Are you actually more tired in the winter? Research says yes.
It doesn’t take much to make staying in bed longer seem more appealing than usual during this season. And then there are the evenings, too, when you find yourself drifting off while reading, only to discover that it’s 8:02 p.m. You’ve likely read the standard advice for staying energized and motivated through winter, from taking vitamin D supplements to using sunrise alarms and pocket hand-warmers. But what’s exactly happening to your body when winter arrives? Are humans, like so many mammals, prone to wanting to hibernate? Is it all in your head?
Laura Kunces, Ph.D, R.D., C.S.S.D., the Vice President of Medical Strategy at Thorne (an Equinox Circle partner), argues it’s an interesting balance of mind, body, and culture — one that affects each individual in different ways. “There is a ton of research on the effects of winter in humans,” she says. “And what we see is that weather, environment, and health are not only closely related; they play huge roles in influencing each other.”
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While the causes vary, Kunces says there are ways to bring yourself back into balance. Here’s the science behind what’s happening and how you can adapt your routine and lifestyle to offset it — because winter is coming.
Your Body in the Winter
When it comes to the body’s physical reaction to winter, Kunces says it’s more of a question of what winter doesn’t affect. “The cold, dry air, the long, dark nights, and lack of sunshine affect so many normal physiological processes you may not even think of,” she says. “Things like blood pressure and heart rate, breathing (rate and depth), eyesight, immune function — and how those then affect things like mental health, risk for chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, or circulation function — plus cold-related issues like hypothermia and frostbite and even our susceptibility to injuries or longer recovery times.”
Then, there are the chemical changes. The body depends on circadian rhythms, which inevitably change in the winter thanks to shorter days. “The thesis of being more tired in the winter has been well validated and the root cause tends to circle back to circadian rhythm — or your internal clock,” she says. “With the changes in daylight and darkness, your body tends to produce more melatonin, the hormone that helps you fall asleep. All the while, you may be deficient in other nutrients that affect energy, metabolism, and mood.”
Your Mind in the Winter
In recent years, researchers have come to know much more about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression that ebbs and flows according to the season. It’s now estimated that roughly five percent of the population experiences SAD from the start of fall and through winter (up to 40 percent of the year) but that up to 10 to 20 percent of people experience at least mild SAD symptoms each year. And, while researchers aren’t yet sure why, SAD affects women in greater numbers than men.
“Appropriately abbreviated, SAD symptoms are not surprising,” says Kunces. “Many people experience moodiness, feelings of exhaustion despite not doing much, anxiety or depression, withdrawal from activities or friends, low self-esteem and self-doubt, cravings for quick-energy carbohydrates, weight gain, oversleeping, difficulty concentrating, low libido, and irritability.”
But Kunces says you should not assume your fatigue is SAD, simply because you’re experiencing mood changes that overlap with a change in season. "While some people absolutely are affected by SAD, it is important to have comprehensive physiological testing done because many of these symptoms can be caused by something else, too.”
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There are a number of other causes you may not have considered — again, not unlike the numerous ways winter affects the physical body.
“People tend to be more sedentary in the colder, darker months which can exacerbate feeling tired and sad,” Kunces says. “Cold, dark weather can also thicken your blood while constricting blood vessels and pulling circulation to the core to keep the body warm. This changes the amount of oxygen pumped throughout the body and can make some feel even more tired. We also tend to lose significant water through the skin in cold, dry air, and hydration can play a role in circulation, mood, temperature control, and metabolism.”
Your Skin in the Winter
Finally, here’s a type of winter exhaustion you might not expect: Skin gets more fatigued, too. “You have to think about skin health in the winter months, too, because winter weather dries out skin and leaves it more likely to show wrinkles than in the summer,” says Kunces. “This is due to the low humidity and moisture in the air and harsh, cold winds.”
How to Cope
Kunces says there are several ways to offset normal winter fatigue but reiterates that if you’ve been feeling off lately, don’t assume it’s the weather. “I suggest a full workup to uncover the root cause. Know your numbers!” she says.
That’s especially true for women, she adds, as some research suggests that winter also affects hormones and certain hormonal imbalances can cause symptoms similar to SAD symptoms. “Test your hormones regularly, so that when winter rolls around, you have a baseline to know how that season influences you,” Kunces says. “There is research to show that yes, winter can affect numerous women’s health hormones including thyroid, but everyone is different and so many other factors can play a role in how well your body responds to the changes in seasons: diet and supplementation, exercise routine, lifestyle factors like social circle interactions, stress control, alcohol consumption, the status of your gut microbiome, and more.”
If you’re feeling relatively good but admittedly could use a little bump of energy for the darker days ahead, Kunces recommends a few best practices:
Eat plenty of fibrous foods.
“The gut microbiome will make serotonin and regulate many other processes in the body relating to immune function, mood, energy, and overall health, so the more optimized the gut is, the better for your health,” she says.
Experiment with light therapy.
“Preferably when you wake up to help sync your internal clock,” says Kunces, recommending aiming for around 30 minutes a day, if you can.
Add supplements as needed.
“Consider supplements like vitamin D and those that combat reactive oxygen species, like antioxidants (vitamins C and E) and glutathione, and B vitamins for energy,” she says.
Finally, collagen supplementation can support hydration, elasticity, and skin strength.
Kunces recommends Thorne’s Collagen Plus, which she says, also contains nicotinamide riboside to support mitochondrial function and plant extracts to support hydration, elasticity, and skin tone.
When in doubt, Kunces says you should go back to the basics — with consistency. “Focus on getting a good quality of sleep and try to set a schedule and routine. Maintaining a routine at night and in the morning will help you stay on a schedule. Keep an optimal bedroom temperature. Don't overcompensate for fatigue with caffeine or alcohol. Try to get some outside time during the day if possible.
And if you’re still tired, she says, don’t underestimate the power of a short nap.
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