The Arrival of Autumn

We have made it past a particularly humid and damp summer, and the air is starting to crisp already. In Chinese Medicine, the year has 5 seasons, including Autumn, which begins sooner than you’d think- in August! During Autumn, the air begins to dry and cool. We begin settling down, nesting, harvesting different crops and making different plans than during the height of Summer. Now is the time to address allergy symptoms, focus on preventing colds & flus, and balance upcoming sleep, mood, & energy level changes.

While the season is starting to decide how hot or cold to be, our bodies are constantly adapting to maintain our internal balance. Our temperature shifts throughout the day and week, adjusting for warmer or cooler moments as the sunlight shortens. When we sweat on and off, our lymph nodes- which are close to the surface of the skin- have more activity as the pores open and close again when the temperature cools later in the day. Often, they do this several times a day to keep us regulated.

This is huge factor in how often we get sick in the Fall. Our immune functioning is affected as our pores open and close and change the circulation in the lymphatic system system. To help prevent illness, regulate your temperature as much as you can, by wearing a scarf around your neck (where a lot of lymph nodes are located), avoiding cold beverages or cold/ uncooked food, and if you have longer hair, making sure it’s dry before going outside. Wet hair that comes into contact with cooler temp or wind turns into a cold pack on your head and neck, slowing down lymphatic flow.

The Equinox is also an important a moment for your health relating to the seasonal changes. The decline in sunlight following the Equinox has a direct effect on your sleep cycles, metabolism, mood, and natural body rhythms. If you feel yourself getting heavier, less focused, and tossing and turning more throughout the night, now is the time to see your acupuncturist.

Your body responds to lighting changes by producing different amounts of melatonin, a natural sleep aid. Start prioritizing an earlier bedtime, as you receive signals from your body that it’s time to wind down.

Finally, as the air starts to dry out, so too do our bodies. No, you won’t turn into a raisin, but if you’re familiar with needing chapstick in every bag, you know what I mean. With less humidity in the air, it’s time to bring out the humidifiers in the home, and focus on more moistening foods, such as dark green vegetables, and soups that are slow-cooked or bone-broth based. These contain nourishing and hydrating qualities to help your body maintain the moisture it needs for proper circulation.

This season is about falling back into the slower rhythm of increasing rest, eating nourishing, moistening foods, and preparing your body for the colder weather ahead. Regularly scheduled acupuncture appointments and herbal medicine are a great tool to balance allergies, fatigue, and prevent seasonal blues as the light changes.