The Power of Winter

In the years before the lightbulb was invented, the evening slowed down when the sun did. Especially in the short hours of the winter, families would huddle up in their cabins and the only thing that could keep them up was the glow of the fireplace and conversations with each other. There was no reason to extend the evening – the darkness had decided the closing of the day.

Now while we are all very thankful for electricity and other technology, it has created something in us that never existed before: the ability to stay up hours and hours past the sunset. Some even claim to be a night owl and thrive on the late night productivity they get as everyone else finds their way to bed. But what if the ability to stay up is actually more unproductive? What if pushing our limits past the sun’s natural rhythm isn’t good for us?

I used to complain about the wintertime in Ohio. There are short days of light and many times of gray, bleak and uninspiring skies. It’s not always fun, especially after being in sunnier states for an entire year, but I do believe that there’s something special about winter – something we need. During the cold months of December, January, and February, our bodies go into a semi-hibernation, requiring more sleep and rest than usual. Don’t you notice how you can always sleep more in the wintertime? Science is confirming more of this through research, but so far they’ve found that what I used to view as a curse is actually a human way of recharging for the rest of the year. So instead of staying up late into the evening in winter, maybe we need to go to bed earlier or at the minimum, be more restful.

I’m not encouraging anyone to be lazy, but there is a part of the winter experience that is beneficial to our souls. Not just physically, too, but in other areas of our life. The slow restful aspects of winter can allow space for us to be reflective, something that might be more difficult in a busy summer or fall. When you feel in yourself a need to reflect, don’t ignore it – pull out a journal and write or go for a nature walk. Use this time to your advantage, because while I’m glad wintertime doesn’t last forever, it serves a purpose. That purpose is to rest well, slow down, and reflect on what is going on in our lives. If you feel like you need a reminder of that, join me in trying to make the most of these cold, yet hopeful months.