The October Slide
Why fatigue, pain and brain fog often creep up as the seasons turn, and a gentle plan for getting through autumn and winter with a long-term condition.
Written by Kim Clayden — HPD, DfSFH, MNCH, AfSFH (reg), CNHC (reg)What is the October slide?
Many people living with chronic illness notice the same pattern every year. Somewhere between late September and November, the body gets stiffer, energy drains faster, brain fog thickens and mood dips. Nothing dramatic happened, it just slowly got harder. That gradual autumn drop is what we call the October slide.
It is common with fibromyalgia, hypermobility and EDS, PoTS, ME/CFS, Long Covid and chronic pain. Knowing it is seasonal helps: it is a pattern to plan for, not a personal failing.
Why autumn is harder on tired bodies
- Cold and damp. Muscles and joints tighten, and hypermobile joints often feel less stable.
- Pressure changes. Many people report more pain and headaches as weather fronts move through.
- Less daylight. Shorter days can disrupt sleep timing, alertness and mood.
- Less movement. Fewer walks and more sitting can mean more stiffness and lower circulation, which PoTS bodies feel quickly.
- Busier calendars. Viruses, school terms and the run-up to the festive season all draw on the same small energy budget.
1. Lower the baseline before it lowers itself
The kindest autumn move is to plan for slightly less. Trim your usual activity a little and add one extra rest slot a day. If you use spoon theory, assume you will wake with a spoon or two fewer for a while. Our guide to pacing for Long Covid and ME/CFS covers the practical side, and hypermobility, fatigue and pacing explains why loose joints use extra energy in the cold.
2. Have a flare plan ready before you need it
Write your flare-day version of the routine now, while you have the energy to think: easy meals, the minimum that must happen, who to tell, and what to cancel first. Then it is there when the fog arrives. See coping with a flare without crashing and how to stop crashing after a flare-up.
3. Make brain fog cheaper
Autumn fog is often worse in the afternoons and after poor sleep. Keep one written list, repeat simple meals, and do thinking jobs in your best hour of daylight. Start with what brain fog is, then brain fog management tools and brain fog and fatigue with fibromyalgia, EDS and PoTS.
4. Protect your mood as the light fades
Get daylight early, even from a chair by the window. Keep a steady wake-up time. Plan small things to look forward to that cost very few spoons. If low mood or grief for the life you had before illness feels heavier this time of year, read chronic illness, low mood and grief and staying mentally well with a long-term condition. If you feel very low or unsafe, contact your GP, call NHS 111, or call Samaritans on 116 123.
5. Don't let the dark months get lonely
Cold evenings and cancelled plans can quietly shrink your world. Quiet company that asks nothing of you helps keep a rhythm to the week. You can rest alongside other people, camera off, with restful body doubling for chronic pain, or join a free live guided relaxation from bed.
Common questions
- Why do chronic illness symptoms often get worse in autumn?
- Several things shift at once: colder, damper weather, falling air pressure, shorter daylight, less outdoor movement and more winter viruses. Many people with fibromyalgia, hypermobility/EDS, PoTS, ME/CFS or chronic pain notice more stiffness, fatigue, pain and brain fog as the seasons turn. It is common, and it is not a sign you have done anything wrong.
- Is the 'October slide' a medical term?
- No. It is a plain-language way of describing the gradual drop in energy, mood and symptom control that many people with long-term conditions notice in autumn. If your symptoms change sharply or you feel very low, speak to your GP or specialist.
- Can less daylight affect my mood and energy?
- Yes. Shorter days affect sleep timing, alertness and mood for many people, and that can stack on top of an existing condition. Getting daylight early in the day, even from a chair by a window, and keeping a steady wake-up time can help. Persistent low mood deserves a conversation with your GP.
- How should I adjust my pacing for winter?
- Assume your baseline may be a little lower for a while. Reduce your planned activity slightly, add an extra rest slot, warm up joints before moving, and plan lighter weeks around known busy dates. It is easier to add activity back than to recover from a crash.
A gentle next step
Book one planned rest for this week. A free live guided relaxation is a good start: join lying down, camera off, with nothing to prepare.