Why am I so tired in winter? It’s not just the dark evenings
The clocks have gone back, the evenings are drawing in and suddenly getting out of bed feels like a much bigger job. If you’re reaching for an extra coffee by mid-morning, craving something sweet at 3pm and ready for the sofa by 8pm, you’re not alone. Winter tiredness is one of the most common things clients tell me about at this time of year.
It’s easy to put it down to the weather, a busy diary or simply getting older. But feeling exhausted all season isn’t something you just have to accept. Our energy is made inside our cells, and winter puts that system under extra pressure in a few very specific ways. The good news is that once you understand them, there’s a lot you can do.
And I understand this first-hand. Low energy was one of the things that first led me to functional nutrition, and learning what was really driving it changed how I look after my own health.
Your energy starts in your cells
Inside almost every cell in your body are tiny structures called mitochondria. They take the food you eat and the oxygen you breathe and turn them into the energy your body runs on, for everything from thinking clearly to digesting your lunch and repairing tissue overnight.
Mitochondria need a steady supply of nutrients to do their job, and they’re sensitive to stress, poor sleep and blood sugar swings. When they’re under strain, you may notice fatigue, brain fog, slower recovery and a general feeling of running on empty. (I wrote more about this in Reset, Restore & Rebuild: Why Healthy Ageing Starts in Your Cells.)
Why winter makes it harder
Less daylight. Morning light is one of the main signals that sets your body clock. It tells your body when to feel alert and, later, when to release melatonin for sleep. With darker mornings and more time indoors, that signal is weaker, so many people feel groggy in the day and less refreshed after sleep.
Lower vitamin D. In the UK, between October and early March the sun isn’t strong enough for our skin to make enough vitamin D. Levels naturally fall through the winter, and low vitamin D is linked with tiredness, low mood and lowered immunity.
More comfort food, less movement. It’s natural to want warm, filling food when it’s cold. But meals built around refined carbohydrates and sugar can cause energy peaks and crashes, and we tend to move less when it’s dark and wet outside.
A busier, more stressful season. November and December are full of work deadlines, social plans and family commitments. Ongoing stress draws on the same nutrients your mitochondria rely on, especially magnesium and B vitamins.
The nutrients your energy depends on
Vitamin D supports immune function, muscle strength and mood. At this time of year taking a vitamin D supplement may be helpful. Oily fish, eggs and mushrooms that have been exposed to sunlight add a little from food.
Iron carries oxygen around the body to your cells. Low iron is a common, often missed reason for tiredness, breathlessness and feeling cold, especially for women with heavy periods and for people who eat little red meat. It’s always worth checking with a blood test rather than guessing, as too much iron can also be a problem.
B vitamins help your cells turn food into energy. You’ll find them in eggs, meat, fish, wholegrains, leafy greens and pulses. B12 is found almost only in animal foods, so it needs extra attention if you eat a plant-based diet.
Magnesium is involved in hundreds of processes in the body, including energy production, muscle relaxation and sleep. It’s used up faster when we’re stressed. Good sources include pumpkin seeds, almonds, dark leafy greens, beans and a square or two of dark chocolate.
Protein gives your body the building blocks to repair and keeps blood sugar steadier. Aim to include some at every meal: eggs, fish, chicken, beans, lentils, tofu or Greek yoghurt.
Blood sugar, sleep and stress – the hidden energy drains
Nutrients are only part of the picture. Three everyday patterns can drain your energy however well you eat.
Blood sugar swings. A breakfast of toast or cereal, a biscuit with mid-morning coffee and a sandwich on the go can leave you on a rollercoaster of quick energy followed by a slump. Pairing carbohydrates with protein healthy fats and fibre helps release energy more slowly through the day.
Poor-quality sleep. It isn’t only how long you sleep, but how well. Late-night screens, alcohol and caffeine after midday can all disrupt the deeper, restorative stages of sleep, so you wake up still tired.
A nervous system stuck in ‘fight or flight’. When stress is constant, your body stays in alert mode, and digestion, repair and recovery take a back seat. One way I look at this in clinic is through heart rate variability (HRV) assessment, which shows how well your nervous system is switching between stress and rest. Slow breathing, a daily walk and an unhurried evening routine all help your body shift back into ‘rest and digest’.
Eat with the season
Nature gives us exactly what we need at this time of year. November is full of vegetables that support steady energy:
- Kale, cavolo nero and Brussels sprouts for magnesium, folate and fibre
- Squash, pumpkin, carrots and beetroot for slow-release carbohydrates and colour
- Leeks, onions and garlic for prebiotic fibre to feed your gut bacteria
- Apples and pears for a fibre-rich snack with a handful of nuts
A warming bowl of soup, a tray of roasted root vegetables with chicken or chickpeas, or a slow-cooked stew are perfect winter meals: comforting, nourishing and kind to your blood sugar.
Five small steps to try this week
You don’t need to change everything at once. Choose one or two of these and build from there:
1. Get outside in daylight within an hour of waking, even for 10 minutes.
2. Add protein to your breakfast, such as eggs, Greek yoghurt or a handful of seeds.
3. Swap your afternoon biscuit for an apple with almonds.
4. Move your last coffee to before midday.
5. Go to bed 30 minutes earlier, with screens off for the last half hour.
Small, steady changes are what make the biggest difference over time.
When it’s worth looking deeper
If you’ve made changes and still feel exhausted, it may be time to look at what’s going on underneath. Tiredness that lasts for weeks, comes with other symptoms such as breathlessness, unexplained weight changes or very low mood, or is getting worse should always be checked with your GP first.
Once anything medical has been ruled out, functional testing can help us understand your energy in more detail. In clinic, I use tests such as gut testing via stool analysis, hair mineral analysis, to look at mineral balance, and HRV assessment, to see how your nervous system is coping with stress. Together with your symptoms and lifestyle, they help us build a plan that’s tailored to you rather than guessing.
If you’d like to talk it through, I offer a free 20-minute discovery call. We’ll chat about how you’ve been feeling, what might be draining your energy and whether one of my programmes could help.
Book your free 20-minute call here
Not ready to book yet? Join my monthly newsletter and receive my free Beating Burnout booklet, full of simple ways to protect your energy.
This winter doesn’t have to be one long slump. Your energy is created by the choices you make each day, and it’s never too early to start.
RESET • RESTORE • REBUILD