Why You Need a Seasonal Routine
Seasons change, as do our wardrobes, favorite drinks and meals, skincare regimen, sleeping patterns, and overall routine. What is the key to using seasons to make sustainable, healthy lifestyle changes? During times of change, what small things can we do differently to get bigger results by listening to our body?
It’s important to create seasonal rhythms, especially if you find that you are a creature of habit. When you find ways to naturally move and change with the seasons, you are reducing your stress load rather than trying to fight it. Your body will tell you exactly what it needs, so learn to listen to it. Here are a few tips to make seasonal adjustments seamless.
- Pay attention to what your environment provides. Try to give your body the opposite of the environment you are in. When seasons are hot and humid, you want to adjust your routine to incorporate foods that are raw, light, and crisp. Your skincare routine will change and be mostly light, water-based products (and extra sunscreen). You may also find yourself going to bed later in the evening and getting up earlier to maximize long summer days. This can provide extra time to exercise earlier in the morning! During the colder seasons, you may seek comfort and warmth and find that your foods are denser and include more carbs, fats, and proteins. Your skincare routine should be thicker and more hydrating. You may even find that you work out later in the evenings and sleep earlier when the sun begins to set earlier.
- Establish a routine. Having a good routine means you have a good handle on habits. Start by planning out your day in chunks. Include key priorities or activities that need to be accomplished, and then fill in the rest of the day with smaller ones. Having both a morning and night routine is a good rule to follow. Key things to consider and incorporate include vitamin and supplement intake, meditation, skincare regimen, exercise, meal prepping, and bedtime winddown.
- Be flexible. Changing your diet and lifestyle requires a little bit of flexibility because there is an element of trial and error. You may think that a small change will not impact your day, but it really can. Recognize what doesn’t work for you and swap it out. Give yourself grace and be open and willing to make small adjustments until you find the perfect routine for yourself.
- Recognize your biofeedback signals. Everybody is different and unique. What works for others may not work for you. Biofeedback signals include your mood, energy levels, cravings, immune system, sleep patterns, sexual desires, etc. A change in one of these can have a downstream impact on your day-to-day activities. Use these signals to help you make small adjustments to keep your mood boosted while creating a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.
- Commit. It takes on average two months to form or change a habit. Commit to creating a change and be patient with seeing results. Remember, self discipline is the greatest form of self love. Having the discipline to stick to a routine will yield the biggest and most meaningful results.
Sarah Lam
Sarah is a fitness and wellness content creator based in Seattle. Her daily mission is to inspire others to live a healthy lifestyle and incorporate different forms of movement into everyday life. Through her own fitness journey, she has learned that small consistent changes add up to living a sustainable lifestyle. Outside of fitness, she is a finance professional, watercolor artist, and an avid traveler.
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