How to Winter Series | Week 2
What if winter isn't asking us to do more, but inviting us to do less?
Welcome to Week 2 of our How to Winter series, inspired by Kari Leibowitz's book, How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days.
Last week, we explored how our expectations influence our experience of winter.
This week, we're turning our attention to something I suspect many of us struggle with.
Rest.
More specifically, giving ourselves permission to rest without feeling guilty about it.
In Chapter 2, "Leaning In, Lying Down," Leibowitz explores how winter's shorter days and quieter rhythms offer an opportunity to reconsider our relationship with productivity, rest, and seasonal living.
As someone who often equates productivity with accomplishment, I found this chapter particularly meaningful.
Are We Fighting Our Natural Rhythms?
Look around at the natural world during winter.
Trees shed their leaves. Plants become dormant. Some animals migrate, while others conserve energy or enter periods of hibernation or torpor.
Nature doesn't maintain the same level of activity throughout the year.
Yet we often expect ourselves to do exactly that.
Our work schedules, responsibilities, and expectations remain relatively constant, regardless of whether it's June or January.
We expect the same productivity, energy, and enthusiasm even as daylight hours decrease.
Leibowitz raises an interesting question: What if some of our winter discomfort comes not from the season itself, but from our resistance to adapting to it?
Research discussed in the book suggests that sleep patterns may change seasonally. One study found that participants experienced approximately 30 additional minutes of REM sleep during winter compared with summer.
This doesn't prove that everyone needs an extra half hour of sleep in winter, but it raises interesting questions about how seasonal changes influence our physiology.
Perhaps feeling somewhat sleepier during winter isn't always a problem to solve.
Sometimes, it may be an invitation to adjust our routines.
Growth Versus Maintenance
One of my favorite concepts from this chapter is the distinction between growth and maintenance.
Our culture places tremendous value on growth.
We celebrate accomplishments, progress, expansion, and achievement.
But what about maintenance?
Maintenance is the work required to preserve and sustain what already exists.
Think about maintaining our homes, relationships, physical health, and emotional well-being.
These activities may not feel as exciting as pursuing something new, but they're essential.
And yet, maintenance often receives far less recognition.
Leibowitz encourages us to consider winter as a season when maintenance deserves greater attention.
Instead of continually asking, "What else can I accomplish?" perhaps we could ask:
"What needs care and nourishment right now?"
That might mean protecting our sleep, preparing nourishing meals, reconnecting with friends, or simply creating more breathing room in our schedules.
Winter can remind us that not every season needs to be focused on expansion.
Some seasons are for sustaining what matters.
Why Do We Feel Guilty About Rest?
This question really resonated with me.
Why is it that we can spend an entire day being productive and still feel uncomfortable sitting down to read a book or take a nap?
Why do we sometimes feel compelled to justify rest?
We may tell ourselves we'll relax after the laundry is finished, the emails are answered, the house is clean, or the to-do list is complete.
But how often is that list actually finished?
Leibowitz explores how our attitudes toward leisure influence our ability to enjoy it.
Research suggests that people who view leisure as wasteful tend to experience less enjoyment during relaxing activities.
In other words, even when we make time for rest, our beliefs about productivity may interfere with its benefits.
I recognize this tendency in myself.
Although I practice yoga nidra daily, I still find it challenging to embrace other forms of rest without feeling that I should be accomplishing something.
We have a fireplace that I love, yet I don't always allow myself the pleasure of simply sitting beside it.
Reading this chapter reminded me that rest doesn't need to be justified by how productive we'll be afterward.
Rest has value in its own right.
And we don't need to earn it.
Rest Is More Than Sleep
When we think about rest, sleep is often the first thing that comes to mind.
And adequate sleep is certainly foundational to health.
But Leibowitz encourages us to expand our definition of rest.
Rest can also include experiences that bring calm, contentment, and a sense of renewal.
For example:
Sitting quietly with a cup of tea.
Listening to a favorite song without multitasking.
Reading beside the fireplace.
Taking a leisurely bath or shower.
Practicing yoga nidra or gentle stretching.
Working on a puzzle.
Spending unhurried time with someone you love.
Enjoying a creative hobby simply for the pleasure of it.
