The Mid-Winter Slump Is Real: Why This Stretch Feels So Heavy
There’s something unique about this stretch of winter; the part where the holidays are long behind us, spring isn’t quite here, and everything feels…suspended. It’s not the excitement of early winter or the fresh-start energy of January. It’s the long middle and that middle can feel heavy!
The Adrenaline Has Worn Off
Early winter often carries momentum with holiday plans, family gatherings, deadlines to wrap up the year. Heck, even January can bring a sense of reset!
But by mid-to-late winter, the surge of activity and distraction has faded and when your system has been running on output for months, this slower season can expose just how tired you really are.
This is often when you may notice:
A delayed crash in energy
Irritability or emotional sensitivity
Feeling “flat” or unmotivated
A strong desire to hibernate
The Lingering Effects of Limited Light
For many people, the amount and timing of natural light throughout winter can influence how we feel, both physically and emotionally.
Sunlight Helps Regulate Your Body’s Internal Clock
Your circadian rhythm (the internal “24-hour clock”) that helps govern sleep, alertness, appetite, and mood, relies heavily on natural light cues. When daylight is reduced over long stretches, especially in the morning and late afternoon, this internal clock can get out of sync. That can leave you feeling groggy in the morning, foggy during the day, and restless at night, even if you’re technically getting enough sleep.
Light Affects Brain Chemistry Linked to Mood
Shorter daylight hours can also influence the production of key brain chemicals like serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin, which helps regulate mood and emotional wellbeing, may be reduced while melatonin, something that helps regulate sleep, is increased.
The Mood Disorders Society of Canada notes that decreased sunlight exposure across long winter months is one of the biggest contributors to common seasonal mood changes experienced by Canadians.
Even subtle decreases in sunlight over time can affect sleep rhythms, mood regulation, and overall energy. And when outdoor movement and social plans require extra effort, it’s natural to retreat.
The Quiet Pressure to Be Doing More
By this stage of the year, many people start questioning themselves: “Shouldn’t I have more energy by now?”, “Why am I still feeling off?”, and/or “Everyone else seems to be getting back into their groove.”
This phase of winter isn’t a personal failure, it’s a predictable dip. And when we interpret it as something being wrong with us, we add self-criticism to an already depleted system.
Gentle Ways to Push Through the Mid-Winter Slump
You don’t have to overhaul your life to shift how this season feels. Small, intentional adjustments can create meaningful change, especially when your energy is limited.
Lower the Bar (On Purpose)
Mid-winter is not the time for harsh self-improvement plans.
If your energy feels lower, work with that instead of against it. Choose “good enough” over perfect. Focus on the few tasks that truly matter and let the rest wait. Reducing internal pressure often frees up more energy than pushing harder ever could.
Ask yourself: What would feel manageable today?
Anchor Your Day With One Physical Routine
When everything feels monotonous, adding structure can actually create stability, including:
A consistent wake-up time
A short morning stretch
A 10-minute evening wind-down
A daily walk, even if it’s brief
Predictability helps regulate your nervous system and creates a sense of forward movement, even when the season feels stalled.
Get Light Where You Can
Natural light, even in winter, matters, so open the blinds early, sit near windows, and step outside for a few deep breaths, even if it’s cold! You don’t need a long outdoor workout, just exposure, and small doses still count.
Prioritize Connection (Even When You Don’t Feel Like It)
Isolation tends to grow quietly in winter, making a connection can make a big difference. Keeping in mind, this doesn’t have to be a huge, social event, it can be:
A quick coffee with a friend
A phone call
A walk with someone
Sitting in a shared space instead of alone at home
Often, we wait to feel motivated before reaching out, but connection itself is what improves motivation.
Add One Thing That Feels Slightly New
Adding even a small element of novelty can gently wake things up…just enough to interrupt the sameness!
Try a new recipe. Even turning the oven on and adding heat to the kitchen can be motivation to get cooking or baking.
Take a different walking route, may this be on your way to work, on a solo trek, or with your dogs. If they love winter, this could bring your spirits up even more!
Rearrange a room, even slightly, to give a different perspective.
Start a new hobby, may it be from the comfort of home or something that forces you out the door, this will get your brain working in a different (and perhaps lighter) way.