Wintering

Wintering: How to Honor the Season of Rest

Winter often arrives with an unspoken expectation that we should keep moving at the same pace as the rest of the year. The days grow shorter, the weather colder, yet productivity culture rarely slows down. But nature tells a different story. Trees shed their leaves. Animals hibernate. The earth rests. This is where the idea of wintering comes in.

Wintering is the practice of allowing yourself to slow down during the winter months—physically, emotionally, and mentally. It’s not about giving up or doing nothing; it’s about respecting your natural rhythms and creating space for restoration.

Why Wintering Matters

Humans are seasonal beings, even if modern life tries to convince us otherwise. Reduced daylight affects our energy levels, sleep cycles, and mood. When we push against this—over-scheduling, ignoring fatigue, demanding constant output—we often end up burned out by spring.

Wintering gives permission to rest without guilt. It reframes slowness as wisdom rather than weakness.

What Wintering Can Look Like

Wintering doesn’t have to mean retreating from life completely. It’s a gentle shift, not a disappearance.

• Slower mornings: Allowing extra time to wake up, stretching instead of rushing.
• Fewer commitments: Saying no more often and protecting your energy.
• Cozy rituals: Warm drinks, candles, reading, journaling, or quiet evenings at home.
• Reflective practices: Winter is ideal for looking inward—reviewing the past year, processing emotions, and setting intentions.
• Listening to your body: Eating warming foods, sleeping more, moving gently.

Wintering Is Also Emotional

For many people, winter brings up grief, loneliness, or sadness. Wintering encourages us not to rush these feelings away. Just as the earth lies fallow, we too may need periods of emotional stillness to heal and integrate.

This season can be a container for recovery after illness, burnout, heartbreak, or big life changes. Wintering says: you are allowed to be where you are.

Letting Go of Productivity Pressure

One of the hardest parts of wintering is unlearning the belief that rest must be earned. Winter teaches us that rest is part of the cycle, not a reward at the end of it. Growth doesn’t always look like expansion; sometimes it looks like deep roots forming underground.

Trusting the Return of Spring

Wintering requires trust—trust that slowing down now will not leave you behind, trust that energy and clarity will return. And they do. When spring comes, things move again, often with more purpose and resilience because of the rest that came before.

By honouring winter as a season of care, quiet, and restoration, we align ourselves with something deeply human and deeply natural. Wintering isn’t giving up on life—it’s tending to it.

Essential Oils to Support Winter Wellness and Wintering Practices

In a wellness-centered approach, wintering is about supporting the body and nervous system through a season that naturally asks for more rest, warmth, and inward focus. Essential oils can be a valuable tool during this time, helping to create sensory cues that encourage calm, balance, and emotional resilience.

Used intentionally—through diffusing, topical application (properly diluted), or ritual-based self-care—essential oils can help support winter wellness without forcing the body to operate outside its natural rhythm.

Lavender

Wellness Benefits:

• Supports relaxation and nervous system regulation
• Encourages restful sleep and evening wind-down
• Helps ease stress and mental tension

Lavender is a cornerstone oil for winter wellness. Its calming aroma supports parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) responses, making it ideal for night-time routines, meditation, or recovery from daily stress.

Frankincense

Wellness Benefits:

• Encourages slow, deep breathing
• Supports mindfulness and emotional grounding
• Often used in contemplative or restorative practices

Frankincense is especially well-suited for winter reflection. It pairs beautifully with breathwork, yoga nidra, prayer, or journaling, helping to anchor the mind and body in stillness.

Cedarwood

Wellness Benefits:

• Grounding and stabilizing
• Supports emotional balance and a sense of safety
• Calming for an overactive mind

Cedarwood’s warm, earthy scent promotes a feeling of containment and support—an important aspect of wellness during colder months when anxiety or restlessness can increase.

Sweet Orange

Wellness Benefits:

• Gently uplifts mood
• Supports emotional resilience
• Adds lightness without overstimulation

Sweet orange offers a subtle energetic lift, making it helpful during winter when energy may feel low or heavy. It supports emotional wellness while still aligning with the slower pace of wintering.

Ylang Ylang

Wellness Benefits:

• Encourages relaxation and emotional release
• Supports self-compassion and nurturing practices
• Calming to the nervous system

Ylang ylang is well-suited for restorative self-care rituals, such as baths or gentle self-massage. Its rich floral aroma invites softness, which is essential during winter wellness practices.

Clary Sage

Wellness Benefits:

• Supports emotional and hormonal balance
• Encourages clarity and intuition
• Deeply calming and centering

Clary sage is often used in wellness spaces for emotional reset and internal balance, making it a supportive oil during winter transitions and periods of fatigue.

Integrating Essential Oils Into Winter Wellness Rituals

To align with a wintering mindset, oils are best used intentionally rather than constantly:

How to Use Oils During Wintering

• Diffuse: 5–10 drops in the evening or during quiet daytime hours
• Bath: 3–5 drops mixed with an bath base or full fat milk
• Topical: Dilute in a carrier oil and apply to wrists, chest, or feet
• Ritual: Pair scent with journaling, tea, or intentional rest

Wintering is about creating an environment that supports rest and inner listening. Essential oils don’t force change — they gently invite it, helping you settle into the season with care and intention.