Spoiler: Your Body Doesn’t Care About Daylight Savings
From the Sunday Self-Care Chronicles | 11/16/25
This week’s issue dives into why the time change hits so hard — especially when you’re living with a breast cancer history — and how your body is simply responding to winter, not failing you. We explore seasonal living, Scandinavian-inspired coziness, and simple, body-based ways to support yourself when everything feels darker, colder, and slower.
This week’s issue touches on:
✨ Why your body doesn’t adapt to Daylight Saving
✨ How winter fatigue layers onto post-treatment exhaustion
✨ Hygge, sisu, and seasonal strategies that actually help
✨ Practical, cozy self-care ideas for staying supported at home
Read the full email below - and if something speaks to you please feel free to comment, share, or reach out!
Hey friend,
Every year around this time, I remember the same truth:
Just because we can change the clock in a minute doesn’t mean our bodies can follow suit.
Honestly, it’s kind of arrogant that we expect them to.
Here in North America, we recently fell back an hour, and while our phones and other technologies snapped to attention instantly, our nervous systems… did not.
The early darkness, the cold, the sluggishness, the “why does 4:30pm feel like midnight?” vibes — none of that is personal failure.
It’s physiology. It’s biology. It’s being a human animal pretending we’re not seasonal creatures.
And for those of us living with a breast cancer diagnosis or history?
Winter fatigue can feel heavier on top of post-treatment exhaustion, emotional recovery, and nervous-system sensitivity.
You’re not imagining it. Your body is carrying more, responding to more, and doing its absolute best.
So let’s talk about this shift… and what it means for your self-care this season.
Humans Are Animals. Our Bodies Know Winter Even If Our Calendars Don’t.
We’ve built a culture around consistency, productivity, and pretending we can operate at the same pace all year long.
But our bodies? They’re still wired for cycles — for light, for warmth, for slowing down.
Earlier sunsets mean a rise in melatonin.
Less daylight affects serotonin.
Cold weather signals conservation.
Our circadian rhythms follow nature, not Outlook calendars.
So if you’re feeling:
more tired
more moody
foggier
hungrier
slower
more sensitive
unexpectedly emotional
…there is nothing wrong with you.
Your internal clock is simply on a different timeline than the one society demands you obey.
So how do we cope when don't have the luxury of going full brown bear hibernation on our jobs, families, and other obligations that follow the clock and not the sun?
Here's a few ideas…
A Quick Trip to Scandinavia, Without the Flight Prices
A few years ago when I really started to work towards leaning into more seasonal living, I realized that when you want to learn something you go to the experts.
In extreme northern climates there are people who deal with longer, darker winters than I will ever experience and yet they are some of the happiest people on earth.
These cultures don’t fight winter. They welcome it.
They make space for slowness. They gather for warmth.
They lean on ritual, light, food, community, and gentle consistency.
They treat winter as something to prepare for, not push through.
We can learn from that.
💻 Wanna go down a cozy rabbit hole? Look up hygge (that cozy, comfort-forward way the Danes make winter feel soft) and sisu (the Finnish concept of grit, heart, and inner strength that gets them through long, dark winters).
My Own Seasonal Reality Check
I’ll be honest: I am not a morning person. Not even a little. In warm weather, getting out of bed without a struggle is… questionable. But in winter? Forget about it.
Still one of the best things I do for myself — especially for mood, energy, and sanity — is bundle up like a small, determined penguin and walk with my husband first thing in the morning.
Not because it’s fun. Not because I’m “disciplined.”
But because when I do it, I feel better — physically, emotionally, hormonally — than on the days I try to “treat myself” to more sleep.
The fresh air, the natural light, the quality time with my person, all help me lean into the season instead of fighting against it.
And of course movement doesn’t have to be intense to be medicine. Sometimes it just needs to be consistent, gentle, and wrapped in five layers.
Practical, Body-Based Ways to Support Yourself
🕯️First: Make things softer, not harder.
Build in extra margin to your activities (or simply cut some out). Light candles. Drink warm beverages. Wear fuzzy socks. Create cozy corners. Let yourself follow the cues your body is actually giving you.
💡Consider a light therapy lamp
Many people find light therapy incredibly helpful for mood and energy during darker months. (And if that’s you, no shame. It’s science, not weakness.)
🚶🏼♀️Gentle movement matters
Walks, stretching, slow yoga, mindful pacing. You don’t need intensity — just circulation. Just oxygen. Just presence.
🧘🏽♀️Listen to your nervous system
More rest, lower screens at night, earlier bedtimes, slower mornings… it’s all allowed.
🍲 Nourish yourself
Warm foods, soups, stews, comfort with purpose.
And Because We’re Also Talking About Practical Self-Care…
If winter weather (hi from Buffalo ❄️) makes it harder to keep appointments or leave the house, remember:
✨ If you want movement + lymphatic support without going outside:
My Dry Brushing Workshop is an easy, cozy, at-home way to support circulation, reduce tightness, and give your body a boost on sluggish days.
✨ If you want learning, grounding, and clarity for your healing:
My “Breast Cancer’s Best Kept Secret” e-book is an at-home deep dive into understanding your lymphatic system, reducing risk, and taking back control of your healing — all from your couch, under your warmest blanket.
No pressure — just options. Winter is a great time for cozy self-learning and gentle routines, and these are two tools to help you stay supported without stepping outside.
Your Body's Not Wrong — It’s Responding Exactly How It’s Designed To
So if you’re struggling with:
low energy
inconsistent motivation
mood dips
heavier emotions
less desire to “people”
craving comfort and warmth
…please don’t shame yourself for that.
This is not regression. This is seasonal alignment.
Your body isn’t behind — it’s adapting.
And if winter is gonna winter? Then we might as well have the tools to ride it out.
A Final Note, Sweet Friend
You are not meant to power through the year like a machine.
You are allowed to slow down. You are allowed to shift. You are allowed to rest.
Let this season be a recalibration, not a judgment.
Let your body set the pace — it knows what it’s doing.
And if you need a little company on the cold, dark days? Well… I’m right here with you.
With warmth, blankets, and a whole lot of compassion, I'm always in this with you.
ps. Feel like it could be more than just a bit of the impending winter blues? You might be bordering on burnout and that isn't just a mental health issue, but a body-based problem. Check out this article to learn more.
pps. Want to develop your own personalized self-care plan for the season? Book an “Ask Amy” session and let's make it happen!
ppps. If you like what you read here please consider forwarding this email to a friend or sharing it on your socials.