The 6 Things I Do Each Fall To Reset My Health

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For me, fall evokes a new school year, fresh air and a powerful reset vibe.

As a parent, I use this season of change to prepare myself for the year ahead, scheduling appointments and planning strategies to get the school year off to a fantastic start. A study by Rally Health found that 60 percent of Americans feel re-energized during this specific transition and use the time to reset health goals they may have neglected over the summer. Meanwhile, 45 percent reboot healthy habits like nutrition, exercise and sleep routines.

Here are a few ways to reset during this transitional period.

Get a Leg Up on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Affecting tens of millions of Americans annually, SAD can really take a toll on your mental health. Prepare for the changing seasons by getting outside and walking for an hour daily, recommends Anindita Bhaumik, LICSW, a certified clinical trauma professional and the clinical director of Boston Evening Therapy Associates. A study found that daily morning walks reduced depression symptoms by 50% in those with SAD. Don’t have time? The study also found that sitting by a SAD lamp (find these on Amazon, Walmart and Target) helped reduce symptoms by 25 percent.

Check Your Health Appliances

If you wear a night guard, a retainer or a sleep apnea appliance, fall is a good time to check for wear, warping or buildup, says Dr. Sandip Sachar, DDS, a dentist in New York. Fall reintroduces structure after summer’s chaos, and it’s time to settle down and get your appliances in order. “These appliances need regular inspection and occasional replacement to stay effective and hygienic,” says Dr. Sachar. Also, remember to replace your toothbrush or electric brush head. Since this should be done every three to four months, it’s helpful to remember to do this at the start of every season.

Clear Out the Pantry

After the kids leave for school, it’ll be easier to set aside time to clean out your pantry, ridding it of expired foods, seasonings or condiments, says Staci Gulbin, a registered dietitian and health expert in Denver. While you’re tossing expired items, make sure to take an inventory of what you have. “What I like to do,” Gulbin says, “is to designate the bottom shelf of my pantry for what I call ‘backstock.’ This is basically bins of items that I have not opened yet.”

Prioritize Hydration With a New Water Bottle

While you’re out shopping for school supplies, pop an extra water bottle into the cart. Aim to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water daily, says Jordan Barber, who has his doctorate in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM). So if you’re 150 pounds, try to get 75 ounces. Up the ante by adding a pinch of unprocessed sea salt to your water to provide essential minerals that aid in hydration.

Audit Your Schedule

Take a few hours to input all the school information into your schedule, along with restorative activities and doctor’s appointments. This is the time of year when all schedules change, so making sure you’re organized will help with the mental load. While you’re planning your schedule for the year, try to really focus on what you want to do and need to do for your physical, emotional and mental wellness. Predicting a stressful holiday season? Take the time now to schedule monthly massages, gym visits and anything else that will ease the pressure.

Get a Comprehensive Hormone and Thyroid Panel

Most people put off scheduling doctors’ appointments during the busy summer season, so it’s time to settle in and determine whether the cause of your fatigue and burnout is hormonal or has other causes.

“Symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, mood swings and brain fog are often dismissed as normal parts of aging, but they can signify underlying hormonal imbalances,” says Dr. Barber. He suggests requesting a comprehensive blood panel, which includes estradiol (E2), progesterone, free and total testosterone and DHEA-S. This will provide a clear picture of your status as you navigate perimenopause and menopause. Also request TSH, Free T4, Free T3 and Reverse T3 (RT3), as a standard TSH test is not enough. High levels of RT3 can indicate that your body is converting the primary thyroid hormone (T4) into an inactive form (RT3) instead of the usable active form (T3), often as a response to stress, inflammation or nutrient deficiencies, he says.


Which of the above do YOU do? Let us know in the comments below.