January arrives quietly in the natural world, yet loudly in our lives.
Outside, everything slows. Trees are bare, animals hibernate, and the landscape rests under shorter days and longer nights. Yet culturally, January is often framed as a moment to accelerate. New goals. New habits. Immediate action. Full speed ahead.
At FINDRA, we take a different view.
We believe January is not a starting gun but a settling in. A time to align with nature and the seasons, to accept the lack of daylight and the instinctive pull towards warmth, rest, and reflection. A time to re-centre, to care for our own health and wellbeing, and to plan gently rather than push relentlessly.
Because not everything needs to be actioned immediately.
When slowing down feels hard
For those of us who love the outdoors, this time of year can feel particularly challenging.
We are people who draw energy from the hills, the trails, the water, and the changing seasons. We notice the light. We feel the weather shift. We long for longer days and that first hint of spring warmth. So being patient in winter doesn’t always come easily.
There can be a quiet frustration in watching the days remain short, in heading out and returning home in the dark, or in accepting that our energy doesn’t quite match the enthusiasm we feel for getting outside. The desire to move, explore, and adventure is still there, but the conditions and our bodies ask us to temper it.
Slowing down in January isn’t about losing that connection to nature. It’s about deepening it.
Winter teaches patience. It reminds us that rest is part of the cycle, not a pause between the “important” bits. The outdoors is still there, even if we experience it differently. Short walks instead of long days. Gentle movement instead of pushing limits. Observation instead of conquest.
Why does winter ask us to slow down
In a recent Time magazine article by Rachel Bearn, author of A Year to Slow Down, titled “We Don’t Need New Year’s Resolutions. We Need Rest,” she opens with a line that resonated deeply with us:
“In this darkest, bleakest, and coldest time of the year, in which the rest of the natural world is hibernating, we are… going to the gym?”
She goes on to reference research from Charité Medical University of Berlin, which found that people generally sleep at least an hour more in winter, including around 30 minutes more REM sleep. Our bodies are biologically asking for rest.
Despite this, many of us try to override these signals by flooding our days with artificial light, packed schedules, and pressure to perform. Studies suggest this can disrupt sleep, affect mood, and even impact cardiovascular health.
So why do we push so hard for self-improvement at a time when our bodies and the season itself are encouraging restoration?
Much of it comes down to conditioning rather than intuition. We live in a culture that celebrates constant momentum, productivity, and visible progress, where slowing down can feel like falling behind. January amplifies this, framing rest as something to overcome rather than something to respect. Yet our bodies are wired differently. Seasonal changes in light and temperature have always shaped how humans live, move, and rest, long before modern calendars and goal-setting frameworks existed. When we ignore these natural cues, we often end up disconnected from ourselves, pushing through fatigue instead of listening to it. Understanding this tension between cultural expectation and biological need is where the idea of circadian rhythms becomes so important, helping us reconnect with the internal clock that quietly guides our energy, sleep, and wellbeing throughout the year.
Understanding circadian rhythms
Your circadian rhythm is your internal 24-hour clock. It regulates sleep and wake cycles, hormone release, body temperature, digestion, and energy levels. Light is its strongest cue. Natural daylight in the morning signals your body to wake up and produce cortisol, while darkness in the evening triggers melatonin, preparing you for rest.
In winter, especially here in Scotland, daylight is limited. Late sunrises and early sunsets naturally shift our circadian rhythm, encouraging longer sleep and slower mornings. This isn’t a lack of motivation. It’s biology.
When we ignore these signals and try to operate as though it’s midsummer, we can feel constantly tired, low in mood, or out of sync with ourselves. January offers an opportunity to notice these patterns rather than fight them.
Working with your rhythm, not against it
Rather than forcing productivity, winter invites us to observe and adapt.
You might notice you feel most alert later in the morning, or that evenings feel heavier and better suited to rest. You may crave warming food, quieter social plans, and more time indoors. For outdoor lovers, this can feel like resistance, but it’s actually recalibration.
Supporting your circadian rhythm in January might look like:
- Getting outside in daylight when you can, even briefly
- Accepting slower starts to the day
- Reducing harsh artificial light in the evenings
- Prioritising sleep without guilt
- Choosing gentler outdoor adventures
This isn’t about doing less forever. It’s about doing what fits the season you are in.
Planning without pressure
January doesn’t need to be a month of hard resets and relentless goal setting. Instead, it can be a space for reflection and quiet preparation.
This is a powerful time to review the year gone by, to think about what nourishes you, and to gently imagine the adventures ahead. Not with rigid deadlines or overflowing to-do lists, but with patience and care.
Like nature, much of the real work happens beneath the surface.
The FINDRA way
At FINDRA, we believe rest is not something to earn. It is something to honour.
Winter is a season of hygge in its truest sense: warmth, comfort, softness, and connection. It’s layering up, lighting candles, pulling closer to home, and trusting that slowing down now allows us to show up stronger later.
The long days will return. The hills will feel lighter. The trails will stretch further. For now, this season asks for patience.
And sometimes, especially for those who love the outdoors most, that is the hardest and most important lesson of all.
Sunday Inspiration
Favourite Book
Change your Schedule, Change Your Life - Dr Suhas Kshirsagar
Dr Suhas Kshirsagar’s Change Your Schedule, Change Your Life is a book that explores how our wellbeing is deeply tied to natural rhythms, not just goals or willpower.
Favourite Quote
Favourite Song
There’s something quietly grounding about White Winter Hymnal, a song that sits comfortably with winter’s stillness.
