Why Your Body Feels More Tired in Winter (And Why That’s Not a Problem)
If you’ve noticed that your body feels heavier, slower, or more achy at this time of year, you’re not imagining it, and you’re certainly not failing at “keeping up”.
Winter naturally asks us to slow down.
Shorter days, colder temperatures, less daylight and a busier mental load can all place extra demand on the body and nervous system. Muscles often tighten, joints feel stiffer, sleep can become lighter, and stress has a habit of settling quietly into the shoulders, jaw, neck and back.
Yet culturally, January is often framed as a time to push forward - new goals, fresh starts, full energy. For many bodies, that expectation simply doesn’t align with what’s actually needed.
Your Body Isn’t Lazy, It’s Responding to a natural rhythm
From a physiological perspective, the body is constantly responding to its environment.
In winter, the nervous system is more likely to remain in a subtle state of alert. Cold can increase muscle tone, stress hormones may linger longer, and emotional load often accumulates after a busy end-of-year period. Over time, this can show up as:
Ongoing neck and shoulder tension
Headaches or jaw clenching
A feeling of heaviness or fatigue
Restless sleep
A sense of being “on edge” without a clear reason
These aren’t random symptoms. They’re signals.
Your body is asking for safety, warmth, slower input and time to soften.
Why Massage Can Be Especially Supportive in Winter
Massage therapy isn’t just about easing sore muscles, it’s about supporting the whole system.
When the body feels safe, supported and unrushed, the nervous system can begin to downshift. Breath deepens. Muscles soften more readily. Circulation improves. Tension that’s been held as protection can start to release.
Working holistically means recognising that pain and tightness don’t exist in isolation. Stress, emotion, posture, lifestyle and nervous system load all influence how the body holds itself.
In winter especially, massage can help to:
Reduce built-up muscular tension
Improve circulation and warmth
Support deeper rest and better sleep
Calm an overstimulated nervous system
Help you feel more grounded and at ease in your body
Rather than forcing change, the aim is to allow the body to let go in its own time.
You Don’t Need to Push Through
If January feels slower than expected, that doesn’t mean you’re behind.
It means you’re human.
Honouring this season by giving your body moments of care, rather than more pressure, often leads to better long-term wellbeing. When the system feels supported, it becomes much easier to move, focus, sleep and cope as the months unfold.
Massage can be one of those quiet, steady supports.
A Gentle Start to the Year
If your body has been asking for rest, space or relief, you don’t need to wait until things become overwhelming.
Booking ahead is an excellent way to stay on top of maintaining your health & wellbeing. My treatment availability opens two months ahead so that you can schedule and keep on top of that time to look forward to.
Treatments take place in Shipston-on-Stour, in a calm, unhurried space where your body can fully settle.
You’re welcome to book online or get in touch if you’d like guidance on what might suit you best.
Your body doesn’t need fixing, it needs listening to.