You're not imagining it - your body IS different in Autumn

Have you noticed your body feeling... off lately?

Stiffer in the mornings. More achy. Less energetic. Your usual routine feels harder.

And you've probably been wondering: "Am I losing progress? What's wrong with me?"

Nothing is wrong with you. Your body is responding to autumn.

What's Actually Happening

Autumn creates real physiological changes in your body:

Cold weather affects your tissues Temperature drops cause muscles and connective tissue to contract. Joint fluid becomes thicker. Blood flow to extremities decreases. This is why you feel stiff, creaky, and harder to move—especially in the mornings.

Barometric pressure changes affect pain The weather-pain connection is REAL. Low pressure causes tissues to expand slightly, affecting joints and old injury sites. Your body isn't lying when it "predicts" rain.

Less daylight affects everything Shorter days mean less vitamin D, shifted circadian rhythms, and changes in serotonin and melatonin. This is why motivation drops and you just want to hibernate.

You're moving less overall Summer: lots of incidental outdoor movement Autumn: cooler, darker, more indoor time Less movement = stiffer body

Your body wants to conserve energy Evolutionary programming tells your body that autumn means "prepare for winter." The urge to slow down and nest? That's biology, not laziness.

Why This Matters

Understanding that these changes are REAL (not you "getting worse") changes everything.

You're not failing. You're adapting to seasonal shifts.

And once you understand what's happening, you can support your body instead of fighting it.

What Your Autumn Body Needs

Extra warming up – Cold tissues need more time to become pliable. Don't skip warm-ups now.

Consistent gentle movement – When incidental movement decreases, intentional movement matters MORE. Summer you could be sporadic. Autumn you need consistency.

Joint care – Gentle mobility work, flowing movements, joint circles. Your joints need extra love right now.

Rest (not stagnation) – Honour the urge to slow down WITHOUT stopping completely. There's a difference between rest and giving up.

Indoor movement habits – Don't rely on "nice weather" to move. Create reliable indoor practices now. (check out our online studio for movement ideas!)

Light exposure – Move near windows in the morning when you can. Combining movement with natural light is powerful.

The Truth About Autumn

Your autumn body is different from your summer body.

But it can still be STRONG.

The goal isn't to fight autumn. It's to adapt to it.

Work WITH your body's seasonal needs, not against them.

Next week, I'll share exactly how to adapt your practice for autumn so you feel GOOD through these darker months.

Until then, be patient with your body. It's doing exactly what it's meant to do.

See you on the mat, 

Michelle x

Try this 30 minute Better Posture workout here.

P.S. If you've been struggling with increased stiffness or pain lately, you're not alone. Send me a message and let's talk about what your body needs right now 💛