Why your body may be asking for rest, not resolution?
January often arrives with a loud message.
New goals. New energy. New productivity.
But when we look to the natural world, a very different rhythm is unfolding.
Bears are deep in hibernation, conserving energy rather than spending it.
Plants and trees appear dormant, resting underground, storing resources for the months ahead.
Light is scarce. Days are shorter. Growth pauses.
Nature is not beginning again.
It is resting.
And yet as humans, we often expect ourselves to do the opposite.
We are part of nature, not separate from it.
We tend to forget that we are nature too.
Our bodies evolved in response to daylight, seasons, and environmental cues. For most of human history, winter meant less light, less activity, and more time indoors. There was naturally less “doing.”
Today, electric lighting allows us to push through darkness as if nothing has changed. Screens glow late into the evening. Workdays remain long. Expectations stay high.
But the body hasn’t caught up with this shift.
Internally, many systems are still responding to winter as a time of slowing down.
What science tells us about winter and the body.
There is growing scientific understanding that seasonal changes genuinely affect human physiology.
Research into circadian rhythms shows that reduced daylight impacts the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep and rest cycles. Longer nights increase melatonin levels, which naturally makes us feel sleepier and less energised.
Studies also show that lower light exposure can influence serotonin levels, affecting mood and motivation. This is why some people experience Seasonal Affective Disorder, but even without clinical SAD, many notice lower energy and a stronger need for rest during winter months.
From a nervous system perspective, winter is associated with a natural shift toward parasympathetic activity, the part of the nervous system linked to restoration, digestion, and repair. Pushing constant productivity during this phase can contribute to fatigue, burnout, and dysregulation.
In simple terms, your body may be doing exactly what it’s designed to do.
The cost of not listening.
When we override these natural rhythms, we often interpret the body’s signals as a problem.
“I should be more motivated.”
“I’m behind.”
“Everyone else seems to be getting on with it.”
But fatigue, heaviness, and the urge to withdraw are not signs of failure. They are feedback.
Just as bears don’t push through hibernation and trees don’t force leaves in January, our systems function best when rest is honoured rather than resisted.
Ignoring this can show up as:
- persistent tiredness
- increased sensitivity and overwhelm
- lowered immunity
- difficulty concentrating
- emotional flattening or irritability
None of these mean something is wrong with you.
They often mean something is being ignored.
A quieter way to begin the year.
Slowing down doesn’t mean stopping altogether. It means adjusting expectations to match the season.
This might look like:
- doing fewer things, but with more presence
- allowing rest without needing to earn it
- choosing restoration over reinvention
- listening to what your body is asking for before deciding what comes next
Spring will arrive on its own. Growth always returns.
But winter is not something to rush through.
It is a necessary part of the cycle.
When we allow ourselves to rest with it, rather than fight against it, we often find that clarity, energy, and direction emerge naturally, without force.
You are not out of rhythm.
You are in it.