How Not to Feel Miserable in the Winter

Jan 19, 2026

Today is Blue Monday — aka the ‘most depressing day of the year’, where motivation and mood are at an all-time low. While the statistical validity of Blue Monday is contested, there’s no doubt that late January feels like a slump to many people. The post-holiday blues have set in, winter is in full swing, the days are shorter and colder than ever, and most of us have already given up on our New Year’s resolutions…

This is not to mention the biochemical upheaval we experience in the wintertime. Little to no Vitamin D, almost no outdoor time, gloomier days with less sunlight, longer nights, cold temperatures, lowered immunity. For many of us, this translates into worsened mental health (SAD aka seasonal affective disorder), lower energy, less vitality, weight gain, increased illness, and even autoimmune flares.

But what if I told you that the winter could be the very opposite of that— that instead of feeling seasonally blue, you could feel more invigorated and alive than ever? That instead of feeling tired, you could feel rested and energized? That instead of gaining weight in the winter, you could lose it? That instead of getting sick, your immune system could thrive?

What if everything we’ve been told about winter is wrong?

Here’s the key to thriving this season: don’t fight the winter. Embrace the winter, and winter will embrace you. 

So much of why we suffer in the winter is not because the season is inherently bad or harmful, but because, in contradiction to the needs of our biology, we humans insist on living a summer lifestyle year-round, rather than living dynamically and adapting to the seasons. The concept of seasonal living and adapting our habits and daily routines according to the cycles of nature is so foreign to us—and almost threatening. You mean to tell me that I shouldn’t wake up at the exact same time 365 days a year, follow my very same morning workout routine, make the same morning smoothie with the exact same ingredients, and maintain the exact same working hours?! We’re so accustomed to the safety and predictability of our routines that diverging from them seems unfathomable. And pair that with the capitalist expectation of having the same exact energy levels and bandwidth year-round to produce the very same outputs quarter after quarter, regardless of our physiological needs—and you have a recipe for burnout and full-blown body-wide dysregulation every winter.

The reality is, our DNA expects winter. Our genes are waiting for specific biological signals to activate ‘winter mode’. But because we never provide these clear signals and live out of alignment with the season, our bodies end up in a state of confusion and our health suffers as a result. On the one hand, our bodies sense shorter and colder days with less light; on the other hand, we continue behaving like it’s summer—by blasting ourselves with bright bluelight all day long, eating way past sunset, staying cooped up in heated homes 24/7, maintaining the same sleep schedules, working out just as hard, eating summer-time foods, and foregoing rest and recovery. These mixed signals mean our bodies never receive the right cues to fully adapt to winter, leading to an array of poor health outcomes. Picture a symphony with two conductors leading at two different tempos— what could be a beautiful, harmonious melody turns into a painful, dissonant cacophony of sound.  

As a result, a season that was meant to give our bodies an annual reset instead depletes us even more.

So what can be done? Adapting to winter doesn’t mean giving up on your life—it means making strategic shifts in how you live. This might look like sleeping a little longer, eating warmer, winter-appropriate foods, and moving more gently.

Here’s one small, actionable change you can start with to bring harmony and health to your winter season: embrace the cold. Although you might shudder at the idea, just ask yourself—isn’t it strange that all other animals live outside year-round, braving the elements with seeming ease, while humans stay inside year-round, suffering through the change of seasons despite constant temperature control?

The truth is, you have winter genes that not only expect the cold, but allow you to thrive in the cold. When you strategically expose yourself to cold temperatures, a few things happen. Your brain releases feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, leaving you with increased focus, mental clarity, motivation, and energy. Your brown fat (aka metabolically active fat) is activated, leading to increased metabolism, thermogenesis, and calorie burning. Immune function improves. Inflammation decreases. Mitochondria become more efficient and multiply in number.

And when you’re cold-adapted, your body can switch to thermogenesis more easily, meaning you can generate internal heat with ease and no longer feel like you’re freezing when you’re exposed to cold temperatures.

So this week, try intentionally exposing yourself to the cold in short bursts—whether through a contrast shower or a long walk outside—and see how you feel. You might be surprised.

If you want to optimize your health this winter, book a free consultation to learn how nutritional therapy, circadian medicine, and gut microbiome rehabilitation can help you.

And if you want a part 2 on how to shift your biology for optimal health in the winter, shoot me an email to let me know!