Holistic Nurse’s Guide to Supporting Your Energy During Seasonal Change—Winter

Why Winter Asks More of Us?

As the seasons shift, so do our bodies. Winter brings shorter days, colder temperatures, and a natural pull toward rest and reflection. From a holistic perspective, this isn't something to resist—it's something to honor.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, winter is associated with the Water element and the Kidney meridian, which governs our vital energy reserves. It's a time to conserve, nourish, and protect our inner resources. When we ignore these cues and push through with the same pace we held in summer, we can end up feeling depleted, run down, or more susceptible to illness.

Supporting your energy during seasonal change isn't about doing more—it's about doing what matters, with intention.

1. Nourish with Warming, Grounding Foods

What we eat directly impacts how we feel. In winter, our bodies crave warmth and substance.

Try:

• Soups, stews, and slow-cooked meals with root vegetables
• Warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, and cayenne
• Bone broth or mineral-rich broths to support immunity and digestion
• Cooked grains like oats, quinoa, and rice instead of cold, raw foods

These foods help build internal warmth, support digestion, and provide sustained energy throughout the day.

2. Move Your Body—Gently

Movement is medicine, but winter calls for a softer approach. This isn't the season for high-intensity training (unless that truly feels good to you). Instead, focus on practices that support circulation, flexibility, and nervous system regulation.

Try:

• Gentle yoga or stretching
• Walking in nature (even in the cold—just bundle up!)
• Tai chi or qigong
• Dance or intuitive movement at home

The goal is to keep energy flowing without depleting your reserves.

3. Prioritize Rest and Sleep

Rest is not laziness. It's how your body heals, integrates, and restores.

Winter is the season to go to bed earlier, sleep a little longer, and give yourself permission to slow down. If you're feeling more tired than usual, that's your body speaking—not something to override with caffeine or willpower.

Try:

• A consistent bedtime routine (dim lights, no screens, calming tea)
• Magnesium before bed to support relaxation
• Restorative practices like yoga nidra or guided meditation

4. Support Your Immune System Naturally

Cold and flu season doesn't have to mean getting sick. A strong immune system starts with the basics: sleep, nutrition, stress management, and a few key supplements.

Try:

• Vitamin D (especially if you're not getting much sunlight)
• Vitamin C from whole food sources or supplementation
• Zinc, elderberry, and medicinal mushrooms like reishi or chaga
• Probiotics to support gut health (where 70% of your immune system lives)

And don't underestimate the power of handwashing, hydration, and reducing sugar intake.

5. Tend to Your Skin and Moisture Levels

Winter air is dry—inside and out. This can leave your skin feeling tight, flaky, or irritated, and can also affect your respiratory system.

Try:

• A humidifier in your bedroom
• Rich, nourishing body oils or butters (apply to damp skin after a shower)
• Drinking warm water with lemon throughout the day
• Herbal teas like nettle, tulsi, or peppermint for internal hydration

6. Create Warmth and Comfort in Your Environment

Your external environment affects your internal state. In winter, we benefit from spaces that feel cozy, safe, and nourishing.

Try:

• Soft lighting (candles, salt lamps, string lights)
• Warm blankets and layers
• Aromatherapy with grounding scents like cedarwood, frankincense, or orange
• Decluttering and simplifying your space to support mental clarity

7. Honor Your Need for Stillness

Winter is not the season for constant doing. It's a time to turn inward, reflect, and simply be.

This might look like journaling, meditating, sitting by a window with tea, or saying no to plans that don't feel aligned. It's okay to move slower. It's okay to need more downtime. That's not a sign of weakness—it's a sign of wisdom.

Final Thoughts

Supporting your energy during seasonal change is about listening to your body and working with nature, not against it. Winter asks us to rest, nourish, and restore—so that when spring arrives, we're ready to bloom again.

You don't have to do all of these things perfectly. Start with one or two that resonate most and build from there. Small, consistent shifts make the biggest difference.

Take care of yourself this season. You deserve to feel good in your body, no matter the weather.