Embracing Self-care for Seasonal Wellness
As the days darken, as misty mornings run cool and leaves turn to mellow autumnal shades, many people experience shifts in mood and energy levels. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can leave us feeling drained, sluggish, and emotionally off-balance.
The good news? Self-care, especially through touch therapy and restorative wellness practices, can be a powerful way to nourish mind and body during this time. By prioritizing routines that elevate your mood and boost your well-being, you can manage SAD and thrive throughout the colder months.
Let’s explore how simple changes in your daily routine can light up your life from the inside out.
Ecotherapy: Nature as a Healing Balm
Nature has always been a natural remedy for the soul, and research shows that just 2 hours a week outdoors can significantly improve mood and overall health. Whether taking a brisk walk in a nearby park or woodland, make it a point to step outside daily. The benefits go beyond mental clarity: exposure to natural daylight helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which is essential for good sleep and balanced energy levels.
Touch Therapy: The Power of Healing Hands
Human touch is a proven way to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and support emotional well-being during the darker months.
Regular facials and body massages help reduce muscle tension and release endorphins, leaving you with a sense of calm and contentment. When you book your next facial or massage treatment, consider booking a course in which appointments are planned strategically to see you through the darker months.
Self Care Tip:
Facial massage: A gentle 5-minute facial massage using a facial oil (such as rejuvenating frankincense or nourishing orange flower) can stimulate blood flow, giving your skin a natural glow while releasing tension from the day.
Facial Tools: Set yourself a challenge to learn and use facial cupping for lymphatic drainage which is great for clearing sinuses and your skin. Start with a basic lymphatic routine using flash and dynamic cupping movements. You'll need to apply a facial oil to enable the soft silicone cups to glide across the skin, try Zone Face Lift Rose and Geranium facial oil - a light and beautifully nourishing facial oil.
Body massage: Incorporate self-massage into your evening routine. Use a warm oil infused with lavender or geranium to nourish your skin and calm your nerves before bed. Try Neal's Yard Women's Balance Massage oil which can be applied to the body or to a warm bath.
Scalp massage: Don’t forget the scalp! No oil required – a dry head massage which incorporates targeted acupressure points around the back of the ears, around the hairline and at the base of the cranium, will increase blood flow to the scalp, relieve tension headaches and improve mental clarity.
Diet & Nutrition: Nurture from the Inside Out
What we consume has a direct impact on how we look and feel. As the seasons change, it’s important to adjust your diet to support both mental clarity and physical vitality. Start by lowering caffeine, which can overstimulate the nervous system, and switch to calming teas like ginger and lemon, known for their digestive and anti-inflammatory properties.
Holistic beauty nutrition tips:
Herbal teas: Ginger and lemon tea not only refreshes but also detoxifies your skin by improving circulation and digestion. These teas help reduce bloating and support a clearer complexion.
Essential oils for mood: Incorporate diffused oils like geranium (a cousin of lavender), lemon or frankincense during your skincare routine. These oils have mood-lifting properties and can also be added to your bath or massage oils for extra benefits.
Skin-boosting snacks: Think seasonal! Eating fresh apples, pears or fresh pumpkin, rich in fibre and antioxidants, can support digestive and skin health. Sprinkle a little cinnamon for added warmth and blood-sugar regulation.
Light Therapy: Brighten from Within
Lack of sunlight can contribute to feelings of sadness and lethargy during the fall and winter months. One of the most effective ways to combat this is through light therapy, especially in the form of LED phototherapy. This stimulates serotonin production, the "happy hormone," and promotes collagen production, helping your skin glow.
How to incorporate light therapy into your routine:
LED Phototherapy: Blue light is clinically proven to stimulate serotonin production which will enhance mood while combining it with NIR will increase cell turnover giving your skin an anti-ageing boost by stimulating collagen production.
