Everyone has “their own autumn”. For some, autumn is the right time, wrapped in a blanket, just to spend another rainy weekend sitting at home. For some, autumn smells like a pharmacy and cough medicine. For others, autumn is a time of memories, looking at photos from a summer vacation, missing the summer. Someone paints autumn landscapes, enjoying every color. For some, this is a time of poetry and prose, songs and reflections.
But in many ways, autumn is the same for everyone – it is a preparation for “hibernation”.
Each of us can clearly feel the impact of this time of year on well-being, productivity and just mood.
From time to time, we are visited by the “autumn blues”.
Belgian scientists have found out that the brain works differently at different times of the year.
With regard to autumn, it was found that closer to its middle there is a drop in brain activity. There are several reasons for this phenomenon.
Firstly, the lack of sufficient sunlight directly affects a person’s cognitive abilities. Ultraviolet light received from sunlight regulates blood circulation, that is, the flow of oxygen and nutrients to all internal organs, including the brain.
Secondly, after all, with the arrival of autumn, a number of changes occur in the human body: a change in the biological schedule, colds and just a bad mood – all this negatively affects the work of the brain, plunging it into a kind of “autumn melancholy”.
But if we lose vitamin D, we know how to compensate: proper and timely food intake, vitamins, etc. We are also well acquainted with the prevention of colds. But the key question was: how to raise your mood and, consequently, your brain, not to let yourself sink into the autumn blues?
Let’s start with creative work. More precisely, from drawing. Do not rush to dismiss and claim that this activity can be interesting and useful only for children. You will be wrong. Back in 2014, a scientific paper was published in the journal PLOS ONE, proving that fine art can improve the connections between neurons of the human brain. According to scientists, this helps us to focus better on the subject and learn new knowledge faster. When going outside, try to “catch” some interesting color combinations and reproduce them on paper with a brush and paints. It doesn’t matter if you have abilities or not. The main thing is the process itself.
Next, let’s leave the drawing and start active communication! Perhaps autumn is exactly the time of year when, it seems, even the most inveterate extroverts lock themselves in. But this is a big mistake. Refusing to communicate slows down the brain. It has long been proven that communication stimulates the formation of new neural connections, trains the brain perfectly and keeps it in good shape. This is exactly what is so necessary in the fall. Therefore, you do not need to give up the opportunity to see your friends. This will not only cheer you up, but also provide a small “shake” to the brain.
Numerous studies prove that the activity of the brain depends on the emotional state. And with the arrival of autumn, it deteriorates significantly, therefore, brain activity decreases. In this case, it is recommended to read jokes and watch funny videos as much as possible. Regular performance of this kind of exercise contributes to the development of the skill to react quickly to a particular situation. The ability to see an obvious contradiction and label it in the most vivid formulations is also developing. Humor is a great coach for the brain in such a difficult time.