As the nights get darker and the days get colder, focus can often be lost from prioritising health and fitness, due to the lack of motivation people often begin to feel. However, fitness is crucial to maintain all year round, with the NHS recommending 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week for adults. Regular exercise can help with seasonal affective disorder, feelings of depression and loneliness, and can give a purpose to evenings otherwise spent on the sofa.

Benefits of autumn and winter fitness
The endorphins the body releases after an exercise session are crucial to helping beat those winter blues, which can often be caused by a drop in activity levels. During summer, you’re more likely to walk to destinations, be outside and have naturally higher activity levels than in winter, which is mostly spent indoors and in cars.

These endorphins can work to heighten your mood, as well as increasing the quality of sleep you receive – this works alongside autumn’s cooler weather and darker nights to give you more quality, uninterrupted rest. Carrying a healthy lifestyle on into winter can also help boost your immune system, allowing you to beat winter illnesses that would otherwise be caught from family or colleagues. This in turn keeps you feeling happier and more energised.

Ways to keep active
Indoor activities are often more favourable in autumn and winter, as they are not weather dependent and therefore can be done to fit around busier schedules. As well as the gym, there are options including swimming or exercise classes. These don’t have to be anything too serious – why not try out a zumba or yoga class, which allow for more enjoyment and create the opportunity to meet new friends, helping with any feelings of isolation.

Team sports can also be played indoors and often give more satisfaction due to the social element of being around and interacting with other people. If you’re looking for something more gentle, there are walking or dog walking groups to join, which offer something a little less vigorous but still allow you to stay active and meet new people.

Self care
With autumn can often come a lack of motivation, but self care is still vital. Choosing healthier options of comfort foods such as vegetable soups, stews, and roasts that are high in protein leave your body nourished and healthy. Continuing to make time for friends and family can also heighten your mood, as well as basic actions, like keeping your space clean and warm as the nights get gradually colder. These actions, along with keeping fit, should make autumn feel like less of a change after summer, and keep you feeling and looking healthy.