As summer begins to wind down and fall approaches, there’s another seasonal change happening that you may notice without giving it much thought: the days are getting shorter.
With less daylight available throughout the day, our routines naturally begin to change. Mornings can feel darker, evenings arrive earlier, and many of us find ourselves spending more of the day indoors.
September is a great time to start thinking about how you can make the most of the light available to you—and how you can create a daily routine that works as the seasons change.
Start Your Day With Daylight
One of the simplest ways to make the most of your daily light is to seek out natural daylight early in the day.
Open the curtains or blinds when you wake up. Have your morning coffee near a window. If your schedule allows, take a short walk outside before beginning work or school.
These small habits can make getting natural daylight a regular part of your morning routine.
Of course, not everyone’s schedule or environment makes outdoor time easy. Early work or school start times, bad weather, and other responsibilities can make it challenging to get outside when daylight is available.
That’s where intentionality becomes important.
Think About How You Spend Your Day
It’s easy to go through an entire day without thinking about how much light you’re actually getting.
Consider a typical weekday: You wake up before sunrise, drive to work, spend several hours inside, drive home, eat dinner, and suddenly it’s dark outside again.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
Look for opportunities to incorporate more light into your day. Move your workspace closer to a window, take your lunch break outside when possible, or step outdoors for a few minutes between activities.
Even small changes can help you become more intentional about your daily environment.
Consider Bright Light Therapy
For those who spend much of their day indoors, a bright light therapy lamp can be another way to incorporate bright light into a daily wellness routine.
A light therapy lamp can be used during everyday activities such as reading, eating breakfast, planning your day, or working at your desk.
When using a light therapy product, it’s important to follow the manufacturer’s recommended distance, duration, and positioning. More light isn’t necessarily better, and using the product according to its instructions is an important part of creating a consistent routine.
Make Your Morning Routine Work for You
Fall is a natural time to reassess your morning routine.
As daylight hours change, consider whether your current routine still works for your schedule. If you’re waking up in a dark room and immediately heading to work or school, you might benefit from creating a more intentional start to your day.
Try combining light exposure with habits you already enjoy.
For example, you could use a light therapy lamp while:
- Drinking your morning coffee
- Reading
- Journaling
- Planning your day
- Eating breakfast
- Getting organized for work or school
Pairing light exposure with an existing habit can make it easier to create a routine you’ll actually stick with.
Don’t Forget About the Evening
Making the most of your daily light isn’t only about mornings. As the days become shorter, it’s also worth paying attention to how your environment changes throughout the evening.
Create a comfortable evening environment that helps you transition away from your workday. Dimmer, warmer indoor lighting can make your home feel more relaxing as you wind down.
You don’t need to overhaul your entire home lighting setup. Simply being aware of how your environment changes throughout the day can help you create more intentional routines.
A Seasonal Change Is a Chance to Reset
The transition from summer to fall doesn’t have to mean giving up the routines you’ve enjoyed. Instead, it’s an opportunity to adapt them.
Maybe that means moving your morning walk earlier in the day. Perhaps you’ll start having breakfast near a sunny window or incorporate a light therapy lamp into your morning routine.
The key is to find an approach that fits naturally into your lifestyle.
As the days get shorter, don’t wait until winter to think about your daily light exposure. September is the perfect time to start building habits that can carry you through the changing seasons.
Make the Most of the Light You Have
We can’t control how many hours of daylight each season brings, but we can be intentional about how we use the light that’s available to us.
Spend time outdoors when you can. Bring natural light into your home and workspace. Create a morning routine that works with your schedule. And when outdoor daylight isn’t convenient, consider whether bright light therapy could be a useful addition to your daily wellness routine.
At Alaska Northern Lights, we believe that small, consistent habits can help you create a brighter day—whatever season you’re in.