5 Top Wellness Tips For Autumn

Chunky knits, shiny conkers, and eating cakes in cosy coffee shops signify autumn’s arrival. So as the leaves on Wimbledon Common turn a beautiful golden colour, take some time for you: mind and body. I’ve put together 5 simple tips to help you feel-good throughout this stunning season…

Eat In-Season Veggies

For a tip-top immune system, your body relies on nutrition to fuel its important function. Stock up on in-season, (preferably organic) veggies: butternut squash, carrot, parsnip, pumpkin and purple sprouting broccoli. They make delicious soups and casseroles. Try out new recipes and cook big batches on the weekends to make weeknights that bit easier.

Book This: Master the art of raw baking with Ripe and Nine’s raw cake workshop on 5th October at Lu-Ma cafe. Discover health conscious, plant based versions of your favourite desserts. There are raw cake tasters throughout the night and every student will take home recipe cards and a box full of creations on the night!

Photo Credit: Ripe and Nine

Read Yourself Happy

Reading boosts your mental health, studies say. Getting into the habit of picking up a book helps you de-stress, improves sleep and makes you more empathetic towards others. So if you’re looking for book recommendations, look no further than the hugely popular Wimbledon Bookfest, on 5th – 15th October. Tickets to events are selling fast, have you booked yours?

Find This: The Wimbledon Station Bookswap in the waiting room on platforms 7/8 has shelves bulging with every genre of book, generously donated by members of the community and Wimbledon Library. Are you ready to go on a journey? Because the books in the station bookswap are raring to go on one with you.

Get A Good Nights Sleep

Get your sleep routine on track. Our bodies like to have the same bedtime and wake up time every day and it’s even better for our sleep if it’s in line with sunset and sunrise. So now as daylight hours are shorter, can you add an extra 30 – 60 minutes to your nights sleep? The extra rest can boost your immune system, too.

Visit This: In preparation for the #NeomBigSleep on the 28th September, Neom Organics on Wimbledon Village High Street are offering complimentary Sleep School consultations. During the 30 minutes session, Neomologists will reveal sleep secrets they have gathered from the Neom Wellbeing Board.

Take A ‘Forest Bath’

The Japanese call it Shinrin-yoku, literally “forest bath.” Otherwise known as a walk in the woods, this therapeutic activity is a hot topic at the moments thanks to studies and research. Japanese researchers measured body changes in people who walked for about 20 minutes in a beautiful forest, with the woodsy smells and the sounds of a running stream. The forest bathers had lower stress hormone levels after their walk than they did after a comparable walk in an urban area. Also, spending time outside increases your vitamin D levels, making you feel happier and improving your concentration.

Walk This: Make the most of the beautiful changing seasons and head outside for a long walk under the falling leaves. Wimbledon Common or the gardens of Cannizaro House are both stunning at this time of the year.

Be Aware Of Your Emotions

Darker, cooler days sometimes increase emotions like sadness and grief. For some people, increased exercise or even yoga helps reduce these debilitating emotions. For others, meditation helps. Sometimes just becoming mindful and aware of these emotions can reduce their impact.

Try This: The Happiness Workshop in Wimbledon encourages happiness, wellbeing, mindfulness, positive psychology, meditation, coping skills and kindness. Suitable for everyone with no set cost, you pay what you like. Book your free place here.

Written by Flora Firth

Instagram: @feelgoodflora
Twitter: @feelgoodflora
Facebook: @feelgoodflora