As the mornings get darker and the temperature drops, it’s worth thinking about how we can adapt our routines to support our physical and mental wellbeing.
Here are a few things I’d recommend.
1. Invest in bright light
Get a daylight therapy lamp that provides 10,000 lux.
Natural daylight plays an important role in regulating our circadian rhythm, helping us feel awake in the morning and supporting our sleep later in the evening.
Ideally, get outside for natural light within the first hour of waking. However, when that’s not possible during the darker winter months, a bright light therapy lamp can be a useful alternative.
2. Start your day with light movement
Consider investing in a walking mat and doing 10–20 minutes of low-intensity walking, ideally alongside your morning light exposure.
This is a wonderful way to replicate some of the benefits of an outdoor morning walk when the weather or lack of daylight makes getting outside less appealing.
Gentle movement helps increase circulation, body temperature and alertness. Combined with morning light, it can support your body’s natural waking rhythm.
You don’t need to start every morning with an intense workout. Sometimes, simply moving is enough.
3. Don’t pick up your phone
Write a to-do list, listen to music, read a book, make yourself a coffee. Anything but immediately opening Instagram.
During the winter, some of us experience a natural decline in mood and energy.
Reaching for instant stimulation through social media might feel rewarding, but it can also encourage distraction before the day has even begun.
This reminds me of Caitlin Moran’s How to Be Hopeful, which explores how we can reclaim a sense of optimism by stepping away from the constant noise of social media..
One of the ideas I particularly like is that hope isn’t necessarily something we passively feel, but something we can actively cultivate through small, everyday choices.
During the darker months, when motivation might be harder to come by, perhaps it’s these little rituals that matter most. Reading a few pages, listening to music, getting outside or simply being present.
4. Find new ways to enjoy your hobbies
Long bike rides, sunny seafront walks and evening runs might become less doable as winter approaches. But this is a wonderful opportunity to explore different forms of movement.
Pilates, yoga, strength training and indoor conditioning can all provide something to work towards during the colder months. I’ve recently been thinking about Katherine May’s book Wintering, which explores the importance of accepting periods of rest and reduced productivity.
The book draws parallels between the natural world and our own lives, encouraging us to recognise that not every season needs to be one of growth and achievement.
I think this is particularly relevant to our relationship with exercise. We’re often encouraged to keep progressing, getting stronger, running faster and constantly improving. But perhaps winter offers an opportunity to reconsider what progress actually looks like.
Maintaining your fitness, finding enjoyment in gentler movement or simply allowing yourself more recovery can be equally worthwhile. Just as nature moves through periods of growth and dormancy, we can give ourselves permission to do the same.
That said, after such a hot summer, there’s also plenty to appreciate about training in cooler temperatures. Those hard running sessions can suddenly feel much more manageable without the summer heat. This brings me to something I think is particularly important: gratitude and appreciation.
It takes a conscious effort to find the positives in winter, especially if you’re someone who thrives during the warmer months. But actively looking for things to enjoy can help reframe a season that might otherwise feel like something to simply endure.
5. Lean into changes in your appetite
Summer often brings natural changes in our eating habits. You might have noticed a reduced appetite, a preference for lighter meals or less interest in carbohydrates. As the temperature drops, you may find yourself gravitating towards warmer, heartier meals. Don’t automatically interpret this as a loss of discipline.
Our appetite is influenced by a variety of factors, including activity levels, sleep, temperature and our environment. Rather than fighting these changes, consider how you can nourish yourself through the colder months. Think warming porridge, hearty soups, stews, seasonal vegetables, potatoes, grains and home-cooked meals. Continue prioritising whole foods, sufficient protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats, but don’t feel that every season needs to revolve around changing your body composition.
For some of us, winter might be a good opportunity to shift our attention away from fat loss and towards feeling well fuelled, healthy and resilient. Eating enough to support your training, recovery and immune function is important all year round.
6. Don’t forget vitamin D
During autumn and winter in the UK, sunlight isn’t strong enough for our bodies to produce sufficient vitamin D. Vitamin D plays an important role in maintaining healthy bones, muscles and normal immune function. I recommend you start supplementing from October onwards.
Final thoughts
We spend so much time trying to maintain the same routines and expectations throughout the year. But our environment changes considerably with the seasons, so perhaps our approach to health and fitness should have some flexibility too.
Winter doesn’t have to be a period of lost motivation or simply waiting for spring. It can be an opportunity to slow down and discover different ways to move and appreciate things we might overlook during the busier summer months. Work with the season, not against it.