🌿 Folk Prescriptions

The weather has cooled down, yet many still feel drowsy and mentally drained. Experts warn that the recent prolonged high temperatures have caused excessive energy depletion in the body, making one vulnerable to "emotional fatigue."
Medical professionals analyze that this summer saw rare extreme heat, keeping people in a constant state of excitement, resulting in irritability, quick temper, and other signs of "emotional heatstroke." Around the start of autumn, as the weather becomes cooler, people adjust emotionally from overstimulation. This adjustment process often leads to excessive energy expenditure, causing fatigue and drowsiness—severe cases can disrupt normal life.
To overcome this "emotional fatigue," doctors suggest:
1. Maintain sufficient sleep.
Aim to go to bed before 10 p.m., rise early, and prepare mentally in advance to avoid drowsiness at work. A brief nap of 10–30 minutes at noon also helps alleviate drowsiness.
2. Eat light meals.
Fatty foods generate acidic substances in the body that deepen drowsiness. Opt for fruits and plenty of water instead. Green tea is especially recommended—it boosts alertness far better than coffee.
3. Increase indoor plant life.
Feeling drowsy in autumn relates partly to oxygen deficiency. Place green plants like spider plants, rubber trees, and bamboo palms indoors to release oxygen and purify air.
When autumn winds blow and leaves scatter, Xiao Zhou’s mood inevitably sinks again. Many people around us share this experience, especially middle-aged and elderly individuals who, amid falling leaves and dry grass, often feel melancholy, despondent, or aged—making them prone to depressive thoughts.
What Is "Sadness of Autumn"?
Why do some people become sad in autumn? Modern medical research shows that the pineal gland located at the base of the brain secretes melatonin. This hormone promotes sleep but excessive secretion can lead to depression. Temperature changes indirectly affect its secretion, especially during seasonal transitions marked by temperature fluctuations.
In traditional Chinese medicine, the five zang organs, seven emotions, and the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth) correspond to seasonal changes. For example, in the five elements, "metal" corresponds to the lungs (zang organ), grief (emotion), and autumn (season). Thus, in autumn—especially during continuous rainy days—people not only suffer from dryness but may also experience sadness.
Moreover, “one autumn rain brings one chill.” Sudden drops in temperature suppress metabolism and physiological functions, disrupting endocrine balance, leading to low mood, poor concentration, and even palpitations, frequent dreams, and insomnia—commonly known as “cold-induced depression.”
Most Effective Ways to Prevent "Sadness of Autumn"
1. Psychological adjustment: Maintain optimism. Avoid self-inflicted sorrow like “tears don’t stop even when the rain stops.” Autumn is not less beautiful than spring—it’s a season of harvest. There’s no need to dwell on sadness or despair.
2. Diet for emotional well-being: Breakfast must be eaten. Consume milk, eggs, and fruits to supplement protein and calcium, enhancing stamina and willpower. Those who skip breakfast often feel listless and lack mental resilience.
3. Nourish the heart and liver: Drink rose or chrysanthemum tea, lotus seed tea regularly—they clear liver stagnation and relieve depression. Long-term use helps manage depressive states.
4. Eat foods that nourish the heart and calm the spirit: Lotus root, lotus seeds, wheat, licorice, red dates, longan fruit—these help relieve anxiety and depression. Walnuts and fish rich in phosphorus also aid in reducing depression.
Seven Methods to Overcome Low Mood
1. Exercise: Physical activity triggers beneficial chemical and psychological changes. Suitable activities include jogging, walking outdoors, dancing, swimming, and tai chi.
2. Improve nutrition: Vitamin B helps improve mood. Include whole-grain bread, vegetables, and eggs in your diet.
3. Visit friends and relatives: Share your feelings with trusted, understanding companions.
4. Cultivate optimistic imagination: When facing setbacks, avoid negative thinking. Instead, choose to imagine the best possible outcome.
5. Focus on work: Immersing yourself in meaningful tasks helps forget worries and sorrows.
6. Travel or go out: Seeing lush mountains and clear waters, or peaceful smoke rising from chimneys, instantly lifts fatigue and gloom.
7. Watch movies: Watching comedies when feeling depressed produces a clear emotional shift.