The Sensitive Urge to Hibernate in the Winter
The days are quickly getting shorter and, even though I’m in California and won’t see any snowfall, I can already feel winter approaching. With more cloudy, cool days, by the afternoon I’m ready to hibernate on the couch with a cozy blanket, pumpkin pie, and comfort show! Part of me is excited to slow down and really lean into the natural rhythm of this season, the other part of me is struggling with how quickly everything is changing. How are you feeling?
Feeling Anxiety or a Sign of Relief as Everything Changes
You may love this time of year or feel completely overwhelmed by all the sensory shifts in light, temperature, air, or landscape. Being more attuned to the slightest changes happening around you as a highly sensitive person, it can be a shock to your nervous system to quickly go from hot, long, sunny days to cold days with little sunlight. All of a sudden 5pm feels like 9pm and you may feel a bit disoriented as every part of your day looks and feels differently than it did just a month or so ago.
For some HSPs, the wind or cold temperatures will stir up feelings of anxiety or irritability. Others will feel relieved that the light isn’t so bright and breathe a sigh of relief as your nervous system settles. These emotional responses to your physical environment may feel confusing, exciting, or frustrating. That makes sense, it’s difficult to see a lot of people go about their lives as if nothing has changed while you need time to adjust and digest.
Honoring the Memories + Emotions That Surface
This time of year also brings up feelings of nostalgia for me. My mind pulling up memories of Autumns past. As a kid growing up on the East Coast, seeing the leaves change and feeling the warmth of summer fading meant that the magic of the holidays and snow days were just around the corner! Time I got to spend with my grandparents and forget the stress at home, a balm to my young sensitive soul.
Now as an adult, I love to sink into the slowing down of winter and permission to nestle in at home more. More space to be in my own bubble - journaling, watching movies, doing yoga, daydreaming, cooking, or whatever else I feel called to. This is also my favorite food season with all the warm, nourishing, hearty dishes that are a balm to my sensitive, sometimes anxious nervous system - hence the pumpkin pie!
When you’re highly sensitive, seasonal changes can bring up a wide range of feelings and memories. Your brain is wired to make connections and what’s happening around you can stir up vivid memories of experiences you’ve had in the past. Whether those are positive or difficult memories, whether they happened last year or a lifetime ago, you will feel them very deeply as an HSP. They may even feel as strongly as if they just happened yesterday. For instance, if you lost a loved one in the Fall or Winter, you might notice a flood of grief or anxiety coming up. Give yourself time to process what’s arising - whether that’s through journaling, calling a friend, or scheduling time with your therapist.
Balancing Hibernation and Self-Care
As you can see, seasonal shifts are a big adjustment for sensitive ones - physically and emotionally. You’re likely to notice your overall mood dipping with the fading light. Something I have to be careful about is slipping too far into hibernation mode to a space of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - a type of depression. While it’s important to take more time for rest, contemplation, and decompressing, make sure it’s not at the expense of meeting your basic needs.
This is definitely a struggle for me, as getting cozy in bed feels so good, doesn’t it? Bed is warm, safe, and free from the overstimulation of the world. Too much hibernation and you neglect your other needs for nutrition, movement, connection, and so on which directly affects your mood. How I keep this balance is to have cozy bed time built into my routine during the cold months - an hour or two every night as I wind down for bed, some time in the morning to linger after the alarm goes off, and a half day on the weekends. And some basic self-care routines that I practice most days like going for a walk, getting outside, eating nutritious meals, and staying connected to friends and family.
With the days ending so early and the couch or bed calling your name incessantly, you may have to make some adjustments to take care of yourself. Instead of taking an evening walk after dinner, try going on a short walk after lunch. If you’re not getting enough exposure to natural sunlight and your mood or sleep is suffering, you might consider getting a light therapy lamp. Don’t aim to keep up the same pace of productivity and socializing as you did in the summer months. This is a time of recharging, a time to reflect, but as you lean into slowing down, be careful not to completely power off.
