Yoga, helping with emotional calm during the depressive autumn

Autumn brings golden colors and fresh air, but for many people this time is not only beautiful, it is a period when their mood changes, their energy is not the same as in summer, and this directly affects their emotional calm.

According to experts, the best ways to overcome this emotional state are walking in nature, eating healthy, communicating with new people and mental health professionals, and engaging in various sports activities.

In addition to mental care, practicing yoga and meditation helps the body release tension, stress, and promotes the production of feel-good hormones.

Yoga instructor Melita Kabashi says that the body and mind need peace, and yoga is one of the ways we can achieve it.

"Just as the year has 4 seasons, the body must have them too. It is a period when it blooms, bears fruit and then it must release them. Often, we do not do this. When we are constantly working, like summer and winter, without changes, we have the feeling that we are at war all the time. This has a negative impact on our body and mind, considering that we do not give the body time to calm down. It is natural and part of our body, but a large part of people do not allow this process," says Kabashi.

She shows some of the techniques that give us focus and overcoming different situations and emotional calm.

"Now we are in that autumn period. We need to focus on ourselves. Viruses are starting and it is important to take care of the body, to be in motion and to meditate. The lymphatic system is the one that fights viruses, and it moves through breathing and body movements. In this period it is very important to do different movements", emphasizes Kabashi.

The instructor adds that the fall period is when the number of Yoga participants increases and people pay more attention to themselves.

"When autumn comes, the number increases more, because in the summer we have other obligations and in the fall we return to ourselves. Yoga helps in every season, and especially in the fall, when we return to ourselves. What comes out of our insides, we don't always like, but through Yoga, meditation and movements we try to release the emotions we keep inside. The thoughts we have turn into emotions, emotions into actions, and actions are what shape life. If you have negative thoughts, especially during this period, then you will transmit that feeling and every action you will take will be influenced by it, thus affecting the way you experience the life to come," Kabashi declares.

According to psychologist Ilir Havolli, the demand for psychological counseling increases during the fall period, with complaints of feeling tired, unmotivated, and sad.

"Autumn is a period of transition where the days get shorter, there is less sunlight, the season changes and the body begins to react to these changes. Reduced exposure to light affects the production of serotonin and melatonin, hormones that are related to mood and sleep, which is why many people feel fatigue, lack of motivation, feelings of sadness, etc. Usually during autumn the demand for psychological counseling increases, people report fatigue, anxiety, feelings of emptiness or loss of interest in activities that once brought pleasure, this shows that more and more people are becoming aware of the importance of mental health and this is a positive thing," says Havolli.

He points out that good nutrition and physical activity make us feel better about ourselves, but if the symptoms of depression, stress, and despair are pronounced and do not go away after weeks, then help from a psychologist should be sought.

"Emotional awareness helps us the most during this period because we need to understand that our feelings are not weaknesses but are signals, human contact is also important, a conversation with a relative or psychologist can help prevent the deterioration of the emotional state. Management requires some simple but sustainable steps, we must maintain our daily routine and physical activity, we must spend a lot of time in natural light, especially in the morning, we must eat healthy and avoid social isolation, we must find time for activities that give us emotional satisfaction, but if the symptoms last more than a few weeks, then we must seek professional help," emphasizes Havolli.

Scientists say that some forms of exercise, particularly yoga, can help with low mood, anxiety, and stress reduction, potentially overcoming depression in some cases.