Why Anxiety Feels Worse in Winter: A Nervous System Perspective on Seasonal Anxiety
Have you noticed your anxiety creeping up as the days get shorter and colder?
As a somatic psychotherapist in New York, I often see clients whose anxiety spikes each winter, even when nothing major has changed in their lives. This isn’t just “in your head”, it’s in your body’s physiology and how your nervous system responds to the environmental change.
Our nervous system is constantly scanning for cues of safety or danger, a process known as neuroception. When it detects warmth, daylight, and connection, it often signals “safe to relax.” But winter brings the opposite: less sunlight, colder temperatures, and more isolation. These cues can unconsciously shift the body toward states of protection and survival rather than openness and connection.
From a polyvagal perspective:
- Less sunlight affects serotonin and melatonin, impacting mood, sleep, and energy regulation.
- Cold temperatures tighten muscles and restrict breathing, subtly telling the body to prepare for “threat.”
- Social withdrawal and reduced movement lower ventral vagal activation, the part of the nervous system that supports calmness, connection, and emotional balance.
The result? Many people experience more sympathetic arousal (racing thoughts, tension, restlessness) or dorsal vagal shutdown (fatigue, disconnection, hopelessness). Both can feel like “anxiety.”
Why Winter Can Trigger Anxiety
Here are a few common body-based reasons anxiety feels worse in winter:
Reduced sunlight and serotonin levels. Less daylight affects the body’s production of serotonin, the neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and anxiety. The nervous system may become more sensitive to stress when serotonin is low.
Disrupted circadian rhythm. Shorter days can confuse your body’s internal clock, disrupting sleep cycles. Poor sleep directly impacts nervous system regulation, making it harder to downshift from activation.
Increased physical tension. Cold weather causes us to hunch our shoulders and tighten muscles. These are subtle but powerful signals to the brain that something isn’t safe.
Isolation and reduced co-regulation. Humans regulate their nervous systems through connection. When winter limits social contact, our systems lose those regulating cues, often leading to increased anxiety or numbness.
Less movement and outdoor time. Movement helps discharge sympathetic energy (the body’s “fight or flight” response). Without it, anxiety can build up in the body.
A Somatic and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy View
In somatic and sensorimotor psychotherapy, anxiety isn’t viewed as a flaw to fix, it’s seen as communication from your body. Your system is telling you it needs more cues of safety, warmth, and connection in the winter time. When winter disrupts those cues, the body may default into old protective patterns: tightening, worrying, or withdrawing. The work of therapy is to help you notice, track, and support your body’s responses, so regulation can return naturally.
Body-Based Practices for Winter Anxiety
If you’re struggling with winter anxiety, try incorporating gentle nervous system regulation practices into your daily rhythm:
Light exposure. Use a light therapy lamp each morning or spend time near a window. As you feel the light on your skin, take a few slow, gentle breaths, noticing how your body softens and your mind feels a little more awake and steady.
Micro-movement. Take short walks, stretch, or do slow, mindful movement throughout the day. Motion helps release built-up sympathetic energy.
Warmth and comfort. Wrap yourself in a blanket, sip warm tea, or hold a heating pad. Warmth is a direct safety cue to the body.
Orienting practice. Gently look around your space and name three things you see. This grounds us in the present moment and helps our nervous system orient to safety.
Social connection. As human beings, we are wired for connection and sense of closeness. Even a brief phone call, hug, or shared laugh can help our body feel more at ease.
Supporting Your Nervous System Through Winter
Rather than pushing through winter anxiety, you can work with your body. By listening to what your nervous system needs, be it warmth, light, movement, or connection, you can support your body return to safety and ease.
If you find it difficult to navigate anxiety on your own, somatic therapy can provide support.
At Moment Psychotherapy in New York, we offer trauma-informed, body-based therapy that integrates sensorimotor psychotherapy and nervous system regulation techniques. Together, we’ll explore how your body experiences anxiety and build tools for safety, connection, and lightness, even during the darker months.
If you’re ready to explore somatic therapy in New York City, reach out to a trained therapist to get started.
