Even if you don’t particularly love fall, there’s a good chance, a really good chance in fact, that you know someone that is. You know the type, the folks that post their pumpkin spice lattes on Instagram the first day they’re available, the ones sweating to death at the pumpkin patch because they really jumped the gun on digging their extensive sweater collection out of the closet, the ones that decorated for Halloween… years ago and still haven’t taken it down. Here’s the thing, there are a number of psychological reasons we’re all obsessed with the leaves changing and the temperatures dropping, and we’re going to talk about them right now. Let’s get started!
Remember way back in the day when fall meant back-to-school which also meant new books, new planners, new classes, and new friends? Simply put, this way of thinking was engrained into our brains for years so we naturally continue to fall into this pattern.
Another reason we all love fall? We fall (sorry) back into a routine. Summertime can be a little chaotic because school is out, vacations are happening, and our schedules are otherwise unpredictable. But our routines tend to return to normal, or something more like it, come fall.
What do you associate with fall? Warm colors, comfy sweaters, baking, bonfires, fall-scented candles, you know the drill. What do all of these things have in common? They’re cozy. Our brains tend to associate all things cozy with fall and well, we aren’t ones to dispute the fact it’s cozy season.
Riddle us this: do you prefer to spend your day outside when it’s hot, humid, and you’re covered in sweat? Or do you prefer to spend your day outside when the air is a little crisp, you need a light jacket, and you’re surrounded by shades of red, orange, and yellow? You can probably guess where we’re going with this, another reason we love fall? The weather. We’re a lot more inclined to get outside and get some fresh air which is arguably one of the best things we can do for our mental health.
Is Halloween your favorite holiday? Ours too. And what’s around the corner? Thanksgiving and Christmas, which means a whole lot of family time, and fall is the time of the year we start anticipating these gatherings. And if there’s one thing we know about the holidays it’s that the sounds and smells have us feeling all kinds of nostalgic. We can thank the unconscious part of our brains that making these connections.