Movement and Exercise are Key to Promote Well-being, Especially During the Winter
As the days have gotten shorter and temperatures drop, many people notice changes in their mood, energy levels, and sleep. If winter leaves you feeling more fatigued, unmotivated, run down, or mentally foggy, you’re not alone. The good news is that physical therapy can play a powerful role in restoring energy and helping you overcome mood changes due to shortened days or a stressful holiday season.
Chronic stress causes feelings of constant fatigue, even after a full night’s sleep. Stress keeps your body in a prolonged state of fight-or-flight. When the majority of your day is spent in high-stress, this can result in: constant muscle tension- especially in the neck, shoulders, and low back, shallow breathing, reduced circulation, and poor sleep quality. When your body never fully relaxes, true recovery doesn’t happen, causing ongoing fatigue.
In addition to the stress that the holidays can bring, reduced sunlight during the winter-time can: lower vitamin D levels (necessary for energy, immune and bone health), alter serotonin (your mood hormone) and melatonin (your sleep hormone) production, and disrupt circadian rhythms (your internal clock). These changes to your body can make it harder to stay active, focused, and emotionally balanced, especially if you’re already dealing with stress, injury, or pain.
At Refuge Physiotherapy, we take a whole-body approach to health. That means looking beyond pain or injury and addressing the systems that keep you moving, sleeping, and feeling your best all year long.
Combat Stress and Low Energy:
1. Keep Moving, especially when your motivation is low. Movement is essential for health and wellbeing and consistency is key. Don’t let two days go by without doing something positive for your body. Regular movement is one of the most powerful tools for improving mood and energy. Exercise helps: increase endorphins (natural mood boosters), improve circulation and brain health, and regulate sleep-wake cycles.
Aim for short, consistent sessions (10-30 minutes)- a little is better than nothing
Schedule movement earlier in the day, when possible
Focus on low-barrier movement: walking, light strength training, mobility work
Sign-up for group classes or get a workout partner to help with consistency and accountability
*At Refuge Physiotherapy, we help patients build realistic exercise routines that support both mental and physical health, especially when energy and motivation dips.
2. Maintain a Consistent Sleep Routine. Poor sleep can worsen mood, sensitivity to pain, and immune function.
For the highest quality sleep, keep consistent sleep and wake times, even on the weekends
Limit screen exposure 1-2 hours before bed
Avoid intense exercise late in the evening
Use gentle stretching or breathing exercises before sleep
*Better sleep supports recovery, nervous system regulation, and overall resilience.
3. Breathe Better to Feel Better. Stress often leads to shallow, chest-based breathing, which limits oxygen intake and keeps the nervous system on high alert.
Focus on deep, diaphragmatic breathing, expanding the entire torso
Work on maintaining upright posture to promote rib cage mobility and improve the quality of your breathing
Adopt stress management techniques such as gratitude journaling
*A few minutes of proper breathing practice each day can significantly reduce stress, fatigue and improve your mental clarity.
4. Prioritize Exposure to Natural Light. Even brief exposure to daylight can improve your alertness and mood. Try to get outside, even on cloudy days. If natural light is limited, some people benefit from 20-30 minutes exposure to light therapy lamps.
5. Consider Vitamin D Supplementation. Ideal levels of vitamin D in your body: boosts energy levels, supports immune system function, improves sleep quality, and can help regulate mood. Our bodies naturally produce vitamin D in response to sunlight. During the winter, vitamin D levels drop due to less UVB rays available and less sunlight exposure because of shorter and cooler days.
Vitamin D can be found in: fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines), fish liver oils, egg yolks, cheese, beef liver, and mushrooms that are wild or have been exposed to UV light.
Consider having your vitamin D levels checked for personalized recommendations.
Seasonal changes affect how we move, feel, and recover. You don’t have to push through winter feeling depleted. Small, consistent changes make a meaningful difference.
If pain, low energy, or fatigue are interfering with your work, movement, or enjoyment of daily life, it’s worth addressing. At Refuge Physiotherapy, our goal is not just to reduce pain, but to help you feel stronger and more energized in your everyday life. Contact Refuge Physiotherapy to learn how a personalized physical therapy plan can support both your physical and mental well-being, no matter the season.
