Your Body Isn't Failing You, It's Just Winter

These past few weeks, something I have noticed is that so many of the women I work with have been feeling flat, foggy and utterly worn out. Their get up and go has got up and gone. The washing basket feels like a mountain, the to do list feels heavier than usual, and even the things they normally love have started to feel like a bit of a slog.

The part that breaks my heart? Instead of being gentle with themselves, they are asking "What is wrong with me? Why can't I keep up? Why am I so tired all the time?" Sound familiar? If it does, I want you to take a deep breath, and put the kettle on as I have something really reassuring to share with you.

Nothing is wrong with you. Truly. What you are feeling is not a personal failing or a lack of willpower. It is biology. It is your clever body doing exactly what it is designed to do at this time of year.

Your body isn't failing you, the pull towards hibernation is real

As the days grow shorter here in New Zealand and the mornings turn frosty, our bodies naturally start craving a slower pace. A bit of a hibernation, if you like. We want to snuggle in, eat something warm and cosy, and go to bed a little earlier. Your body isn't failing you, that instinct is ancient and it is wise.

The trouble is, modern life does not exactly hand out permission slips to slow down. So instead of leaning into that natural rhythm, we push against it. We drag ourselves through the same routines we keep in summer, ignoring every gentle nudge our body is giving us to rest, restore and refill our cup. And then we wonder why we feel so depleted.

What is actually happening in your brain

Here is the science bit, and it is genuinely fascinating.

That flat, low feeling has a lot to do with light, or rather, the lack of it. When the days get shorter, our brains produce less serotonin, one of the key chemicals that helps keep our mood steady and bright. Sunlight helps regulate the molecules that keep serotonin levels topped up, and when daylight fades, that whole system slows right down. In fact, research shows that serotonin turnover in the brain is at its lowest during the darker winter months, even in perfectly healthy people [1][2].

There is a specific little cluster of cells deep in the midbrain, called the dorsal raphe nucleus, that is especially sensitive to the changing light. When daylight hours shrink, these cells quite literally fire more slowly and make less serotonin [1]. So if you feel like someone has turned your inner dimmer switch down a notch or two, well, in a way they have. It is not in your head, it is in your biology.

Winter is a season for filling your bucket

I felt all of this myself just last week. That heavy, foggy pull towards the sofa and a blanket. And here is what I have learned over the years, and what I really want to pass on to you. I have stopped fighting it. I have learned to feel and trust my way through the seasons instead.

For me, winter is not about productivity or self improvement or pushing harder. It is a time to rest and replenish. A slow, mindful restoration. A chance to refill the bucket that gets so depleted by the rush and pressure of everyday life. When I stopped treating winter tiredness as a problem to fix and started treating it as an invitation to soften, everything shifted.

This is where our four pillars of health come in. Not to overhaul them, goodness no, that is the last thing your winter self needs. Just to tend to them gently, like you would tend a little fire.

Nutrition: lean into the cosy cravings

Have you noticed you fancy heartier, warmer food this time of year? That is not you losing the plot around your healthy eating, that is your body being seasonal. Research confirms that our appetites genuinely shift with the seasons, with a natural tendency towards more warming, carbohydrate rich foods in the colder months, partly driven by temperature, reduced daylight and mood [3]. So rather than battling the craving for something cosy, work with it. Think slow cooked soups, roasted root vegetables, warming porridge with cinnamon, a hearty vegetable and lentil stew. Nourishing, comforting, and completely in tune with what your body is asking for.

Movement: warm the body, don't punish it

This is your season for gentle, restorative movement. A brisk walk to warm you up, a slow flow of yoga, a stretch by the window while the sun is out. You really do not need to be pounding the pavement or grinding through a punishing weights session to be doing right by your body. In fact, the science backs the gentler approach beautifully. Yoga has one of the strongest cortisol lowering effects of any type of movement, helping to calm that stress response [4]. And a mindful, meditative walk has been shown to ease anxiety more than a fast, effortful one [5]. So this winter, give yourself full permission to move in a way that warms and soothes rather than depletes.

Sleep and mindset: be kind to yourself

Our mood and energy are so closely tied to sunlight, and with it, our vitamin D. Here in New Zealand our vitamin D levels drop to their lowest point in winter, and women in particular tend to run lower than men [6]. Since vitamin D is thought to help support serotonin activity, that winter dip can nudge our mood down even further [2]. It is worth having a chat with your GP about whether checking your levels or a supplement might be right for you.

And then there is the mindset pillar, which honestly might be the most important of the lot right now. Being kind to yourself is not a soft, fluffy extra. It is genuinely good for your body. Studies show that women who treat themselves with self compassion, rather than harsh judgement, actually have lower stress hormone levels [7]. So every time you swap "what is wrong with me" for "of course I am tired, it is winter, and that is okay," you are literally helping to lower the cortisol running through your body. How lovely is that.

A gentle question to sit with

So here is what I would love for you to do this week. Instead of judging yourself for slowing down, get curious about it. Ask yourself, with kindness rather than criticism, what shifts for me as the seasons change? What is my body quietly asking for? And how can I nourish and support myself through it, rather than push against it?

You are not broken. You are not lazy. You are not failing. You are a living, breathing part of nature, responding to the seasons exactly as you are meant to. So light a candle, pull on the woolly socks, make something warm, and let yourself rest. Spring will come, and you will meet it so much brighter for having let yourself refill your bucket now.

Be gentle with yourself. You are doing beautifully. xx

If you're not feeling like yourself and you'd like some support please reach out to me for a free chat

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References

1. Pfizer. The Science Behind the Winter Blues. https://www.pfizer.com/news/articles/the_science_behind_the_winter_blues

2. National Institute of Mental Health. Seasonal Affective Disorder. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder

3. Bulwer C, et al. Factors explaining seasonal variation in energy intake: a review. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10400769/

4. The Optimal Exercise Modality and Dose for Cortisol Reduction in Psychological Distress: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. PMC, 2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12736704/

5. Examining the impact of combining yoga based breathing techniques with short bouts of walking on state anxiety: findings from two pilot randomised trials. PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12912209/

6. Bpac NZ. Vitamin D supplementation: Navigating the debate. BPJ Issue 36. https://bpac.org.nz/BPJ/2011/june/vitamin-d.aspx

7. Self Compassion is Associated with Improved Well Being and Healthier Cortisol Profiles in Undergraduate Students. Mindfulness, Springer, 2024. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-024-02383-w