5 Strategies for Managing Fall Anxiety

Fall looks cozy on Pinterest — chunky sweaters, pumpkin spice, crunchy leaves. But real life? The shorter days, busier schedules, and looming holidays can feel more overwhelming than magical.

If you’ve noticed your anxiety creeping up as summer fades, you’re not imagining it. Fall anxiety is real, and managing seasonal stress takes more than a latte and a blanket scarf.

Here are five strategies to help you take care of your mental health during seasonal changes.

Why Seasonal Changes Can Increase Anxiety

Transitions mess with your nervous system. Period.

Fall ramps up pressure in ways that aren’t always obvious:

• Reduced daylight – messing with energy and mood.

• Busier routines – school, work, or holiday planning.

• Emotional associations – fall might bring reminders of past stressors or losses.

• Seasonal affective patterns – your body literally notices the shift in light and rhythm.

Anxiety thrives on unpredictability, and fall serves it up on a platter.

Strategy 1: Build a Consistent Routine

Anxious brains love structure. Even simple anchors like waking up at the same time, scheduling meals, or setting aside 10 minutes to breathe can help your nervous system chill.

Strategy 2: Get Outside

Daylight is a natural mood booster. Even 20 minutes outside can reduce stress hormones and help regulate sleep. Grab a walk, sit in the sun, or layer up and breathe in that crisp air.

Strategy 3: Move Your Body (Without Pressure)

You don’t need to train for a marathon. Gentle yoga, stretching, dancing in your kitchen — movement helps regulate anxiety and reminds your body it’s safe to calm down.

Strategy 4: Explore Therapy for Personalized Coping Tools

Sometimes fall anxiety isn’t just about the season — it’s about how transitions echo old patterns of stress, trauma, or emotional neglect. That’s where therapy helps.

Using EMDR, somatic therapy, and parts work, I help clients get to the root of why their anxiety spikes — so they can actually shift it instead of just coping through it.

Strategy 5: Protect Your Energy

The holiday hustle sneaks up fast. Say no where you need to, set boundaries before burnout hits, and remember: rest isn’t lazy, it’s necessary.

Ready to Reset This Fall?

You don’t have to white-knuckle your way through the season. With the right tools and support, fall can feel steady instead of stressful.

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👉🏽 Schedule your free 15-minute consultation
Let’s figure out how therapy can help you manage anxiety and find your balance this season.

🤎🌿✨

About the author

Karla Storey is a licensed trauma therapist based in Gilbert, Arizona and the founder of Anthology Collective. She specializes in helping high-achieving women heal from emotional neglect, perfectionism, and hyper-independence using EMDR, somatic therapy, and parts work. Karla offers both weekly sessions and EMDR intensives for clients who are ready to stop performing and start feeling. Her approach is warm, real, and rooted in lived experience – because she’s done the healing work too.