After a summer of sun, BBQs, and late nights, September is the perfect time to reset, refocus, and take care of yourself.

Whether you're heading back to uni, returning from holidays, or simply looking for a reset, to feel more in control of your health – it's a great time to prioritise your wellbeing!

This self-care guide will help you rebuild healthy habits across fitness, nutrition, sleep, and wellbeing. So keep reading for some realistic, sustainable changes that you can use to hit refresh.

If your training schedule slipped a bit during summer, you’re not alone and it’s nothing to worry about! It’s a brilliant time to get back to it. The key to building consistency and getting back into routine is starting where you are, not where you think you should be.

So, start slow and ease back in.

Why not try starting with 2–3 sessions per week, mixing strength training, cardio, and mobility work? This helps rebuild your foundation without overwhelming your body.

Set short-term goals to stay motivated—whether it's building strength, improving endurance, or simply making it to the gym consistently. If you're unsure where to begin, you can always work with a personal trainer at your local PureGym to build a plan that fits your goals and lifestyle.

Forget quick fixes and restrictive diets, it’s all about eating in a way that nourishes your body to support energy, recovery, and performance.

A balanced plate, with protein, healthy fats, vegetables, and grains helps fuel your workouts and keep you full!

If you’re trying to reset, meal prepping can be a great idea. Taking just a couple of hours to prep meals and snacks for the week ahead can reduce decision fatigue and make healthy eating easier. Discover PureGym meal prep recipes.

If you don’t want to set aside a specific amount of time to meal prep, just cook an extra portion of your dinner to use as lunch the next day!

Getting back into a consistent sleep routine is one of the most powerful things you can do to support overall health, for both your physical and mental health.

Good sleep doesn’t start the moment your head hits the pillow though, practicing good sleep hygiene is important!

To ensure that you’re winding down before bed and getting the best possible sleep:

• Put your phone and other screens down 30 minutes before bed at a minimum to reduce blue light exposure.

• Avoid consuming caffeine late in the day to make it easier for you to get to sleep and get good quality sleep.

• Try to read, do yoga or light stretching, or listen to a guided meditation to relax your body and mind.

• Go to bed and wake up at around the same time every day, even on weekends, to support your internal body clock.

• Make your bedroom a peaceful space that supports sleep – make it dark, clutter-free and maintain a cool temperature.

Self-care goes beyond getting to the gym and eating right. It’s also about protecting your mental health.

You don’t need hours of free time to benefit from stress-reducing practices that support your mental health. Even five minutes a day can make a difference. Try:

• Breathwork or guided mindfulness

• Journaling or brain-dumping before bed

• Going for a walk in nature

• Listening to calming music or a podcast

Community and connection is an important part of promoting mental health too – not every wellness practice is what we might traditionally see as “mindful”.

Why not reach out to a friend for a catch-up, join a class where you’ll see familiar faces, or call a loved one.

This September self-care reset doesn’t need to be about overhauling your entire life. It’s more about focusing on yourself and doing things to make you feel good.

Focus on progress, not perfection.

Pick one or two areas from this guide to start with, and then start to incorporate more of them into your life, gradually, and remember to reset with self-compassion.