“The changing of the season marks something new and something to look forward to,” says Amy Jane Griffiths, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist and researcher at Chapman University in Irvine, California. Of course that doesn’t mean we all crave pumpkin spice per se. Whether your fall favorite is picking pumpkins, sipping coffee, or cozying up with a blanket by a fire, the exact thing you’re craving right now will be specific to you, says Marni Amsellem, PhD, a clinical psychologist in private practice in New York. But given that certain autumnal attributes tend to be more (and possibly only) available this time of year and that you’ve spent months without them, Griffiths and Amsellem say you can expect to want to embrace them. Here’s why. RELATED: 4 Recipes for Pumpkin Seeds, Fall’s Secret Superfood
Our Brains Are Gearing Up for Long, Dark Winter Days
As the days start to get cooler, our bodies know that a change is happening. Not only that, but our brains start to think about what might be next, says Amsellem, who specializes in helping patients cope with health-related changes and navigate life transitions. “The anticipation of what’s coming is very real.” What’s coming next is winter, which means shorter daylight hours. And less exposure to daylight can very much affect mood, energy, and activity levels, Amsellem says. According to a March 2018 study published in Sleep Science of more than 6,400 Finnish adults, about 70 percent of study participants reported that seasonal changes affected their sleep, social activity, mood, and energy levels. RELATED: What Sleep Docs Want You to Know About Turning the Clocks Back and Shorter Winter Days One explanation as to why we crave all things fall in the months before winter might be that it’s your brain’s way of coping (and bracing) for the upcoming cooler season ahead, says Amsellem. Some research suggests that our minds see shifts in time like seasons as a “temporal landmark,” which motivates us to change our behavior to plan for the future, according to a report published in April 2019 in Current Opinion in Psychology. So it would make sense that in anticipation of darker days ahead, your brain is working to maximize the perks of the season, Amsellem says. Think of it as your brain going into optimism mode, she says. By enjoying the crisp days of autumn you aren’t dwelling on the dwindling sunlight; rather, you’re focusing on what makes you feel good, she explains. It’s why Amsellem suggests leaning into fall activities that you enjoy and make you feel good. We need to store up all those good feelings before winter hits, she says.
Scarcity Is Motivating
The fact that these seasonal activities happen only for one season a year also triggers excitement in our brains, says Amsellem. A limited window of opportunity gets us motivated to seize the day, she says. According to a study published in December 2014 in the Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, perception of scarcity and the anticipation of missing out drove increases in spending on seasonal items, like a pumpkin-spiced latte. That’s basic marketing at work, but you can’t deny it forces us to live in the now, Amsellem notes. “Getting out there and doing it feels like you’re being present. You’re embracing the moment.”
Shared Rituals and Experiences Help Us Bond With Friends and Family
Fall rituals, whether we do them with others or by ourselves, can help us connect with friends and family. And research indeed shows that social connection is a pretty fundamental psychological human need. According to a Pew survey of Americans published March 2021 on how COVID-19 has impacted their lives, 41 percent of respondents mentioned “missing family and friends, and worrying about losing touch with people.” What we’re really craving, especially after the darker days of the pandemic, is a chance to gather with family and to connect with our larger community, says Griffiths. If raking the leaves in your yard makes you recollect jumping in a pile your parents raked when you were a child or sipping on a PSL makes you remember a past coffee date with a friend, it’s not surprising that doing those things now (even solo) is going to make you feel good. It’s about connection, says Griffiths. “The cold weather makes people seek comfort with each other,” she says. It’s also often a chance to do good things for others, says Griffiths, which can actually boost your mood, too. RELATED: 12 Easy-as-Pie Pumpkin Recipes for Fall
When Cooler Weather Doesn’t Spark Joy
Some of us, however, might struggle with the days getting darker, says Amsellem. The lack of sunlight can lead to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that gets triggered by the change of seasons, according to the American Psychiatric Association. SAD can be triggered by either cold or warm weather, but it’s more common in the winter months. While SAD is considered a clinical disorder, many more people experience a less severe version of the same phenomenon: low mood or energy triggered by the change of seasons, commonly called the “winter blues.” If you do have the clinical form of SAD, seeing a professional can help. Talk to your doctor if you notice you’re feeling more depressed than usual, have lost interest in your usual activities, or want to sleep or eat more. If it’s not SAD, but you’re still not overjoyed at the advent of cooler weather and shorter days, here’s how Amsellem and Griffiths suggest making the most of the season:
