Autumn According to Traditional Chinese Medicine: Nourishing the Lungs, Letting Go & Preparing for Winter
There is something unmistakable about the arrival of autumn.
The air becomes cooler and drier. The days grow shorter. Leaves begin to change color before eventually releasing their hold on the trees. We naturally begin spending more time indoors, slowing down, and turning our attention inward.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), autumn is a season of transition—one that invites us to gather our energy, nourish the body, protect ourselves from the changing environment, and release what we no longer need.
Rather than resisting this seasonal shift, TCM encourages us to move with it.
Autumn and the Metal Element
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, autumn corresponds with the Metal element and is associated primarily with the Lung and Large Intestine organ systems.
These systems share a beautiful underlying theme: taking in what is valuable and releasing what is no longer needed.
The Lungs take in breath and distribute Qi throughout the body, while the Large Intestine is responsible for elimination. On a broader level, autumn reflects this same process of discernment—gathering what nourishes us while learning to let go of what no longer serves us.
Think about the trees.
Throughout spring and summer, they grow, expand, and flourish. In autumn, they begin to contract and release. The leaves fall away so that the tree can conserve its resources and prepare for the stillness of winter.
TCM sees our bodies and lives as participating in these same seasonal rhythms.
Autumn asks us: What can you nourish? What can you release? What are you ready to let go of?
Protecting the Lungs During Autumn
The Lung is particularly sensitive to dryness and external environmental changes according to TCM.
As the air becomes cooler and drier, you may notice that your skin, lips, throat, or nasal passages feel drier than they did during the summer. This is one reason autumn is considered an important time to nourish and protect Lung Qi.
Simple seasonal practices can help us work with this transition.
Keep the neck and chest protected
Cool, dry wind is considered particularly disruptive to the Lung system in TCM. Pay attention to your neck and upper chest, particularly during cooler mornings and evenings.
In Southern California, we have the Santa Ana winds, and this is a particularly important season to cover your neck, and eat moistening foods to avoid dry eyes, nose, and throat.
A scarf, warm layers, and avoiding prolonged exposure to cold wind can be simple ways of respecting your body's changing needs.
Breathe deeply
Because the Lungs govern respiration, autumn is an especially appropriate time to bring more awareness to the breath.
Try taking a few minutes each day for slow, intentional breathing:
Inhale slowly through the nose.
Allow the chest and ribs to expand.
Exhale completely and gently.
Repeat.
Breathing practices, gentle Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and other forms of mindful movement can help cultivate a greater sense of connection between breath, body, and mind.
Eat for the Season
One of the simplest ways to support seasonal health in TCM is through food.
As temperatures drop, many people naturally crave warmer, more nourishing meals. Autumn is an excellent time to shift away from an abundance of cold and raw foods and incorporate more warm, cooked meals.
Think:
Soups and stews
Congee
Warm grains
Roasted vegetables
Root vegetables
Cooked greens
Warm teas
Gently cooked seasonal fruits
Because autumn is associated with dryness, TCM also traditionally emphasizes moistening foods.
Some examples include:
Pears
Apples
Honey
Sesame seeds
Almonds
Daikon
White fungus
Tofu
Root vegetables
Pears, in particular, have a long history of use in Chinese dietary traditions for their moistening qualities.
The goal isn't to follow a rigid list of "fall foods." Instead, consider the larger principle: choose foods that are nourishing, seasonal, warming, and supportive of your body's needs as the environment changes.
The Emotional Side of Autumn: Grief and Letting Go
Perhaps one of the most beautiful aspects of the TCM understanding of autumn is its connection to grief.
The emotion associated with the Lung in TCM is grief and sadness.
This doesn't mean that feeling sadness in autumn is inherently negative. Rather, the season offers an opportunity to acknowledge the natural cycles of loss, change, and release that are part of being human.
Just as the trees don't cling to their leaves forever, we are sometimes asked to release things that we have outgrown.
That might mean:
An old habit
A relationship dynamic
Physical clutter
A belief about yourself
An expectation
A chapter of your life
Something you have been carrying emotionally
Letting go doesn't necessarily mean forgetting or pretending something didn't matter.
Sometimes it simply means acknowledging:
This served a purpose. And now I am ready to release it.
Journaling, meditation, spending quiet time in nature, decluttering your physical environment, and allowing yourself to process difficult emotions can all become meaningful autumn rituals.
Create More Space for Rest
Autumn also marks a shift toward Yin energy in the seasonal cycle.
After the expansive, active energy of summer, the body begins moving toward greater inwardness and conservation.
This is a wonderful time to reassess your relationship with rest.
Consider gradually moving toward:
Earlier bedtimes
More consistent sleep
Slower mornings
Less overstimulation in the evening
More restorative movement
Quiet time without screens
More intentional transitions between work and rest
Rather than forcing yourself to maintain the same pace year-round, autumn invites you to recognize that your energy is allowed to change with the seasons.
A Simple Autumn Ritual
You don't need to completely overhaul your lifestyle to live more seasonally.
Try creating a small daily ritual:
Morning:
Take a few slow, deep breaths before beginning your day. Step outside and notice the temperature and quality of the air.
Throughout the day:
Choose warm, nourishing meals and keep your neck and chest protected from cold wind.
Movement:
Incorporate gentle stretching, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, walking, or other movement that feels supportive rather than depleting.
Evening:
Begin winding down a little earlier. Make a warm cup of tea, turn down the lights, and give yourself permission to transition out of the day's activity.
Reflection:
Ask yourself:
What am I holding onto that I no longer need?
What deserves more of my attention and nourishment?
What would it feel like to make space for what comes next?
Preparing for Winter
Autumn is not simply the season between summer and winter. From a TCM perspective, it is an important preparation period.
The practices we cultivate now—nourishing ourselves, protecting our Qi, supporting healthy digestion, prioritizing rest, regulating our breath, and releasing what we no longer need—can help us transition more intentionally into the quieter energy of winter.
There is wisdom in allowing our lives to contract a little.
We don't have to bloom all year.
Sometimes health means knowing when to expand, when to nourish, when to rest, and when to let go.
This autumn, consider taking a cue from the trees.
Release what is ready to fall away.
Nourish what you want to carry forward.
Protect your energy.
Breathe deeply.
And make space for the season ahead.