Feeling Lost in Fall

Posted on October 4, 2019 by dragonspitapothecary

In general not many of us welcome change in our life. We like to be comfortable and know what to expect. Surprises are only fun when they come in the form of confetti, birthday parties, gifts, lottery windfalls and regular fun, right? When unexpected surprises or changes occur we tend to go into reactive mode trying to figure out why and understand that this change means for our life. Sudden change has this effect of being shocking and surprising (and not in a good way all the time).

While we know by the calendar that changes in the weather will come the change itself when it starts to happen in our days may actually unsettle us leaving us feeling like anxious, depressed and even a little lost. I find myself nostalgic about summer fun days and being in water and outside listening the air conditioners hum against the birds and breeze going through the trees. Now all that has had to stop and the things I love about summer can’t fit into the space where we are now due to cooler weather. When the days get shorter and there is less daylight I honestly even find I am depressed and sadder. I have a very hard time adjusting emotionally and physically to these changes. It is honestly one of the biggest reasons I don’t like winter. My spirit craves sun, brightness and warmth during the Fall and Winter seasons.

Light

When Fall comes many of us turn to bringing out candles and accent lighting that makes our homes feel cozy and warm. This is our natural draw to light against the shorter, darker days. We all notice the shift in available daylight but some of us have a harder time shifting to being without than others.

For me I crave that natural light that I enjoy in the summer especially when it beams in the front windows of my house. The splendid sunrises that come through my home office painting my light blue walls with pinks, yellows, oranges and reds make me happy in the mornings when I am in here. Even my husband says when I have that hour or two first thing early in the mornings to write or create something at my sewing machine I am a different person. I feel much calmer, settled, centered and focused throughout my day. All because I soaked in sunlight and let it feed my spirit and pour through my hands as I put words to a screen or piece together a quilt.

When time changes, if you’re lucky enough to go through that two times a year, or just when the days start to get naturally shorter and there isn’t that natural sunlight in the early mornings or evenings it can cause depression, anxiety and sadness. Seasonal depression effects so many of us even if we are not aware of our sensitivity to light. Many more cases of depression are diagnosed by a family doctor in Fall and Winter than in Spring or Summer. Suicide and murder rates also increase during this time.

The biggest