Many of our morning routines are constants throughout the year. You may, for instance, always drink water before ingesting anything else, engage in certain movements to wake the body, or journal to engage the mind. Perhaps you make it a point to avoid the news until you’ve had a cup of coffee.
Beyond these essentials, though, your specific morning needs may evolve and fluctuate with the seasons. “Each season brings its own unique shifts in light, temperature, moisture, food availability, phytochemical profiles, and environmental stressors,” says Deanna Minich, PhD, CNS, IFMCP, a functional-medicine nutritionist, educator, and author based in Port Orchard, Wash.
She notes that these changes, no matter how subtle, affect our physiology. “By syncing our daily habits — especially how we start the day — with the cues nature provides, we support greater vitality, mental clarity, and adaptability.”
Natasha Ivantsova, founder of Glow Yoga and Wellness in San Francisco, adds that one of the keys to long-term wellness is honoring how our energy shifts — and adjusting our workouts accordingly. Each season has its own rhythm, she says, both in how our bodies feel and how motivated we are to move. Honoring these rhythm changes allows you to show up with more ease, stay physically and mentally balanced, and build strength and resilience year-round — without burnout.
WINTER // Retreat
In winter, many of us must balance a busy time of year with a desire to hibernate. A morning routine can be the bridge between cozy and chaos, the retreat we need before facing holiday stress and the threat of illnesses making the rounds during the winter season.
“The body benefits from a slower start,” says Minich. She recommends practices that help maintain immune strength, hormonal balance, and emotional resilience as daylight wanes and serotonin levels dip.
Consider these ideas for a winter morning routine:
MEDITATION: Regular meditation can be a balm to the nervous system when winter busyness leaves you burnt out. Try to lengthen your practice as the season progresses. (Try these ten tips for making meditation a part of your life — starting now.)
INTROSPECTION: Winter is a time of inward retreat, but this doesn’t have to mean getting stuck in a cycle of self-examination. Use some of your internal attention to notice and extend your gratitude for the important people in your life.
ATMOSPHERE: Create hygge — the Danish concept of bringing a soothing sense of warmth, coziness, and safety into your life — by using your fireplace or lighting a candle. From there, focus on coziness and contentment: Wrap yourself in a sensory-pleasing blanket or robe and work on a jigsaw puzzle or word search.
NUTRITION: “Choose warm, nutrient-dense meals with more healthy fats, like nuts and seeds,” Minich says. Drink something warm, and pick a hot breakfast that appeals to you and fits with your personalized needs, like a veggie scramble or oatmeal with nut butter and chia seeds.
MOVEMENT: For Ivantsova, winter is a time to emphasize slower-paced strength training and longer warm-ups. “It’s about improving circulation and building heat when mornings feel cold and dark.”
ENERGY: Explore restorative and restful practices that will rejuvenate you for spring. For example, the Scottish phrase “hurkle-durkle” means to stay in bed longer than you might need to. There is nothing wrong with starting your morning routine under the covers.
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