Why Winter Isn’t the Time for New Year’s Resolutions
- Caitlin McKean
- 13 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Every January, we’re encouraged to reset, overhaul our habits and become a “better” version of ourselves. While this message is well intentioned, it often overlooks a simple truth: biologically and psychologically, winter is not designed for peak performance. It is a season of conservation, reflection and restoration.
Across cultures and supported by research into circadian biology and seasonal psychology, winter has long been understood as a time of lower energy expenditure and inward focus (Kreitzman, 2018). When we attempt to force high-pressure goals during this period, the body may respond with fatigue, low motivation and emotional withdrawal rather than meaningful progress.
Winter Is a Time for Hibernation, Not Hustle
Human physiology is deeply influenced by light exposure. During winter, shorter daylight hours affect the circadian system, altering melatonin secretion, sleep–wake rhythms and mood regulation (Walker, 2017). These biological changes naturally encourage longer rest periods, slower pacing and reduced cognitive load.
From an evolutionary perspective, humans adapted to colder months by conserving energy and limiting unnecessary expenditure (Sapolsky, 2017). Although modern life no longer follows seasonal scarcity in the same way, this biological wiring still exists. When productivity culture encourages us to override it, the nervous system often pays the price.
Rather than viewing reduced energy as something to fix, it can be more helpful to recognise it as an adaptive and protective response.
Why You Might Feel Flat, Heavy or Unmotivated
Feeling unmotivated in winter is not a personal failing. It reflects predictable shifts in neurochemistry and nervous system regulation.
Lower exposure to natural sunlight is associated with reduced serotonin turnover in the brain, a neurotransmitter linked with mood, motivation and emotional balance (Lambert et al., 2002). At the same time, prolonged psychological or physiological stress can disrupt normal cortisol rhythms, contributing to fatigue, emotional overwhelm and a sense of heaviness (Chrousos, 2009).
When the pressure of New Year’s resolutions is layered on top of these seasonal changes, stress responses may increase further, pushing the body away from balance rather than towards it.
What to Focus on Instead of Resolutions
Rather than striving for transformation, winter invites nourishment. Research into nervous system regulation suggests that experiences of safety, warmth and gentle connection support parasympathetic activity, which plays a key role in emotional regulation and resilience (Porges, 2011). Slow, intentional practices such as gentle movement, restorative rest and unhurried breathing meet the body where it is, rather than asking it to perform beyond its current capacity.
This approach is not about giving up on goals. It is about creating the internal conditions that support sustainable change when energy naturally rises again.
Planting Seeds, Not Demanding Results
Seasonal psychology highlights that periods of lower activity are essential for creativity, emotional integration and future growth (Kreitzman, 2018). Winter can be viewed as the quiet laboratory of the year - a time for reflection, learning and intention-setting rather than execution.
Replacing rigid resolutions with softer intentions allows for greater psychological flexibility. Self-compassionate approaches have been shown to reduce stress-based self-criticism, which can otherwise inhibit long-term behavioural change (Neff, 2011). When the nervous system feels supported rather than judged, motivation often returns more organically.
A Gentle Reframe for January
If January feels heavy, slow or tender, it does not mean you are falling behind.
It may simply mean your body is responding exactly as it was designed to.
Winter does not ask you to become more.It asks you to be gentle enough to listen.
If a gentler start to the year feels right, you may enjoy our Winter Rebalance Ritual with our Holistic Therapist, Caitlin - a calm, restorative experience designed for the slower rhythm of winter.
Written by Caitlin M.
Holistic Therapist
References
Chrousos, G.P. (2009) ‘Stress and disorders of the stress system’, Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 5(7), pp. 374–381.
Kreitzman, L. (2018) The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living. London: Penguin Life.
Lambert, G.W., Reid, C., Kaye, D.M., Jennings, G.L. and Esler, M.D. (2002) ‘Effect of sunlight and season on serotonin turnover in the brain’, The Lancet, 360(9348), pp. 1840–1842.
Neff, K. (2011) Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself. New York: William Morrow.
Porges, S.W. (2011) The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.
Sapolsky, R.M. (2017) Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst. London: Vintage.
Walker, M. (2017) Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. London: Penguin.
