June and July are peak summer. They’re bursting with energy, rooftop parties, cookouts, travel plans, and longer, sun-drenched days made for beach hopping. But August holds a different kind of vibe. It’s still summer, yes, but there’s also a quiet awareness of the season beginning to shift. The days grow shorter, festivals wind down, and back-to-school sales pop up, prompting us to ask: How do you want to spend the rest of the season? And what do you want to carry with you into the fall?
It’s a moment that holds both celebration and reflection. August, while still active, is a liminal space and natural pause point. It’s an invitation to savor what’s left while gently tending to what’s ahead. And after a summer of indulgences, this is a chance to reel things back in and return to what keeps us well.
Without judgment, it’s worth asking: How’s my well-being? Have I been sleeping enough? Have I been eating foods that nourish me? Moving my body in ways that feel good? As a Chopra-certified embodiment facilitator and Ayurvedic educator, I often think of this month as a time to return to our natural rhythms by gently reestablishing balance and reconnecting with what makes us feel grounded ahead of the hibernation months.
Whether it’s through mindful meals, better sleep, joyful movement, or simply spending less time scrolling on our phones, even the smallest shifts can help us feel more connected to ourselves again. In that spirit, here’s a feel-good wellness reset guide to help you ease into the last full month of summer feeling nourished, present, and whole.
Realigning Through Food
What we eat sets the tone for everything else in our lives. From disease prevention and mental health to boosted energy and immune function, food is a foundational pillar of well-being. That’s why getting back to simple meal prep can be a powerful way to return to routine. Balanced meals help us feel better, which lifts our mood, increases vitality, and makes it easier to show up for our day-to-day lives and fall back into our natural cycles.
In Ayurveda, late summer is a transitional season where we move from sharp, fiery foods to more stabilizing ones. What feels good will vary depending on your unique physiological makeup (known as your dosha), but generally, now is a great time to start incorporating lighter, grounding meals: think seasonal produce, warm grains, and supportive herbs. Ginger and turmeric are two of my favorites. They’re deeply supportive as fall approaches and temperatures begin to cool. They also come in handy when you’re fighting off a cold.
Hydration is another deceptively simple but essential reset. After months of summer drinks, caffeine, or dehydration from heat, the body craves replenishment. Try infused waters, herbal teas, or start your day with warm lemon water to support digestion and hydration from the jump.
Movement As Medicine
If you’ve been moving all summer—whether dropping it low at rooftop parties or running park laps under the sun—your body’s been active. But as we shift toward fall, this is a time to find rhythm in movement that supports and nourishes rather than depletes.
You might swap your afternoon run for a morning walk in cooler air, or lean into yoga, stretching, or other restorative forms of movement. The key is choosing joy and connection over performance—movement that grounds you in your body rather than serves as a response to “summer treats.”
In Ayurveda, movement is seen as medicine for both the body and the mind. Try treating it as something sacred rather than as punishment or a way to “earn” rest. We’re allowed to indulge, and we’re allowed to reset. It’s all part of balance.
Mindfulness for Well-Being
If summer felt fast, loud, or was filled with plans, August can be a beautiful time to re-center emotionally. Whether you’re catching your breath from a busy season or simply looking to slow down, now is a good moment to reestablish practices that help you feel calm and clear. Mindfulness, which is essentially the quality or state of being conscious or aware, doesn’t necessarily have to mean sitting in silence for 30 minutes each day (though this is a healthy practice to have). It can be as simple as placing a hand on your heart and asking: “How am I, really?”
Meditation, breathwork, and journaling are all powerful tools to regulate emotions and invite clarity. As an embodiment facilitator, these are some of my favorite practices, and I often root down into them this time of year because these are the moments when we’re most able to reflect and reset.
If you’d like to integrate mindfulness into your own routine, you can try a body scan before bed, a three-minute breath awareness break in the morning, or a journal prompt like: “What has this year taught me so far, and how do I want to feel heading into the next season?” These practices help you stay present while gently holding space for what’s next.
Sleep and Digital Boundaries
Late nights are a part of summer, but as we begin to wind down, our bodies will remind us we need more rest than we’ve been giving them. Reestablishing a consistent sleep rhythm can be deeply restorative, especially before the pace of the holiday rush kicks in. Even small tweaks like dimming lights after sunset, limiting blue light in the evenings, or eating dinner a bit earlier can make a noticeable difference in how rested you feel when you wake up.
This is also a great time to reevaluate your relationship with screens. You might try a light “scroll cleanse” by replacing your late-night doomscroll with a few pages of a book, an Epsom salt bath, or simply sitting quietly with yourself. Sleep is one of the most essential pillars of well-being, not just for physical health, but for emotional resilience and spiritual connection as well. So treat it like the sacred practice it is!
Returning to Self
Ultimately, this reset isn’t about putting pressure on ourselves or seeking “perfection.” It’s also not a checklist to master or a rigid plan to follow. Instead, it’s a permission slip to listen inward, to soften, and to make one small, nourishing shift at a time. Maybe it’s more greens on your plate, fewer hours on your phone, or five minutes of silence with your breath each morning before the day takes off.
Whatever it is, let it be something that helps you feel more like you.
And if you take anything away from this, know that you don’t have to do it all. Just begin with one small, loving step, and let that be enough.
Happy recalibrating!
Steph R. Long (Stevie Reneé) is a Chopra-certified Ayurvedic health educator, meditation instructor, and well-being coach. She’s also the founder of holistic wellness and coaching practice SRL Well-Being and the former Deputy Director of Enterprise for Refinery29 Unbothered, where she oversaw health, wellness, and spirituality content. For more wellness insights, follow her on Instagram and YouTube, and subscribe to her podcast.