How to Make the Most of Shorter Fall Days in 2025

Feeling the autumn blues? Learn five cozy, science-backed ways to boost your mood and energy as the days get shorter this fall.

Ever feel like the days get shorter but your to-do list doesn’t? The shift in seasons can bring more than just falling leaves. For many, the decrease in daylight can impact mood, energy, and even sleep.[1] But autumn doesn’t have to feel like a slowdown. Whether you love bundling up or dread the earlier sunsets, we’ve got five simple and satisfying ways to make the most of the season.

Let’s dive in.

5 Ways to Embrace the Shorter Days Ahead

1. Get Outside—Sunny or Not

Try setting a daily reminder on your phone to get outside for a midday walk. Even on cloudy days, your body can still absorb UVB rays that help produce vitamin D, a crucial mood booster. Regular exposure to daylight supports a healthy sleep-wake cycle and can elevate your energy levels during the darker months.[2,3]. 

Quick Tip: Aim to get outdoors before 3 PM for maximum light exposure, whether it’s sunny or overcast.

2. Swap Out Your Summer Linens

As the cooler weather sets in, it’s time to stow away summer’s lightweight layers and replace them with soft, cozy bedding that’ll invite you to welcome autumn's long nights and slower mornings with cocoon-like comfort.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Everyday Bed Sheets - Cozy up in comfort with our best-selling sheets. Soft, breathable, and made for daily use, they deliver cloud-like comfort you’ll love climbing into night after night. A simple upgrade your sleep routine will thank you for.

• Luxury Down Alternative Comforter - Made of soft, breathable bamboo and microfiber, this comforter offers the warmth of down while reducing the buildup of seasonal irritants. It is ultra-plush and breathable for serious autumn snooze sessions. 

• 100% Silk Pillowcases - Add a hint of elegance to your pillow stack with silk that stays cool all night. They’re soft, smooth, and gentle on your skin and hair, adding a touch of luxury while helping reduce friction, frizz, and skin creases. 

• Luxury Weighted Blanket - This blanket provides a calming effect that helps you relax and unwind, promoting deeper, more restful sleep. Designed with deep-touch pressure stimulation created by thousands of tiny glass beads, it’s like a warm hug at the end of your day.

• Everyday Fleece Blanket - These blankets are made from 100% microfiber polyester and finished with an ultra-soft fleece texture. This naturally hypoallergenic blanket is your go-to for relaxing movie nights, reading by the fire, or curling up with a cup of cocoa on the couch.

3. Shine Some Natural Light on Your Day

Light isn’t just aesthetic—it’s biological. Sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm and may reduce that dreaded afternoon slump.[4] 

Open your blinds to let the light trickle into your space, or rearrange your desk or vanity to face a window to maximize sunlight exposure.

If your work environment lacks windows, make it a point to take short, frequent breaks to stretch your legs and soak up some daylight. Even if you only have 8-10 minutes, this habit can be a game-changer for preserving your energy levels and mood throughout the workday.  

4. Stick to a Sleep Schedule - Even on the Weekends 

Shorter days can mess with your internal clock, leaving you feeling groggy or unable to focus during the day. If less daylight is making it more difficult to wake up each morning, you can also try:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day

• Avoid screens 30 minutes before bedtime

• Cut caffeine after 2 PM

• Keep the thermostat between 65°F and 69°F

• Hang blackout curtains

• Use a white noise machine or fan to block out distractions

Pro Tip: Move your alarm clock across the room to avoid the snooze button trap.

1. Embrace Slower Living 

Autumn is nature’s way of saying, "slow down." Take this opportunity to enjoy the season by creating moments of calm, creativity, and comfort. This might look like: 

• Make time for reading - Spend a slow Saturday afternoon building your fall reading list. Brew a pot of tea or coffee, curl up in your Luxury Weighted Blanket, and let the pages take you somewhere cozy. Bonus points for sitting by a window to soak in the sun.

• Cook with the season - Explore new or favorite fall recipes and visit your local farmer's market for fresh, seasonal produce.

• Declutter your space - Haven't tidied up in a while? Decluttering can lift your mood and make room for what matters.[5] Ask yourself: what brings me joy, and what can I let go of?

• Savor simple pleasures - Have a pet? Snuggle up with them and enjoy a movie afternoon with your favorite fall drink. Live with a partner? Invite them to join you and make it a cozy little ritual.

• Build mindfulness into your day - Try five-minute meditations, stretch while your coffee brews, or sing while doing dishes. Even a short dog walk can be a moment of calm when paired with a favorite podcast.

• Engage your senses - Add a few drops of essential oil to your diffuser and let autumn's scents fill the room. Think cinnamon, clove, or cedarwood.

• Cozy up your space - String lights, soft throw pillows, and a few white candles can transform your room into a fall retreat.

• Try something new - Always wanted to take a class? Now's the time. Whether it's yoga, dance, art, or something unexpected—lean into whatever is calling to you.

Make the Most of Every Shorter Day

Shorter fall days don’t have to slow you down. With a few mindful shifts and some autumn-friendly layers, you can turn it into your coziest, most recharging season yet.

Fall in love with fall. Start your cozy upgrade now →

The Cosy House team loves hearing from you. In the comments, please let us know which tip you’d want to try next to help you embrace the seasonal changes. 

Resources: 

1. Anderson, J. L., Rosen, L. N., Mendelson, W. B., Jacobsen, F. M., Skwerer, R. G., Joseph-Vanderpool, J. R., Duncan, C. C., Wehr, T. A., & Rosenthal, N. E. (1994). Sleep in fall/winter seasonal affective disorder: effects of light and changing seasons. Journal of psychosomatic research, 38(4), 323–337. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(94)90037-x. 

2. Sue Penckofer, Joanne Kouba, Mary Byrn & Carol Estwing Ferrans (2010) Vitamin D and Depression: Where is all the Sunshine?, Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 31:6, 385-393, DOI: 10.3109/01612840903437657. 

3. Nair, R., & Maseeh, A. (2012). Vitamin D: The “sunshine” vitamin. Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics, 3(2), 118–126. https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-500X.95506.

4. Marie Dumont, Catherine Beaulieu, Light exposure in the natural environment: Relevance to mood and sleep disorders, Sleep Medicine, Volume 8, Issue 6, 2007, Pages 557-565, ISSN 1389-9457, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2006.11.008.

5. Cassata, C. (2019, January 30). Tidying up like Marie Kondo is good for you. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health-news/why-tidying-up-like-marie-kondo-is-good-for-your-health-and-your-wallet.

6. Max Hirshkowitz, Kaitlyn Whiton, Steven M. Albert, Cathy Alessi, Oliviero Bruni, Lydia DonCarlos, Nancy Hazen, John Herman, Paula J. Adams Hillard, Eliot S. Katz, Leila Kheirandish-Gozal, David N. Neubauer, Anne E. O’Donnell, Maurice Ohayon, John Peever, Robert Rawding, Ramesh C. Sachdeva, Belinda Setters, Michael V. Vitiello, J. Catesby Ware, National Sleep Foundation’s updated sleep duration recommendations: final report, Sleep Health, Volume 1, Issue 4, 2015, Pages 233-243, ISSN 2352-7218, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2015.10.004.