Falling back takes a lot of trust, that whatever is behind you will catch you and soften the fall. As we change the clocks this Fall, taking back an hour in the morning and losing an hour at night, how might we adapt our in rhythms to the changing of light?
As we enter Āpireira April our bodies have already been aware that over the past month the light and temperature has changed. Our animal bodies do it naturally, and yet, some of us find this adaptation hard and sharp. The end of daylight savings can feel abrupt. More like stumbling backward on loose gravel downhill into a pond, and less like a graceful descension into a hot spring.
As a sensitive person I have always experienced autumn, as stunningly beautiful as it is, with a sense of foreboding. The analogy of falling has been apt. It has always felt like the blood drains away from my body, as life drains away from the earth. The darker nights falling upon my mind like a dark night of the soul falls upon the psyche. The psychological and physiological effects of autumn are real, so how might we create a comfortable earthy bed to soften the fall?
I have found that learning about the anatomy of our animal bodies is not only fascinating but also softens the fall. You may already know about our circadian rhythm and how light affects our sleep-wake cycles but have you ever wondered how this works? We have a structure located in the front of our hypothalamus, in the center of the brain, called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). It is the central pacemaker of our circadian rhythms.
In other words, our SCN is our biological clock. It receives information about light through the optic nerves and sets the tempo of our daily lives, synchronizing our internal workings with the world outside. Thus, our bodies maintain homeostasis by adapting to the seasons, effecting our habits of eating, drinking, body temperature, neurotransmitters and hormones. We are not meant to function the same all year round, as we enter autumn we are meant to start slowing down.
We cannot deny our animal anatomy, so why not work with it rather than against it? Here’s how I like to cushion the fall…
Transition from ice cold sparkling water to room temperature and warm herbal teas.
Dust off my candles and light them as the sunsets.
Rise an hour earlier with or just before the sun.
Shift bedtime to an hour earlier too.
Walk barefoot on the earth or sand or rocks, and then be sure to keep them warm thereafter with a footbath, foot massage and soft socks.
Collect natures autumnal momento’s - ochre leaves, acorns, cicada shells - and display them in my home as an alter to honour the beauty of falling.
Make pumpkin soup with toast lathered in butter.
Stock up on vitamin C and vitamin D because I know that I need the extra immune and mood support in preparation for Winter.
Let my hair grow. Stop trimming, plucking and epilating, or simply do it much less frequently (I stopped shaving or waxing many years ago, so this is pretty easy for me).
Take a cue from the deciduous trees and shed old summer skin with nourishing body exfoliants and gentle face polishes and masks.
Simplify my schedule, making space on my calendar for long periods of nothingness - no pressure, no obligations, no expectations.
At the same time, keeping track of staying connected with loved ones, usually that’s simply a phone call, a voice message, or sharing an update via photos.
Most of all, listening to my body, allowing time and space to honour my needs from day to day.
What ways do you soften the fall of autumn?