Wintering for Wellbeing

Catherine Lawson

As autumn arrives in a blaze of rustic reds and burnished golds, I’m reminded of the beauty that comes with slowing down. Having nurtured new growth in spring and burst into full bounteous bloom in summer, the natural world is finally exhaling before hunkering down for winter; a much-needed time of rest and recovery before the cycle begins again. Unlike us humans, the natural world knows what it’s doing when it comes to playing, and surviving, the long game. We really should take a leaf out of Mother Nature’s book.

The term ‘wintering,’ made popular by Katherine May’s book of the same name, embraces the concept of accepting periods of rest and recovery in our own lives, whether linked to the seasons or not. The winters we face may be literal or metaphorical but either way there is much to be gained from actively accepting the colder, darker moments in our lives in order to thrive in the long term. It’s in the avoidance of those moments, and the denial of our own personal winters, that we create the conditions for longer term ills. In short: it pays to slow down.

For some, slowing down is akin to hibernating and let’s be honest, who doesn’t feel that urge when autumn arrives? In rhythm with the seasons and the natural world around us, we instinctively want to sleep more; eat warming, comforting, stodgier foods; close the curtains and turn up the heating. With the natural light starting to go and the temperatures beginning to dip our bodies, thrown off by the change, we produce more melatonin (the sleep hormone) than usual, leaving us feeling tired, lethargic and curled up on the couch under a blanket. It’s natural and yet we resist that internal nudge, choosing instead to forge ahead with our all-year-round routine regardless of what our hard-wired seasonal (circannual) rhythms expect. We do the same when faced with circumstantial changes; illness, grief, trauma, burnout and so on. These ‘winters’ in our lives may not be linked to the seasons but they are transformational nonetheless and require us to shift gear in order to survive and consequently thrive. Ignoring them and keeping that all-year-round spring pace going can leave us out of sync and dysregulated in body, mind and soul. Welcoming our winters can therefore do wonders for our wellbeing.

Embracing hygge, the Danish art of getting cosy, is one way to bring wintering into our lives. As a philosophy it’s all about slowing down; spending time with loved ones; focusing on simple pleasures like good books and conversation; allowing time for reflection, shutting out the overstimulation of modern life in favour of quiet, low-lit spaces and getting cosy by the fire with hot drinks, blankets and good wholesome food. In doing this and allowing ourselves to commit to a period of rest and recovery we replenish our stores for what lies ahead. It’s self-care at its finest and the impact can be profound.

Through wintering we connect on a deep level to ourselves by listening to those internal nudges and giving our bodies what they need: time, space and the conditions to rest and recover. We connect to those around us by shutting out external distractions and modern-day pressures, choosing instead to talk, to listen and to just be with the people who matter most. And if our wintering is seasonal we connect to nature, matching our rhythm to the world around us by letting go, looking inward and resting so we’re ready to emerge refreshed again with the first fresh shoots of spring.

There is bliss to be found in accepting winter as the transformational gift that it is; a gift which lets us take a moment to find ourselves again. So batten down the hatches, light that log fire and settle in for those long, slow days and cosy nights. I’ll see you again in spring…