Mindful living in autumn: five seasonal habits worth keeping
Autumn in Japan is a season of adjustment. The light changes, the temperature drops, and the body responds in ways that are worth paying attention to rather than pushing through. These are five habits we come back to each October and share with students in the Autumn Reset Programme.
Go to bed ten minutes earlier each week
The body's circadian rhythm responds to light. As the days shorten through October and November, the natural sleep pressure arrives earlier in the evening. Working against this by staying up at the same time as in summer tends to produce a kind of tired-but-wired state that makes it harder to fall asleep. Moving bedtime ten minutes earlier each week through October is a gentle way to realign with the season without disrupting the schedule abruptly.
Adjust your morning practice for the cold
A cold room makes it harder to move freely, and forcing the body into deep stretches before it is warm increases the risk of strain. In autumn and winter, we suggest starting a morning practice with five minutes of gentle movement in bed, simple supine twists and hip circles, before getting up and onto the mat. This is not a shortcut. It is a sensible adjustment to the conditions.
The morning practice articles on this site cover this in more detail.
Eat warm food in the morning
This is a simple one that many people overlook. Cold food in the morning, particularly in the cooler months, requires the digestive system to work harder to bring the food to body temperature before processing it. Warm miso soup, congee, or a cooked grain with vegetables is easier on the system and tends to produce more sustained energy through the morning than cold food or no food at all.
Spend time outside in the middle of the day
Light exposure in the middle of the day helps regulate the circadian rhythm and supports mood through the shorter days. In Saitama, the autumn light around midday is clear and worth seeking out. Even fifteen minutes outside around midday can lift afternoon energy for many people. A short walk before or after class is an easy way to get it.
Slow the breath before the end of the workday
The transition between work and evening is a moment where a short breath practice is particularly useful. Three to five minutes of slow exhale-extended breathing, where the exhale is roughly twice the length of the inhale, is a common way to help the body settle out of the stress response before the evening begins. This is the technique we introduce in the first week of the Autumn Reset Programme.
These habits are simple, but simple is not the same as easy. The Autumn Reset Programme is designed to support exactly this kind of seasonal adjustment, with a weekly check-in note and shorter class sessions through October and November.
General wellness information only, not medical advice. If you have an injury, are pregnant or have a health condition, check with your doctor before starting a new practice.