If you are considering purchasing an at home device, ensure that it is FDA approved, alternatively a rental programme will enable you to use the device at home without the expense of the investment. A 30 minute Blue light session is the perfect time to listen to a calming, lifting meditation.
Clear Your Space: Declutter, De-stress
Cluttered environments can contribute to feelings of overwhelm and anxiety. A clear, organized space promotes mental clarity and a sense of control. This applies not only to your living spaces but also to your beauty routine. Organizing your skincare products or wardrobe can be a simple but powerful way to boost your mood.
Organizing tips:
Simplify your beauty stash: Declutter your skincare and makeup products, keeping only what you love and use regularly. A clean, minimal setup will make your daily routine feel calming and intentional.
Review and simplify your skincare routine with 4 simple but powerful principles: CLEANSE, TREAT, HYDRATE + PROTECT
Seasonal Skin Care Switch: review your skincare to include a deeper cleanser and exfoliant, switch to a targeted serum if you are experiencing dry skin, try IS Clinical Polyvitamin Serum and a hydrating reparative SPF - try Is Clinical's Extreme Protect 40 with extremozyme technology for DNA repair.
Create a spa-like space: Designate a corner in your bathroom or bedroom as your spa. Set it up with candles or led lights, essential oils, and your favourite self-care items, giving yourself a mini daily escape.
Light Up Your Life with Self-Care
Sleep Rituals - establish a winter bedtime routine - aim to wake up and go to sleep at the same time each day, just as you adjust to a different time zone when you travel, see this change in season as a period of adjustment to a new time zone and adapt your bedtime routine to start earlier, make your night time cleanse an essential ritual that is an integral part of your sleep pattern. Dim lights, limit caffeine, nicotine and alcohol if you want a good beauty-night's sleep.
Prepare a calming herbal tea: passionflower or lavender half an hour before bedtime, keep a journal and a pen next to your bed and 'braindump' all your thoughts, worries and anxieties before you go to sleep. Focus on three things you’re grateful for and write something uplifting or that represents a goal or dream. This reinforces a sense of purpose and fulfillment before sleep and helps shift your mindset into a positive space.
Remember during deep sleep, the body repairs and regenerates skin cells, replacing damaged cells with new ones, improving skin texture and health. We know sleep boosts collagen production, a protein essential for skin elasticity and preventing wrinkles, however, it also regulates moisture levels, preventing dehydration and dullness. Adequate rest also helps lower inflammation, reducing conditions like acne, eczema, and redness. Better circulation during sleep gives skin a healthy glow and speeds healing.
Water Therapy - use cold water showers to energise you first thing in the morning or when you are feeling sluggish and your day is not yet finished, a quick 5 or 10 minute shower can help to revive your blood circulation and improve your mood.
Take a warming bath ritual at any time of the day (especially at the weekend) when you have the time - it will take you out of the everyday and lower the stress levels, it is also particularly effective for sleep at night.
Use an uplifting facial mist during the day to enhance your mood, try Zone Face Lift's Magical Mist and Positive Aura Spray, the fine mist is infused with sweet grass; a Native American sacred plant used to attract positive energy, Rose floral water is especially gentle on the skin and has a calming aroma.
Clearing Cleansing - exfoliating the skin in autumn is essential because, as temperatures drop and humidity decreases, the skin tends to become dry and flaky. Exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells that accumulate on the surface, allowing for better absorption of moisturizers and other skincare products. It also stimulates cell turnover, revealing smoother, brighter skin.
Autumn is an ideal time for exfoliation as it clears away the dullness from summer’s sun exposure while preparing the skin for the colder, harsher winter months ahead. Regular exfoliation ensures the skin stays soft, radiant, and healthy as the season changes.
For more Seasonal skincare advice, book in for a Skincare Consultation or for a deeper, professional facial cleanse, book an Ultimate Radiance Facial which includes Is Clinical's Fire and Ice treatment and LED Phototherapy personalised to your skin concern this season.
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