With its warm colours and harvest vegetables, autumn is a favourite season for many. Unfortunately, autumn also signifies shorter days and colder weather, which can be detrimental to our productivity and our health. These habits are very tempting, but you’ll feel much better if you avoid them in the coming months.

Solo Netflix binges

As cold weather makes venturing outdoors less and less appealing, the temptation grows to stay in bed and binge-watch your favourite programmes. You probably know this already, but watching a lot of TV isn’t good for your health. In fact, research from Osaka University suggests that too much Netflix can dramatically increase the likelihood of a fatal blood clot in the lungs. According to the research, every additional two hours spent lounging in front of the TV makes you 40% more likely to die from a pulmonary embolism – scary stuff. Maybe you should swap that last episode of Stranger Things for a trip to a pumpkin patch this autumn. 

Heavy meals

Colder temperatures can also tempt us to overindulge in comfort foods. Hearty autumn foods such as pies, soups and stews are a staple of the season but are best enjoyed in moderation. It is still possible to enjoy a salad outside of summer, and autumn vegetables can take centre stage. Why not try a sweet potato and bean salad or pumpkin coleslaw to keep your meals fresh this autumn?

Daily lie-ins

Shorter days are arguably the worst part of the autumn and winter months. It is incredibly frustrating to wake up in the morning to find it is still dark outside, which makes it much easier to snooze the alarm for ten more minutes in bed. Unfortunately, excessive sleep can do more harm thangood when it comes to both our working lives and our health. Oversleeping can cause sluggishness and make the “just woken up” grogginess harder to shake off as the morning draws on. If you, like many people, work from home, then oversleeping can be even more disastrous as it eats into the working hours. If that hasn’t convinced you, then excessive sleeping has also been linked to an increased likelihood of weight gain, type 2 diabetes and even stroke.

Avoiding sunlight

We’ve already talked about the shorter days that are characteristic of autumn and winter. Due to the nature of standard working hours, many of us do not see daylight at all during the winter months – instead, we spent the limited hours of sunlight working indoors. Sunshine is a key element in beating the so-called “winter blues”, as Vitamin D is instrumental in fighting depression. It also works to help our body better absorb calcium, which we all know promotes strong bones and teeth. Even though blue skies are an unlikely sight in September, you should still do your best to spend some time outdoors during the daylight hours each day. Why not step outside the office for a few minutes every hour or so, or eat your lunch outside? The effect it has on your mood could surprise you.

Not getting enough exercise

For many people, the great outdoors acts as their free gym. Whilst this is an excellent way to save money, it can mean that many people avoid exercise during the wetter, colder months. The recommended amount of exercise – 30 minutes per day – is a rule come rain or shine, so it is important to make sure that getting moving is still a priority during the autumn. If you tend to exercise outside, you could try taking a longer session on days when the weather is more tolerable. If you find yourself skipping your daily jog due to relentless rain, it may be time to invest in a gym membership so you can work out somewhere warm and dry.

Want a new home in which to enjoy life this autumn? Why not explore the new Quartermile development – Edinburgh’s trendiest new district.