I especially appreciate the idea that rest doesn't have to involve an entire afternoon.
Sometimes a few intentional minutes can help us reconnect with ourselves.
And not every activity needs to serve a larger goal.
We can bake bread because we enjoy baking.
We can work on a puzzle without worrying about how quickly we finish.
We can read fiction simply because it's pleasurable.
These experiences enrich life, even when they don't produce anything measurable.
What About Seasonal Affective Disorder?
One important distinction in this chapter is the difference between ordinary seasonal changes and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Some people notice that they sleep more, feel less energetic, or prefer quieter activities during winter.
These experiences don't automatically indicate depression.
Seasonal affective disorder, on the other hand, involves clinically significant depressive symptoms that follow a recurring seasonal pattern.
Persistent low mood, loss of interest in activities, substantial changes in sleep or appetite, or difficulty functioning deserve appropriate evaluation.
As a naturopathic doctor, I also recognize that fatigue and mood changes can have multiple contributing factors, including sleep disturbances, hormonal changes, and other medical conditions.
This is particularly relevant for women navigating perimenopause and menopause.
The goal isn't to dismiss symptoms or assume they're simply part of winter.
It's to distinguish between changes that may benefit from seasonal adaptation and symptoms that warrant further investigation.
We can respect our natural rhythms while still taking persistent health concerns seriously.
Five Ways to Practice Rest This Winter
One of the things I appreciate most about How to Winter is that each chapter concludes with practical exercises.
Here are five ideas inspired by Chapter 2.
1. Create a Winter Adaptation Week
Choose one week to deliberately create more space in your schedule.
Say no to a few nonessential commitments.
Consider an earlier bedtime or a slower morning when your schedule allows.
Notice how it feels to make room for seasonal adjustments rather than resisting them.
2. Expand Your Definition of Rest
Choose one small restorative activity each day.
Perhaps you listen to music, enjoy tea without distractions, stretch before bed, or take a short, unhurried walk.
The goal is to recognize that rest can happen in small moments throughout the day.
3. Revisit a Slow Hobby
Winter is a wonderful time to explore activities that encourage patience and presence.
Puzzles, reading, knitting, painting, woodworking, baking, playing music, and board games are just a few possibilities.
Choose something you enjoy rather than something you think you should accomplish.
4. Schedule a Personal Winter Sabbath
Consider setting aside a few hours, or even an entire day, each week or month for restoration.
Perhaps that means avoiding work emails, putting away your phone, or postponing household planning discussions.
Create your own definition of a restorative pause.
The important part is protecting time that isn't filled with obligations.
5. Give Yourself Permission to Do Less
This may be the most challenging practice of all.
Notice when you feel guilty about resting.
Ask yourself where that belief originated.
Would you expect a friend or loved one to continually earn their right to rest?
Perhaps you can extend that same compassion to yourself.
My Winter Rest Experiment
This chapter has inspired me to become more intentional about how I spend winter evenings.
I already enjoy reading, puzzles, board games, yoga nidra, and our outdoor sauna.
But I want to make more room for these activities without feeling that they need to be squeezed in around everything else.
I'm also reconsidering how often I automatically fill open space in my calendar.
Sometimes an unplanned evening is exactly what we need.
Perhaps winter is an opportunity to practice maintaining rather than constantly expanding.
To appreciate slowness rather than resist it.
And to recognize that rest is an essential part of living well.
A Reflection for the Week Ahead
I'd like to leave you with three questions:
What does rest look like for you beyond sleep?
When do you feel guilty about slowing down?
What is one commitment, expectation, or habit you could temporarily release to create more room for restoration?
You don't need to overhaul your schedule.
Begin with one small experiment.
Perhaps you'll discover that winter's slower rhythm has something valuable to offer.
Rest isn't the opposite of living fully. It can be part of what makes a full life possible.
Inspired by Chapter 2, "Leaning In, Lying Down," from How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days by Kari Leibowitz, PhD.
Dr. Rachel Oppitz is a naturopathic doctor and owner of Itasca Naturopathic Clinic in Park Rapids, Minnesota, specializing in women's hormonal health, perimenopause, menopause, and whole-person wellness.
