January 1st arrives when the northern hemisphere is only about two weeks into the winter season, when most of nature is in rest mode. Trees are bare, animals conserve energy, and yet our society and culture urge us to “start fresh,” overhaul habits, and explode into productivity overnight. A time when many people resolve to implement new habits and healthy routines. But is this really the time of the year to do that? The days are short, nights are long, and every day that passes brings us closer and closer to the start of another spring season. A season when life begins to bloom again. The start of a… NEW…YEAR.
New Year’s, as we celebrate it, is an arbitrary human-made calendar holiday that lands in the darkest, coldest stretch of the year, exactly when human circadian biology is least primed for ambitious fresh starts and behavior change. The shift in day length alters our circadian patterns, and with that, we naturally produce more melatonin and cortisol, causing many of us to feel more tired, more fatigued, low moods, less focused, unmotivated, and a bit more hungry (leading to more snacking and overeating!). Our biology is just not “in the mood” to set big goals or reinvent itself, which is also why most people give up on their resolutions by the time the Super Bowl rolls around. Falling right back into old habits and familiar patterns, we become frustrated and start feeling like more of a failure than a success story.
If we really tune in, we really start to notice this shift in energy around the autumn equinox. The days are noticeably shorter, but still a little bit warm. And just as the temperature shifts, the holiday season kicks into full swing and the momentum from summer propels us into and through the holidays until we finally land after the new year- that’s when we really feel the seasonal shift, and for a lot of us it hits HARD.
Winter is deep and yin. Nature is resting. Quiet. Withdrawn. And deeply rooted to the earth, restoring her vital force and energy for what’s ahead. This is an inward-focused season. A sensitive season. A time to conserve your energy and resources. If we are to follow the recommendations of the season, then we, too, should honor this as a time to prioritize self-reflection, warm nourishment, fiery movement, and deep sleep.
What if instead of diving headfirst into the dark, icy waters of “new year, new me,” we warmed ourselves up to the idea of growth and change over time? Using these shorter days for introspection and planning so that by the time the next change in season comes around, you’re ready to “plant the seeds” and put your plan into action.
We can live with a Gregorian calendar while also keeping a calendar in our bodies that aligns us with nature. This way, the Gregorian New Year becomes the soft opening, and the spring equinox steps in as the true beginning, where the body’s biology and the outer world genuinely support change. It creates a slow build from January through to the spring equinox, honoring both the nervous system and the environment.
Deep Winter (late December–January)
Rest and Reflection
- A gentle opening rather than a hard reset
- More time for planning, not performance
- Focus on: reflection, journaling, noticing, gratitude
What do you want to change?
Encourage: Earlier evenings, more sleep to align with long nights, warm baths, candlelight, and daytime sunlight exposure as often as possible
Eat: Warm, grounding foods, broths, warm drinks
Reduce: anything over-stimulating
Supplements to help with deep winter & relaxation: vitamin D3, cod liver oil, GABA, ashwaganda, magnesium, l-theanine, creatine, electrolytes
Late Winter (February–early March)
Seeding and Watering
- Daylight lengthens, motivation increases
Encourage: more movement, social activity, gentle detoxification that feels right for your body, daytime sunlight exposure as often as possible
“Spring cleaning”- home, body, mind, spirit
Eat: cleansing juices and teas
Supplements to help with late winter & detoxification: dandelion, milk thistle, electrolytes, chlorophyll, curcumin, vitamin C, vitamin E, NAC
Spring Equinox & Beyond
Your True “New Year”
- Use the first new moon after the spring equinox for a lunar anchor for the true “New Year’s Day.”
Encourage: Spring rituals as new year celebrations
- An outdoor ceremony or gathering
- Movement (gardening, dancing, fire building, hiking, forest bathing)
- Planting (literally or symbolically)
- Launching the full version of ideas that were born in the winter
- New offerings in your work or community
Want to try an experiment? Make note of the lunar cycles on your calendar. Note each new moon and full moon. And keep a lunar journal for one full year. Track your energy, mood, and health across the 13 moon cycles and notice if and how your circadian biology syncs up. Try to sync your goals with the garden—tracking flowerings, plantings, or migrations as seasonal checkpoints rather than just calendar dates.
Taking note of how you feel in your body in accordance with the lunar cycle can provide meaningful information beyond the circadian rhythm. Discover more about parasites and getting rid of them by booking your free 15-minute consultation today!
