feel happier and more satisfied all day. It also supports a healthy body clock and hormonal balance, which often get thrown out of whack by seasonal changes.
We know it can be hard to get up off the sofa or go to the gym when it’s already dark outside. But you don’t need to push yourself in order to benefit from exercise. Going for a 30-minute walk after work might be all you need to feel more energetic during the day and sleep better at night.
Soak Up The Sun (Or Take Vitamin D)
One of the biggest culprits of seasonal energy issues is a lack of sunlight. The light from the sun helps to regulate your body clock, but it also provides you with vitamin D, one of the most important vitamins for energy, immunity, mood and more. In the summer, the sun shines brightly, and we often wear fewer clothes, so it’s easy to soak up a day’s worth of D in about 10 minutes.
In the autumn, the sun gets weaker and it spends less time in the sky. When you bundle up in a jacket and scarf, you also limit your exposure. So, it can take as long as 2 hours to get the vitamin D you need from the sun in colder weather. That might be why around 95% of Americans don’t get enough [9].
Low levels of vitamin D can result in reduced energy, an unstable mood and poor mental health [10]. It can even lower bone and muscle density, leading to chronic issues later in life like osteoporosis. Vitamin D is so important that it’s one of the supplements doctors recommend most [11]. If you can’t spend 30-60 minutes outdoors during the day this autumn, or are looking for an extra boost, take a vitamin D supplement.
Tip: Take a 30-minute walk each morning to get your exercise and your vitamin D from the sun at the same time!
Energize Your Autumn
Summer is over, and you’ve promised yourself that you’re not going to slack this fall. You’re not going to get lazy, gain weight and let the weather get the best of you. Now, for the first time, you have the tools to make those promises come true. Seasonal changes don’t make life easier in autumn, but with proper nutrition and a bit of physical activity, you can keep your autumn energy levels high and fight the fall anxiety fatigue pretty effectively. If life gets busy and you can’t keep up, fill in those nutritional cracks with Manna Liposomal Supplements.
FAQ
Energy levels often drop in autumn due to several factors. The primary reason is the reduction in sunlight, which leads to decreased production of serotonin, affecting mood and sleep patterns. Shorter days and longer nights also disrupt the body clock, further impacting hormonal balance and mood. Additionally, the cooler weather and holiday season can lead to changes in diet and exercise routines, contributing to lower energy levels.
To boost energy in autumn, focus on a diet rich in B vitamins, Vitamin C, and magnesium, which are crucial for metabolism and energy production. Include foods like seeds, beans, eggs, citrus fruits, bell peppers, dark leafy greens, and whole grains. Additionally, maintaining a balanced diet with nutrient-dense foods instead of relying heavily on sugary snacks and caffeine is important to avoid energy dips.
Exercise plays a vital role in maintaining energy levels by enhancing the production of endorphins, which are natural mood lifters. Regular physical activity, such as a 30-minute walk after work, can help stabilize the body clock, improve sleep, reduce stress, and prevent the seasonal affective disorder (SAD), keeping energy levels more consistent.
To maintain summer energy levels into the cooler months, continue engaging in physical activity regularly, eat a nutrient-rich diet, and manage stress effectively. Consider using a light therapy lamp if you experience significant drops in mood and energy due to reduced sunlight. Also, make sure to get enough sleep to help your body adjust to the seasonal changes smoothly.
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651
- https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/7-things-to-know-about-daylight-saving-time
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5532289/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032723006092
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7019700/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6524065/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5786912/
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/exercise-is-an-all-natural-treatment-to-fight-depression
- https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/micronutrient-inadequacies/overview
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8584834/
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/
