‘Plants and animals don’t fight the winter; they don’t pretend it’s not happening and attempt to carry on living the same lives that they lived in the summer. They prepare. They adapt. They perform extraordinary acts of metamorphosis to get them through. Winter is a time of withdrawing from the world… but that’s where the transformation occurs.’
Katherine May’s words in the opening chapter of Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times are a beautiful reminder that winter isn’t the end of a lifecycle. It’s a period of quiet transformation that makes space for spring renewal. Or, at least, it is in the natural world. For humans, there’s often a pressure to grind through winter maintaining the same pace as other seasons. But it is possible to embrace more of a hibernation mindset – one that treats winter as a time to slow down, rest and restore.
The hibernation effect
Hibernation is often understood as animals entering a months-long state of deep sleep, but it’s more dynamic than that. The body does enter a state of reduced metabolic activity (slower heart rate and lower body temperature, for example), but it’s not a continuous state. Many animals cycle in and out, experiencing brief periods in which normal physiological processes resume. In other words, hibernation isn’t a total ‘off switch’ – it’s a flexible survival strategy that allows animals to conserve energy over the winter months.
Interestingly, hibernation appears to impact health and longevity. Research from The Royal Society suggests that hibernation is associated with ‘slow life histories’ – which, in evolutionary biology terms, means delayed maturity and longer lifespans. Other studies show that hibernation may preserve cells, influence gene expression in ways that protect tissues and slow ageing in some animals.
It’s important to note that there are many factors that impact longevity in animals, and plenty of non-hibernating animals live long lives. However, we also know that sleep is connected to longevity in humans. ‘Sleep loss and sleep disturbances are a contributor to early disease onset and shortened survival,’ says Dr Allie Hare, a consultant in sleep medicine at Royal Brompton Hospital, London. She continues, ‘Sleep is key for the optimal function of all of our organs and organ systems. In particular our brain (during sleep, particularly slow wave sleep, our brain’s waste removal system is 60 per cent more active), our cardiovascular system and our immune system require sleep to function correctly.’
Winter slumber
It’s unrealistic for people to snooze through winter like bears, but until relatively recently, humans had their own way of adapting to the dark season. This often meant working shorter days (especially in pre-industrial times and agricultural communities) and spending more time indoors gathered around the hearth. Winter was a season with its own distinct, slow rhythm. That is, until artificial light and work culture flattened seasons into one constant.
Allie says that artificial light on dark winter evenings can be especially disruptive: ‘In fact, a recent study showed significant impacts on both sleep and health, from even low levels of light exposure at night.’ On top of this, fewer daylight hours can lead to feeling more tired. Allie explains, ‘During winter, when we have less [natural] light exposure, particularly in the morning, the body produces melatonin, the hormone which signals to our body that it is time to sleep, earlier. Studies have shown that the beginning of the biological night and sleep occur earlier during winter, and individuals can therefore feel more lethargic in winter.’ However, Allie notes that ‘total sleep need does not increase during winter’.
The shorter days can also have a significant impact on mood. ‘Seasonal low mood, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is linked to reduced light exposure, particularly during the winter months,’ says Allie. Life coach and psychotherapist Karin Peeters agrees that some people can find winter particularly hard: ‘For some, the colder, darker season is not just a “winter blues” or a temporary low level of energy. If you suffer from SAD, it can be a debilitating condition that affects your daily life, your energy levels and your emotional, physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.’
Whether you suffer from SAD or simply find winter to be a slog, what could a hibernation mindset look like, within the confines of modern life?
Realistic hibernation
Firstly, Karin says, ‘It’s okay to find winter really hard.’ Rather than beating yourself up for feeling sluggish, accept that you may need to make more space for rest.
‘Give yourself permission to not be constantly productive,’ Karin advises. ‘Rest isn’t a luxury, it’s essential for growth and wellbeing. We’re not a machine that can continue to operate on high levels of activity… In that way we end up in a hamster-wheel, doing-doing for the sake of it. Stepping back gives an opportunity to reflect if you’re still on the right path. And slowing down brings new insights and inspiration.’
While Karin believes that ‘saying “yes” to yourself and therefore at times “no” to others is an important skill all year around’, she acknowledges that ‘winter is a natural time to step back and slow down, recharging your energy levels’. So, just as nature turns inwards during winter, you might also find it helpful to shift the focus inwards – bringing awareness to how you feel and what you need. Do you really want to maintain the same social calendar, for example? Which activities restore your energy levels? Which items on the to-do list can be gently pared back? Which routines could be modified for the winter months?
Mindfulness is a useful tool for turning inwards. ‘Mindful awareness can be as simple as taking stock and checking in with yourself to see how you’re really feeling,’ says Karin. ‘A helpful tool is to measure the charge in your battery: what percentage are you at (zero per cent meaning empty, and 100 per cent being fully energised)? Or think of it as a traffic light: is your energy level or mood in the green, amber or red zone?’
Quiet work
Ultimately, winter is an opportunity to examine your relationship with rest and productivity, and think about what you could learn from animals who hibernate. A simple starting point is to ask what could be adapted this winter – perhaps in terms of routines, expectations or rituals – to align more with a hibernation mindset.
Of course, with rest often comes guilt. You’re being lazy. You’re not getting enough done. This is selfish. You haven’t ‘earned’ this break. Karin recommends journalling as a way to notice and shift this narrative. ‘A mindful journalling exercise to soften the inner critic is to allow yourself free rein for three pages. Then stop, breathe, take a moment to let that settle. Then with an attitude of gentle curiosity, perhaps take a pen or pencil of a different colour and re-read your writing. Circle or underline anywhere in your words where that critical voice shows up. Notice the words you use, the tone of voice, the overall nature of the critic. Just notice, judgment-free if you can.’ Simply observing when your inner critic is speaking can lessen its hold on you.
In our always-on culture, where being busy is a badge of honour, hibernation might sound frivolous. Extreme, even. As Katherine May says in Wintering, ‘Doing those deeply unfashionable things – slowing down, letting your spare time expand, getting enough sleep, resting – is a radical act now, but it is essential.’ It may require you to reflect, rethink expectations and perhaps redraw a few boundaries, but it is possible to approach winter as a deeply restorative season. After all, from this time of stillness comes the energy of spring.
Claire Ruston is a British writer living in Bulgaria who writes about slow living, growing food and cooking at auntiebulgaria.substack.com
Dr Allie Hare is a consultant in sleep medicine at Royal Brompton Hospital, London. Find her at thesleepspecialist.co.uk.
Karin Peeters is a life coach and psychotherapist. Find her at vitaliscoaching.com