Sustainable Calm: Managing Anxiety as the Seasons Change

As autumn settles in and daylight hours fade, many people notice a familiar tension rising — racing thoughts, restlessness, or a sense of unease that’s hard to shake. It’s a time when anxiety can quietly build beneath the surface.

At Minds in the Mountains, we recognise that anxiety doesn’t appear overnight — it grows when we’re overstretched, under-rested, and disconnected from nature’s rhythms. That’s why our Sustainable Calm approach is designed to help you regulate, reflect, and maintain calm throughout the changing seasons.

Why Anxiety Increases at This Time of Year

1. The science of light and mood

Research shows that changes in daylight exposure directly influence anxiety and mood. Reduced sunlight affects serotonin and circadian rhythm regulation, both essential for emotional balance. The Mayo Clinic explains:

“The reduced level of sunlight in autumn and winter may cause a drop in serotonin, a brain chemical that affects mood.”

(Mayo Clinic – Seasonal Affective Disorder)

Studies confirm this link — people often experience higher anxiety and depressive symptoms in low-light seasons (ScienceDirect study).

2. Routine and emotional disruption

The end of summer often brings increased workload, family demands, and less daylight — a mix that challenges our sense of stability. Medical News Today highlights that autumn anxiety is common and often linked to “anticipatory anxiety about the coming winter” (Medical News Today).

3. The importance of early action

It’s much easier to stay balanced than to recover from burnout. Baylor College of Medicine stresses that small, proactive changes — such as light exposure and daily movement — can significantly reduce seasonal mood dips (BCM News).

Introducing Sustainable Calm: A Three-Session Approach to Lasting Ease

Sustainable Calm is a structured, nature-based programme delivered through three 1.5-hour outdoor sessions in the Lake District. Each session is designed to build gently on the last, guiding you from regulation to reflection and long-term calm.

Session 1: Regulation and Grounding

You’ll learn how to recognise anxiety in the body and apply grounding techniques rooted in mindfulness, breathwork, and forest therapy. By the end of this session, you’ll have practical tools to regulate your nervous system whenever stress arises.

Session 2: Reflect and Reframe

This stage explores the thought patterns that fuel anxiety. Together, we identify unhelpful narratives and introduce reframing techniques to create new, balanced perspectives. You’ll begin to rebuild confidence and self-trust.

Session 3: Sustaining Calm

The final session focuses on maintaining balance. We’ll develop a personalised calm plan — daily practices, grounding rituals, and nature-based reflection — to help you sustain emotional stability even when life feels demanding.

Every session combines therapeutic conversation with the restorative power of nature — a space to reconnect, reflect, and rebalance.

How Nature Helps Reset the Nervous System

Spending time in nature has been shown to reduce anxiety and promote parasympathetic nervous system activation — the body’s natural “rest and restore” mode. A 2019 study by White et al. found that just 120 minutes per week in nature is associated with significantly greater wellbeing and lower anxiety levels (Scientific Reports, 2019).

This effect aligns with principles of Attention Restoration Theory, which suggests that nature helps the mind recover from cognitive fatigue and emotional overload — precisely what’s needed when anxiety peaks.

Practical Steps to Keep Anxiety in Check

1. Prioritise daylight exposure

Take a short walk in the morning light. Natural light resets your internal clock and boosts serotonin. Even 10 minutes can make a difference.

2. Keep your routine steady

Regular sleep, nutrition, and movement stabilise the body’s stress response. Avoid letting shorter days disrupt your rhythm.

3. Build in reflection

Weekly check-ins help you notice changes before anxiety escalates. Ask yourself: Have I felt grounded this week? What might I need more of — rest, light, or connection?

4. Reconnect with your environment

Mindful outdoor time isn’t indulgence — it’s medicine. Whether walking a local fell or simply pausing under trees, it helps restore balance.

5. Seek support early

If anxiety becomes intrusive, reach out. The American Medical Association reminds us that professional assessment can make a major difference (AMA article).

Why Sustainable Calm Works

Because Sustainable Calm integrates grounding, reframing, and maintenance, it addresses anxiety at every stage — physical, emotional, and behavioural. It’s not about suppressing anxious thoughts but learning to meet them with stability and compassion.

This structured approach is ideal for those noticing seasonal shifts or long-term stress patterns. It helps you move from short-term coping to long-term calm that lasts through the year.

Take the Next Step

If you’re ready to feel more grounded and emotionally steady this season, learn more about our sessions at Minds in the Mountains.

Our Sustainable Calm programme runs year-round in the Lake District and can be tailored to focus on anxiety, burnout, or emotional fatigue.

Because calm isn’t a one-off achievement — it’s something you sustain.

References

• Winthorst H. W. et al. (2011). Seasonality in depressive and anxiety symptoms among different patient populations. PMC Article

• Oyane N. M. F. et al. (2008). Seasonality is associated with anxiety and depression. ScienceDirect

• White M. P. et al. (2019). Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Nature.com

• Seasonal Affective Disorder – Symptoms & Causes. Mayo Clinic

• Anxiety in Autumn: Causes, Treatments, and When to Get Help. Medical News Today

• What Doctors Wish Patients Knew About Seasonal Affective Disorder. American Medical Association

• Shining a Light on Seasonal Affective Disorder. Baylor College of Medicine