By the time it lands in your inbox, I’ll be somewhere between a sun lounger in Mauritius and the slow dread of a Sunday night flight home. And I know that post-holiday me will walk back into dark-by-5pm Britain, cry a bit on the inside, and forget everything she knows about looking after herself.
So this is partly a reminder to her. Four things to prepare so that November can feel a little less daunting.
💡 Let The Light In
We underestimate the power of light on our mind and bodies, it is fact that our bodies have a harder time when the daylight hours reduce. If you’ve ever thought about a SAD lamp and thought does that really work, same. Then I tried one and now it lives on the kitchen counter, on while I make breakfast. 20 minutes a day really is helpful.
It’s not a mood lift in a glowy-magical sense. It’s more like your brain going oh, it’s morning about an hour earlier than it would have when it’s still dark outside.
These are also helpful rituals:
- Lamps on by 3.30pm gives you a gentle transition into evening
- A walk before lunch, even a short one ensures you get some daylight
- Open the curtains the second you’re up to give you body the right signals
💊 Check Your Supplements
The NHS recommends Vitamin D for everyone in the UK from October through March, because we don’t get enough sun to make our own. That’s in addition to other supplements that you take, unless they already have the recommended amount in them.
The most important in my routine right now:
- Vitamin D: every morning, non-negotiable
- Magnesium: in the evening, helps me actually sleep
- Collagen: replaces the collagen we lose as we age
- Menopause multi: helps my perimenopause symptoms
Not medical advice, just what’s working for me. Always check if you’re unsure.
🛋️ The Sofa Uniform
By 6pm I want to be in something soft. But there’s a difference between the threadbare favourites and loungewear you’d actually open the door in. Comfy, cosy and no ironing involved!
✈️ Plan Something
This is the one post-holiday me is going to be most grateful for. There’s actual research on this too, having a trip in the diary often makes people happier than the trip itself. The anticipation is the thing. A date to look forward to, something in the group chat, a reason to open the weather app for somewhere else.
It doesn’t have to be far. It doesn’t have to be fancy. A few ideas:
- A February long weekend somewhere with reliable sun (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Marrakech)
- A UK cottage with a log burner and a pub down the road
- A city break with the person you don’t get enough time with
- Even just a night away, somewhere with a bath
- A Neilson holiday for a mix of relaxation and adventure (Mauritius review coming soon!)
Book it this week, or even just put the dates in. Future-you, mid-January, will be so grateful.
💛 Small Business Shout Out – CloudTopper
Five-star hotel comfort at home. CloudTopper is a London-based small business on a very simple mission: give everyone a good night’s sleep. Their mattress topper is 10cm of plush cushioning that sits on top of what you’ve already got — no new mattress required, no faff. Machine washable, built to last, and backed by a 100-night risk-free trial so if it’s not for you, send it back. They also do snuggly weighted blankets and pillows too.
And for perfect timing, the toppers are currently 50% off with free next-day UK delivery.
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Small things add up to help create a version of the next few months you’re actually living in, not just hibernating from.
Louise x
*Affiliated links used for some products and brand partnerships.