5 Surprising Ways Winter Affects Your Nervous System (And What...

Have you ever noticed how you feel just a little bit… heavier once the days get shorter?

Last week, I caught myself sighing for what felt like the hundredth time that afternoon. I was staring at out my window at 4:30 PM (already dark otuside) wondering why I felt so blah.

Nothing was actually wrong. I’d had a productive day, my family was healthy, things were generally going well. And yet, there I was, feeling like I was dragging around an invisible weight.

Then it hit me: It’s the season.

Winter doesn’t just change the weather, it alters how our brains and bodies function.

Our nervous systems respond to shorter days, colder temperatures, and less sunlight in ways that are mostly unconscious and can catch us by surprise.

The good news? When you understand what’s actually happening in your body, you can work with it instead of against it. And that’s exactly where Tapping becomes so powerful; it helps your nervous system recalibrate when winter has knocked it off balance.

Let’s explore five surprising ways winter affects your nervous system (and what you can do about it).

5 Surprising Ways Winter Affects Your Nervous System

#1. Your brain’s serotonin system shifts with reduced sunlight

When sunlight reaches your eyes, it influences serotonin activity in your brain. Serotonin is that “feel-good” neurotransmitter that regulates mood, appetite, and motivation. Research shows that serotonin turnover in the brain is lower in winter, and it makes sense. Sunlight influences serotonin production, and we get less sunlight in the winter.

Think about that for a moment. Your brain’s neurochemistry actually changes with the seasons.

How this shows up: You might feel less motivated, even for things you normally enjoy. Small tasks may feel overwhelming. You might crave comfort foods, especially carbs and sweets. Your mood could feel flatter, like someone turned down the brightness on your emotions.

Tips to help: Get outside during daylight hours, even for just 10-15 minutes. Light exposure matters, even on cloudy days. Sit near windows when you’re indoors (that counts, too!). And be gentler with yourself about productivity expectations. Remember, your brain chemistry has actually shifted.

Tapping helps here by reducing the self-judgment that compounds the low mood, while signaling safety to your nervous system. It’s also a great tool to use to give yourself a boost of energy, positivity, and joy.

#2. Reduced movement creates a feedback loop of sluggishness

In summer, movement happens naturally: walks, gardening, playing outside. In winter, it’s more likely you’ll drive everywhere and the couch probably looks infinitely more appealing than a cold, wet walk. The problem? Movement is one of the primary ways your nervous system processes and releases built-up stress.

How this shows up: You might feel increasingly sluggish and heavy. Your energy may drop throughout the day. You could experience more brain fog and difficulty concentrating. Physical aches and tension probably seem more pronounced, and everything just feels harder.

Tips to help: Start small. Even 5 minutes of movement counts. Dance to one song in your living room. Do gentle stretches while watching TV. Walk around your house or office a few times during the day. ANY movement will signal safety and regulation to your nervous system.

Try tapping for 2 minutes before you move to motivate yourself to get going (“Even though I feel so sluggish and don’t want to move…”). Tapping can be so powerful to help discharge the resistance and make that first step easier.

#3. Social isolation compounds nervous system dysregulation

In summer, you spontaneously meet friends for coffee, chat with neighbors, strike up conversations at outdoor events, etc. In winter, we tend to hunker down. We text instead of calling. We skip social events because “it’s too cold and rainy.” But here’s what’s happening beneath the surface: Human connection literally calms your stress response through something called “co-regulation.” And when we have less connection, our nervous system feels it.

How this shows up: You may notice yourself withdrawing or canceling plans more often. You might start feeling lonelier, even when you’re around people. Minor interactions could feel more effortful and draining. Anxiety or low mood may increase without clear reasons, and you might not quite figure out why you feel so off.

Tips to help: Schedule regular coffee dates or phone calls with friends. Put them on your calendar like any other appointment. Join an indoor activity or class where you’ll see the same people regularly. Video chat instead of just texting when you can. Even brief positive interactions count: chat with the barista, smile at a neighbor, strike up a conversation in line. Think of connection as nervous system medicine, not a luxury.

When you notice yourself wanting to cancel plans, tap on the resistance (“Even though I don’t want to go and just want to stay home…”) to help dissolve the inertia.

#4. Lack of sunlight disrupts your body’s natural rhythm

Sunlight doesn’t just affect your mood; it regulates your entire circadian rhythm, which controls when you feel alert, hungry, when your body temperature rises and falls, and even when your immune system is most active. When you go to work in the dark and come home in the dark, your can body become rhythmically confused.

How this shows up: You might feel disconnected from your body’s natural cues. You might not be sure if you’re hungry, tired, or something else entirely. Your energy could feel flat rather than having natural peaks and valleys throughout the day. You might struggle to know what you actually need in any given moment because your internal signals are scrambled.

Tips to help: Get outside during your lunch break, even briefly. 10 minutes makes a difference! Open curtains and blinds during daylight hours to maximize natural light exposure indoors. Eat meals at consistent times to help anchor your circadian rhythm. Create a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends. Use dim, warm lighting in the evening to signal to your body that bedtime is approaching.

Set a timer to check in with yourself a few times a day, and spend 60 seconds Tapping while asking, “What does my body actually need right now?” This helps quiet the mental noise and reconnect you with your body’s wisdom and natural rhythms.

#5. Your nervous system mistakes “busy” for “warm”

Do you find that you chronically overschedule yourself in winter? Not because you are feeling particularly ambitious, but because staying busy creates an illusion of warmth and energy? When your nervous system is depleted and running on fumes, it might reach for anything that feels like aliveness: caffeine, sugar, drama, busyness…

How this shows up: You might say yes to everything even though you’re exhausted. You might create unnecessary urgency around tasks that could easily wait. You might find yourself picking fights or getting caught up in drama that doesn’t serve you. You could feel simultaneously wired and tired, buzzing with anxious energy on the surface yet completely depleted underneath.

Tips to help: Start asking yourself: “Am I actually energized by this, or am I just trying to feel less numb?” Give yourself permission to do less (not just move tasks around). Build in actual rest time, not just “busy rest” like scrolling or binge-watching TV. Focus on activities that genuinely warm and nourish you from the inside out.

When you notice yourself reaching for stimulation or about to say yes to another commitment, pause and tap: “Even though I feel this need to stay busy, and I’m afraid of what will happen if I slow down…” This can help you feel safe enough to actually slow down and truly rest.

Why Tapping Works So Well for Winter Struggles

Here’s what makes Tapping particularly powerful for seasonal nervous system challenges: It works directly with your body’s stress response system. When anything has thrown your nervous system off balance (winter included), Tapping sends calming signals to your amygdala—the part of your brain that registers threat—while you acknowledge what’s actually happening.

You’re not trying to force positivity or pretend you feel fine. You’re helping your body feel safe enough to relax, even when everything around you has shifted and changed. That’s the key.

In The Tapping Solution App, we have several sessions specifically designed to help your nervous system regulate and return to a balanced state:

These short sessions meet you where you are. Even when you’re feeling depleted, even when motivation is at zero, you can tap for just a few minutes and give your nervous system the support it’s craving.

Which of these winter nervous system patterns do you recognize most in yourself? I’d love to hear what resonates in the comments!

Until next time… Keep Tapping!
Nick Ortner