January Isn't The Problem

January Isn't The Problem

Every January ushers in the deafening chaos of emails, posts, texts, ads, and videos all beating the same drum: New year - Boom. New you - Boom. New energy - Boom. Go. Go. Go.

And every year I know deep down that I'm not ready. My body, my mind - my soul - is too tired to run at full tilt. But I ignore my truth because hustle culture is strong and, to be honest, I run on fear of failure and pure adrenaline. But the truth is JANUARY IS STILL WINTER!   

There's no newness here. There's no beginning; except of course a man-made one that doesn't quite sit right in my bones.

Because January is still winter.

The light is low. The days are short. Our bodies are tired. And yet we’re told to sprint. To set goals, overhaul habits, optimize ourselves into something shinier and more productive.

It’s exhausting. And it’s biologically out of sync.

This season isn’t meant for blooming. It’s meant for hibernation, rest, and repair. Spring will arrive soon enough. For now, the most radical thing you can do is stay slow, stay quiet, and release the guilt that tells you something is wrong with you for needing rest.

Humans Don’t Hibernate but We Do Need to Winter

(yes, I have now changed 'winter' into a verb)

We like to pretend we’re separate from nature. But we’re not. Seasonal changes affect us just as surely as they affect all the plants and animals we share this earth with. Research shows that during winter months, many people experience lower energy levels, increased sleep needs, reduced motivation for high-intensity tasks, and a natural pull toward solitude and reflection. 

In other words - "Leave me alone and let me sleep!" 

Anthropologists and historians have long noted that pre-industrial cultures slowed dramatically in winter. Food was stored. Work was minimal. Storytelling, mending, and quiet domestic rituals took precedence.

What changed all that? Why, capitalism, of course.

Modern hustle culture ignores seasonal rhythms entirely, pushing a constant productivity model that keeps us in a perpetual stress response - especially in January, when expectations for improvement, resolutions, goal setting, and even productivity following the holiday season are highest and energy is often lowest. What a horrible equation!

The Science Behind Winter Rest and Recovery

While we don’t hibernate in the technical sense, research in chronobiology shows that our bodies still respond to reduced daylight on some really important levels. Shorter days influence:

  • Melatonin production, increasing sleepiness

  • Serotonin levels, affecting mood and motivation

  • Circadian rhythms, shifting energy patterns

We also know that energy is cyclical, not calendar-based. Within that cycle, studies on seasonal physiology suggest that winter is the natural period for conservation rather than expansion. When we fight that rhythm by forcing intensity, performance, and constant output at the coldest, darkest time of the year we create guilt along with that lovely little stress hormone, cortisol. 

Chronic cortisol elevation has been linked to:

  • Weakened immune response

  • Poor sleep quality

  • Increased anxiety and burnout

  • Inflammation and long-term health risks

In other words, pushing through winter doesn’t make you stronger.
It makes you depleted.

Five Benefits of Slow, Low-Stimulation Activities

Here’s the part hustle culture doesn’t like to talk about: slow activities are not unproductive. They are deeply restorative.

Research into stress reduction and nervous system regulation consistently shows that low-stimulation, analog activities help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, the part responsible for rest, digestion, and repair.

These activities tend to rank highest for winter wellbeing because they: 

  • Lower cortisol levels
  • Improve emotional regulation
  • Support immune health
  • Encourage present-moment awareness

  • Reduce mental fatigue

Unlike high-intensity workouts or constant screen use, slow activities work with winter energy instead of against it.

What Activities Are Best for Winter Rest?

Think of this as the season for tending. We are creating softness, comfort, and ease so we have space for restoring our health and energy.

Here are activities that research and lived experience consistently rank as most supportive during winter months (especially January):

Puzzling

But of course. Because this hobby is focused, tactile, and deeply grounding. Jigsaw puzzles engage the brain without overstimulation, helping quiet mental noise while gently boosting mood and cognitive health.

Reading (Especially Fiction)

Reading lowers heart rate and muscle tension, offering an immersive escape that doesn’t demand output or performance.

Journaling or Reflective Writing

Winter naturally encourages introspection. Writing helps process thoughts, regulate emotions, and reduce anxiety without pressure to “fix” anything.

Gentle Movement

Think stretching, slow walks, yoga, or mobility work—not boot camps. These support circulation and mood without draining energy reserves.

Handcrafts and Analog Hobbies

Knitting, drawing, baking, mending—activities that use the hands send calming signals to the brain and foster a sense of quiet accomplishment.

Restorative Evenings

Early nights, candlelight, warm meals, limited screens. These small choices support melatonin production and deeper rest.

Pause on the self-improvement and let's focus on self love for a little while.

Stay Slow. Stay Quiet. Spring Will Come.

To sum it all up, in my humble opinion, January doesn’t need reinvention, resolutions, promises, goals, or pressure. It needs permission. The permission to rest, to stay quiet, and choose what feels right.

Spring will arrive whether you hustle or not. For now, settle in.

Back to blog