Are you a New Year’s resolution kind of person, or does the urge to sort your life out kick in with the first signs of autumn?
For me, September has a particular back-to-school, new-season energy – even when you’re long past school age. Forget overhauling your life in January when it’s dark, and everyone is strapped for cash. September – after the long summer holidays and disrupted routines – feels like a much better time to make health resolutions than the new year.
The weather is more or less still on our side and summer’s onslaught of plans and weddings and chaos is beginning to settle, so autumn feels like a natural moment to take stock – of your sleep, your skin, what you’re eating and whether you’ve spent the past three months drinking enough water.
According to research from Boots, the autumn reset is firmly on trend, with 44% of Brits saying September is the ideal time to restart healthy habits and nearly half (48%) regretting not investing in their wellbeing before winter.
From establishing a more restful bedtime routine to giving your scalp some post-summer care, these are the simple changes that could help us feel more rested, nourished and prepared for the colder months ahead. No 5am starts or personality transplant required.
6 simple health habits to start this September
1. Swap the doomscroll for a bedtime routine you’ll actually look forward to
Summer – with hotter days, jet lag and out-of-sync routines – can easily throw your sleep patterns off course and affect your sleep quality. Dr Clare Rooms, GP and sleep expert at Boots Online Doctor, recommends treating sleep as part of your wellness routine.
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‘Whether it involves reading, a warm bath or your evening skincare ritual, a consistent bedtime routine can help signal to your body that it's time to rest,’ she says.
Dr Rooms also recommends ditching the doomscrolling and screens before bed. ‘Replace your evening doomscroll with a book or another relaxing activity to help your brain switch off,' she recommends.
2. Start strengthening your immune system
‘Think of autumn as your training season for winter wellness,’ says nutritionist Vicky Pennington. ‘The habits you build now can help set you up to feel more resilient through the colder months ahead.’
‘The immune system is a complex network of organs, cells and proteins that defend the body against infection. A healthy immune system can help fight germs before they can cause illnesses, so it's crucial to support it where you can,’ she adds.
Easy ways to strengthen your immune system? Eat the rainbow, load up on citrus fruits and greens and don’t forget your vitamin D. The UK government recommends taking a daily 10 microgram supplement between October and March.
3. Refresh your skincare routine for autumn
As the season changes from summer to autumn, September marks the perfect time to refresh your skincare routine and protect your skin ahead of winter.
Whitney Lodovica, a derm-trained pharmacist at Boots, recommends swapping lightweight summer products for richer moisturisers packed with hydrating ingredients like squalane, shea butter and hyaluronic acid.
‘Ingredients such as vitamin C, niacinamide and retinol can help boost glow, improve skin texture and support a healthy-looking complexion,’ she says.
If you’re introducing a new active, add one product at a time and begin gradually to reduce the risk of irritation. And remember, SPF isn’t just for summer. ‘UV rays are present all year round, so daily SPF should remain a non-negotiable step in your skincare routine, whatever the weather,' she says.
4. Give your scalp a post-summer detox
Summer can be tough on our hair – from UV rays, seawater, dehydration and chlorine – so September is a good time to give your haircare routine a little attention.
‘Your skin doesn’t end at your forehead – your scalp deserves the same care and attention as your face,’ says Lunaya Garcia, a beauty specialist at Boots.
‘Many of the ingredients we typically associate with skincare, from hyaluronic acid and vitamin C to caffeine and salicylic acid, can also be beneficial as part of a targeted scalp and haircare routine.’
Garcia suggests giving your scalp a gentle massage once you've applied your shampoo. ‘Move your fingertips in small circular motions across your scalp for a minute or two to help your haircare products work even harder,’ she says. Keep the pressure light and avoid scratching, particularly if your scalp is sensitive or irritated.
5. Feed your gut what it needs to thrive
‘Your gut is home to trillions of microbes that make up the gut microbiome, a unique mix of bacteria, viruses and fungi that play a vital role in your overall health,’ says Pennington.
‘When this delicate balance is disrupted, you may experience bloating, digestive discomfort, low energy or poor sleep.’
The solution? Pennington suggests aiming for at least six to eight glasses of fluids in 24 hours, and treating your gut to fibre-rich foods like fruits, vegetables and wholegrains ‘to keep things moving smoothly’.
6. Protect time for yourself before your diary fills up
And finally, Kirstie Thorley-Mitchell, head of wellness at Boots, recommends embracing autumn as a natural reset moment and making time for you.
‘Whether it’s a walk, workout or a chapter of your latest book, carving out even 15 minutes for yourself can make a big difference,' she says.
The most useful habit is likely to be the one you can repeat. Put that time in your diary, treat it as non-negotiable where possible and choose something that genuinely helps you feel restored.
With a decade in journalism – in print, online and social – at national newspapers and lifestyle magazines, Alice has tackled just about everything when it comes to health and fitness. A former competitive swimmer, sport has shaped her life from a young age, leading her to take on marathons, an Ironman 70.3, and even cycle up Alpe d’Huez. From sweat-testing the latest (and weirdest) fitness fads to living off a diary-free, meat-free, caffeine-free, fun-free diet at an extreme Ayurvedic retreat in Sri Lanka, she’s tried it all – always in pursuit of peak performance and, of course, a great story.
Alice began her career with a five-year stint at The Telegraph, where she wrote for the Telegraph Magazine's ‘Worth leaving the sofa for?’ fitness column and was the face of the Telegraph running newsletter, documenting her journey over 16 weeks training for the London Marathon. She worked as the Special Reports Commissioning Editor and as a Lifestyle Commissioning Editor before stepping into the world of freelance journalism.
As a freelance lifestyle writer, her work appeared in Women’s Health, Elle, Stylist, Grazia, The Independent, Glamour, Marie Claire, Glorious Sport, The Metro, Conde Nast Traveller, Country and Town House, Queen of Retreats and The Wedding Edition.
In 2022, Alice joined Hearst Magazines as Runner’s World’s Commissioning Editor and now oversees food content as Women’s Health’s Nutrition Editor. With a ‘food first’ ethos, she is here to help you decipher exactly which foods will support your health, and which macro-counting, pasta-replacing, intermittent-fasting, 13-day cleanse is just, well, a scam. A keen baker and host, she firmly believes that no dessert beats a pavlova – especially when topped with summer berries and a generous helping of whipped cream. Delish.
You can keep up with her latest adventures on Instagram at @al_barraclough.
