Rooting Into Winter: Preparing Our Mind and Body for the Darker Months

As the autumn equinox arrives, we meet a moment of balance — equal light and dark. From here, the nights grow longer and the season shifts us inward. Just as the trees around us send their strength down into their roots, this is our invitation to do the same — to ground ourselves, nourish our bodies, and prepare for the darker season with intention.

For those of us in the Pacific Northwest, the darker months can feel especially intense. Our skies stay grey for ays at a time, the rain settles in, and the sun can dip below the horizon before many of us leave work. It’s no wonder our bodies and moods respond so strongly. This is why staying intentional with our self care is essential. Even in the heaviest stretches of darkness, there are ways to kindle warmth and light within.

As the days grow shorter and the air cools, many of us are feeling the shift deep in our bones. The darker months can bring fatigue, heavier moods, or a sense of disconnection — but they can also be an invitation as we lean into the cycle of the season.

In nature, winter is root time. Trees draw their energy inward, plants rest beneath the soil, and the earth conserves strength for spring’s renewal. We, too, are designed to follow these rhythms. By tending to our inner roots, we can make winter a season of restoration rather than depletion.

Tending to Your Fire: Light & Rhythm

Light is one of our most powerful anchors. With fewer daylight hours, our circadian rhythms naturally drift. Supporting them helps us feel steadier.

• Morning Light Rituals: Step outside within the first hour of waking, even if it’s cloudy. Just ten minutes of light helps reset your body clock.
  

• Light Therapy: A 10,000 lux lamp can help combat winter blues — use it during your morning coffee or journaling. I have enjoyed using this one: https://a.co/d/6e64JcC

• Evening Ambiance: Dim lights, candles, or salt lamps in the evening cue your body to slow down and rest. Think of it as tending the hearth fire.
  
  

Root Nourishment: Food & Body Care

Winter invites us to pay closer attention to what truly sustains us. When we choose grounding, nutrient-rich foods, we’re not just feeding the body — we’re also nourishing our mood, resilience, and the deeper parts of ourselves that crave stability.

• Mood Foods: Omega-3s (flax, chia, salmon), magnesium-rich greens, and Vitamin D all support emotional balance.
  

• Comforting Meals: Soups, roasted root vegetables, and whole grains provide both warmth and stability. One of my favorite comforts is lentil soup with vegetables.
  

• Hydration: Herbal teas and warm lemon water keep the body nourished, even when we forget to drink water in colder months.

Coffee can feel especially comforting in the darker months — a warm cup to start the day, something familiar to hold onto when the skies are grey. In moderation, it can be part of a soothing ritual. But too much caffeine can disrupt your rest by blocking adenosine, the hormone that helps your body feel sleepy at night. A few cups in the morning are fine, but try cutting it off by early afternoon. Balance your coffee with herbal teas or warm lemon water to give your body a gentler energy boost.

Alcohol, on the other hand, may feel like it takes the edge off, but it can throw off blood sugar, interfere with sleep, and even deepen feelings of sadness. Use it sparingly, and notice how your mind and body feel the next day. Sometimes even small shifts in how (and how often) you drink can make winter feel lighter.

Nervous System Steadiness

Our nervous system craves signals of safety when the world feels darker. Small, intentional practices can help to reset the body’s stress response.

• Grounding: Hold a warm mug, wrap in a weighted blanket, or walk barefoot briefly on cool earth. If you live in a climate that is too cold for this, you can do this in your fuzzy socks in your home, visualizing the connection of the earth beneath you.
  

• Temperature Therapy: A cold splash in the morning can boost alertness and activate your parasympathetic system, bringing more mental balance to your day. Warm baths with magnesium salts can help ease tension at night.
  

• Breathwork: Try the “physiological sigh” (two short inhales, one long exhale) to calm anxiety in moments of overwhelm. You might also practice box breathing or alternate nostril breathing, both of which help strengthen your vagus nerve, positively impacting your nervous system and reducing stress and anxiety.
  

Inner Work and Mental Health

This is the perfect season for digging into the deeper parts of you — a chance to listen more deeply to what is stirring beneath the surface. Journaling can become less about recording your day and more about meeting your inner world with compassion.

Here are some prompts that invite deeper reflection:

• Where do I feel the weight of winter most in my body, and what might it be asking me to notice?
  

• What fears, memories, or emotions tend to rise when life slows down and grows quiet?
  

• In what ways have I abandoned myself in the past year — and how can I offer myself steadier care this season?
  

• What am I grieving, consciously or unconsciously, as the light fades?
  

• If winter is a time of gestation, what seed within me is asking for time, patience, and darkness in order to grow?
  

Beyond journaling, winter is also fertile ground for creative expression — writing, painting, crafting, or learning a new skill. Creativity can be both medicine and meaning-making in the darker months.

And remember: if the heaviness of this season feels overwhelming, therapy is a safe place to explore what’s rising. Having support to process emotions, strengthen coping tools, and reconnect with yourself can make all the difference.

Hearth, Home & Community

In older traditions, winter was a time of gathering around the fire for warmth, storytelling, and connection. Isolation might feel easier, but community is what keeps us thriving.

• Host a candlelit dinner, potluck, or tea circle.
  

• Ask a friend to be your winter check-in partner.
  

• Create small rituals of connection: handwritten notes, phone calls, or shared walks.
  

Honor your natural pull to hibernate by making your space a sanctuary. Winter is a season that invites comfort, so create a corner of your home where you can truly exhale, creating a place with blankets, soft light, and whatever helps you feel safe and held. Allowing yourself moments of rest and coziness isn’t indulgence; it’s a way of calming seasonal stress and reminding your body that it’s okay to settle.

Closing Reflection

Winter is not a season to fight against, but a season to root into. By tending to your inner fire, nourishing your body, steadying your nervous system, and honoring connection, you can move through the darker months with more resilience — and even find moments of joy.

And if this season feels heavier than you can carry, therapy is a safe place to share the weight. At Balanced Roots Counseling, I would be honored to walk with you through the winter and help you find light, even in the dark.