Despite the continual sunshine at Suryalila, we too feel the seasons starting to change. The nights are growing decidedly shorter and there’s a freshness in the air where a thick summer heat hung before.
Hints of rain have teased our thirsty plants with false hope from sobriety, promising soon to quench their summer thirst.
It’s not just the plants though, that feel this seasonal shift. Short summer sleeves are gradually replaced by warm hoodies, flip flops by cosy socks.
It’s that little bit darker as you rise from bed, and the shortening nights wrap a blanket of stars around your body, reflecting the luminous moon and luring you to nurture and rest.
The Affects of Seasonal Change
The change in seasons may affect your mood and your energy levels. This is to be expected as 'the soft animal of your body' adjusts.
You may experience more tiredness, which is partially due to your circadian rhythms. These act as an internal clock, and are stimulated by 24 hour cycles of light and dark. As darkness descends, increased levels of the hormone melatonin is released in the brain, aiding sleep.
When the nights grow shorter you may feel more inclined to curl up on a coach with a blanket or go to bed early.
It’s also common to feel under the weather, this is because with every season comes a change in temperature which provides apt conditions for different types of viruses to thrive.
Maybe you feel a subtle unsettledness or nostalgia as you say goodbye to what has been before and make space for what's to come...
All this is normal, and whilst a little more rest and introspection is nurturing during the darker months of the year, it’s helpful to remember that we humans, as diurnal beings, still need exercise and routine in daylight hours.
Depression, anxiety and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) are known to increase over the latter half of the year, so it’s important to take preventative measures to make sure you stay uplifted.
You may feel inclined to be more sedentary, however movement is imperative to maintaining good mental health. Humans are built to move, and the heart needs exercise to stay healthy - even in winter.
As stated in the AASM:
“The biggest mistake that people make when it comes to sleeping in winter is ignoring their body’s natural rhythm. Even if you’re tempted to stay in bed or on the couch all day long, unless you are sick it’s a good idea to get up and move around.”
So what we’re looking for is a balance between listening to the body’s call for rest, whilst maintaining activity for a healthy body and mind.
Here are our top tips to help you stay centred through the seasons:
Rest and rejuvenate - listen to your body and take the pace back a notch. This allows you to recalibrate from the events of one season as you prepare mentally, physically and emotionally, for the next. Dig out your journal and take a moment to reflect on the past few months.
Daily movement practice - keep up your daily exercise - be it yoga (we’re particularly fond of yoga), going to the gym, a home workout or throwing on that overcoat and getting outside for a brisk wet and windy walk. Staying active is key to maintaining vitality through winter.
Nourish your body - your gut is the epicentre of your wellbeing, more and more research confirms this. Fill your plate with hearty, nourishing, soups and stews, miso and fermented foods, seasonal veggies like root veg, pumpkins, apples, berries, seeds and wholegrains. Yum!
However, this modern lifestyle doesn’t always allow space to honour your natural rhythms and gradually adjust to seasonal changes. Don't we all know it! Sometimes it’s just go go go with so much on your plate it’s a challenge not to drop it, and no amount of signals from your body can stop you.
Well, at Suryalila, we stay open all year round to provide a haven for you to hide out in for a while.
Here we’ve got everything covered - rejuvenating gentle evening classes to find that deep body and spirit rest that’s so often forgotten in modern life, daily movement medicine in the shape of yoga and winter walks, plenty of free time and quiet spaces for reflection, journaling and introspection, and of course nourishing, seasonal, organic meals cooked up by our passionate chefs.
We offer a space for you to truly come back to your essence and nurture your soul through the seasons, away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
If this sounds deleriously delicious, take a look at our upcoming retreats, we have a little something for everyone:
Winter Wellness Retreat, 11th - 18th November
Mind, Body, Breath: Mens Retreat, 19th - 25th November
Yoga & Sustainable Living Retreat, 25th November - 2nd December
Escape Christmas Retreat, 21st - 28th December
We offer these retreats over the winter months to invite you on a journey into your own inner peace, whilst maintaining health and radiance in the body and mind.
And until you get here, here are two restorative yoga postures you can do from home to support your soul this season:
With love,
Team Suryalila