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Sweaters, Spice, and the Other Side of Cozy: Fall Mental Health, Grief, and Growth
- Nicole Pitt
- Sep 23, 2025
- 4 min read
Autumn often arrives wrapped in comfort. Cozy sweaters, spiced lattes, golden leaves, and glowing candles make it feel like the season of warmth and ease. On the surface, fall looks like something to celebrate.
But alongside the comfort, there is another story. For many, this season carries a quiet weight. Shorter days can lower energy and shift mood, families feel stretched with new routines, and grief often stirs... not only the grief tied to loss, but the subtler ache of change.
You may notice it when your child steps into a new classroom, when the evenings suddenly feel darker, or when another season slips by too quickly. Fall is beautiful, yes, but it is also a season of letting go. And in that letting go, both grief and growth can be found.
Why Fall Mental Health Feels Heavier
The seasons shape more than our wardrobes. They influence our biology in powerful ways.
When daylight hours shrink, circadian rhythms shift. These internal clocks regulate sleep, energy, and mood, and when disrupted, they leave us feeling out of sync. Hormones like serotonin and melatonin also fluctuate, affecting alertness and emotional balance.
Research shows that about 15 percent of Canadians experience seasonal mood changes each year, and two to three percent develop Seasonal Affective Disorder (Canadian Psychological Association, 2021). Younger people are especially vulnerable. A national study found depressive symptoms rise significantly in teens and young adults during darker months (Lukmanji et al., 2019).
Even those who don’t meet criteria for depression often feel the weight of shorter days: less motivation, heavier moods, and a lingering sense of longing. These experiences highlight why fall mental health deserves more awareness and support.
Families in Transition
Autumn is not only a biological shift. It reshapes daily life.
Children move from summer’s freedom into structured classrooms. That change can bring excitement, but also anxiety and grief for what’s been left behind. Teens juggle academics, social pressures, and identity shifts, often carrying stress they can’t quite name.
For parents, fall means invisible labour: organizing schedules, supporting emotional needs, and balancing work with family demands. Mothers navigating perinatal changes, perimenopause, or workplace pressures may feel this strain even more deeply.
Even in stable households, fall often feels like a collision of moving parts. Layer that on top of seasonal biological shifts, and it’s no wonder the season feels heavier.
The Quiet Grief of Change
Grief in fall does not always look like mourning a loved one. It often shows up in everyday transitions. Children grieve summer’s open days. Parents grieve earlier stages of their children’s lives. Families grieve routines and roles that no longer fit.
For those already living with deeper grief — a death, a separation, illness, or disability — fall can sharpen those feelings. The symbolism of endings makes loss feel more immediate.
In therapy, I’ve seen how grief and fall mental health are deeply connected. For some, it looks like sudden tears. For others, it shows up as irritability, fatigue, or a quiet heaviness. Children may cling or act out. Teens may retreat into silence. Adults may carry it privately, unsure where to place it.
Grief doesn’t always shout. In the fall, it often whispers. And if you are noticing that whisper this season, you are not alone.
Gentle Practices for Coping With Fall Mental Health Changes
While we can’t control the season, we can soften its impact. Here are simple ways to ground yourself and your family.
For yourself
Step outside and notice three things in the present moment.
Place your hand over your heart, take three slow breaths, and name what feels heavy.
Light a candle or write down what you are letting go of as a ritual of release.
Share a memory or feeling with someone you trust. Grief softens when witnessed.
For children and families
Name it together: “I miss summer too. It feels hard when things change.”
Create rituals: Draw summer memories and share hopes for fall.
Encourage outlets: Let kids use art, play, music, or storytelling to express what words can’t.
Build connection: Keep small, predictable routines like bedtime reading or family walks.
Model honesty: Show that adults feel sadness too. It makes grief safe to share.
Lessons from the Trees
Nature mirrors the lessons of fall. Trees release their leaves not because they want to, but because letting go is what helps them survive the winter and prepare for spring. What looks like loss is actually resilience.
Families, too, are asked to let go in this season. Children let go of summer freedom. Parents let go of earlier stages of childhood. Families let go of routines that no longer serve them.
These changes are not easy, but they create space for renewal.
Closing Reflection
Sweaters and spice may be the symbols of fall, but the true flavour of the season is complexity. It is warmth and heaviness, joy and grief, endings and beginnings.
If you feel heavier this season, pause and honour it. Perhaps you are grieving summer’s ease, a loved one who isn’t here, or simply the shifting pace of life. These feelings are not weakness. They are part of being human.
At the same time, fall reminds us that letting go is not the end of growth. It is what makes space for what comes next. Just as trees release their leaves to prepare for spring, we too can release what no longer serves us while holding on to what gives us strength.
This season, notice the beauty, name the sorrow, and remember: on the other side of cozy is growth. And you do not have to walk this path alone.
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