January has a way of catching people off guard.
The holidays are over. The days are short. And the new year is supposed to be about big goals, yet you feel like hibernating.
That feeling has a name. It is called wintering.
What is wintering?
Wintering means deliberately slowing down during a hard or low energy season. The term was popularized by writer Katherine May in her 2020 book Wintering. She describes it as a fallow period, a time to rest, recover and prepare for what comes next.
Wintering can be literal, the cold months of the year. It can also be personal, like burnout, grief, illness or a big life change.
Either way, the idea is the same. Instead of fighting the slowdown, you work with it.
Chinese medicine has been wintering for centuries
Traditional Chinese medicine has always treated winter as a season for storing energy rather than spending it.
The classic text on seasonal living, the Huangdi Neijing, advises going to bed early and rising late in winter, waiting for the sun. Winter belongs to the Kidney, which is said to store jing, the body's deepest energy reserve.
In other words, winter rest is not laziness. It is maintenance.
Read more in Jing and Winter Kidney Nourishment.
Why January feels so hard
Common winter signs look like this.
- Feeling tired even after a full night of sleep
- Craving warm, heavy food
- Less motivation than you expected for the new year
- Wanting to stay in more
These are signals, not failures. Less daylight affects your internal clock, and the holidays often leave people running on empty.
For some people, the winter dip is more than tiredness. If you feel persistently sad, hopeless or unable to enjoy things for weeks at a time, talk to your doctor. Seasonal affective disorder is common and treatable, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Wintering is a strategy, not giving up
Wintering does not mean doing nothing. It means choosing what deserves your energy.
Protect your evenings
Earlier nights are the simplest way to rebuild. Adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep, and winter is a good time to aim for the upper end.
Eat warm and simple
Soups, stews and congee are gentle on digestion and easy to make in batches. See Warming Foods for Winter for ideas.
Move gently
Swap intense workouts for walks, stretching, yoga or qigong. You still move, you just stop draining yourself.
Repeat what works
Consistency matters more than intensity. A short daily routine you enjoy beats an ambitious plan you drop by February.
Get outside in daylight
Even 15 minutes of morning light helps your body keep time.
Reframe your winter goals
Instead of "new year, new me," try goals that fit the season.
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| Work out every day | Walk most days |
| Cut out all sugar | Add one warm, home cooked meal a day |
| Wake up at 5am | Go to bed 30 minutes earlier |
| Overhaul everything | Pick one habit and keep it |
Simple support for the season
A pot of herbal soup is one of the easiest wintering habits. The Chinese Herbal Broth and Soup Mix for Revitalization and the Herbal Broth Bundle make it simple.
For a full daily routine, read our Winter Wellness Guide.
Sources
- National Institute of Mental Health. Seasonal Affective Disorder. nimh.nih.gov
- Sleep Foundation. How Much Sleep Do You Need? sleepfoundation.org
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency. nhlbi.nih.gov
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Qigong, What You Need To Know. nccih.nih.gov
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.