The clocks went back this weekend; we (in the UK) are now officially in Greenwich Meantime… and there’s no denying it’s autumn, hurtling towards winter!
A lot of people struggle over the darker winter months, and I think it’s times like this where little moments of Mental Sunshine really come into their own.
It’s hard to create a complete lifestyle change in order to improve one’s mood
But we can all add in little things here and there to bring a little joy into our lives.
This week, we’re going to do something to take advantage of the shorter days!
With the days being shorter, the sun rises later.
This week, the sun has been rising at around 6:45
That’s still fairly early – but not prohibitively so
You could easily head outside early to find a good spot to watch the sunrise
But also, if you’ve a lot on and are not a fan of the cold – you could just pop outside into your garden for a while.
Sunrises at this time of year are often glorious, pink and orange affairs that light the whole sky.
Taking a few moments to watch the sky wake up has several benefits.
First, you’re starting the day by taking a few moments just for yourself. No phones, no emails, no organising or rushing around. Just a few minutes appreciating the sky
Secondly, morning light supports your natural cortisol awakening response, the hormone that gets you going in the morning, and sets off a whole cascade of hormones that keep going right up until you begin to produce melatonin at bed time.
Widening our gaze to the horizon (as opposed to narrowing it to the phone screen) reduces stress too
Watching the sunrise is free, it takes two minutes, and can be a brilliant way to start your day off well.
Why not make it a habit to begin doing this each morning?
Make yourself a hot drink and just go and stand outside for a few minutes to start your day.
Let me see your best early morning photo….