If you’re tired to your bones, craving soup and bread, and wondering why you can’t seem to keep up with… well, anything right now, you’re not alone. In this episode, Michelle shares her own recent crash into winter exhaustion (including a 12-hour sleep after Black Friday) and walks you through what’s actually happening in your body and nervous system at this time of year. She explains how shorter days, less light, and constant holiday demands set the stage for both physical hibernation and emotional burnout—and how diet culture swoops in to sell you control, discipline, and “New Year, New You” just when you’re most vulnerable. Instead of seeing winter as a problem to solve, Michelle offers practical ways to honour your body’s need for rest, comfort, and gentler rhythms, so you can move through this season with more compassion and less self-blame.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
Why winter fatigue is normal, not a moral failing
How reduced daylight affects melatonin, serotonin, circadian rhythms, mood, and motivation—and why your body naturally shifts into energy conservation mode.
Comfort food cravings as protection, not a problem
Why those longings for soups, stews, bread, and “soul food” are your body’s way of seeking warmth, stability, and nervous-system soothing.
The winter + burnout combo that fuels diet culture
How emotional labour, family dynamics, holiday busyness, and end-of-year reflection create peak burnout—and make quick-fix body plans feel extra tempting.
The burnout-to-diet-culture pipeline
Why exhaustion makes us cling to rules, plans, and “resets,” and how to pause and ask: Is this actually care, or is this control?
Gentle structures instead of rigid rules
Ideas for soft “anchor points” like warm breakfasts, a few minutes of daylight, earlier bedtimes, and other rhythms that support you without demanding a full-body transformation.
Getting curious about cravings
How to ask what your cravings are offering—comfort, warmth, connection, pleasure—and ways to meet those needs with food and non-food nourishment.
Letting yourself rest without earning it
A reminder that rest is not a reward for productivity; it’s part of the natural winter rhythm your body is designed for.
Michelle’s personal winter rituals
From Indian takeout and daily baths to a tech-free “cocoon” room with records and candles, Michelle shares how she’s been giving herself permission to slow down and just be.
If you’re craving permission to stop fighting your winter body and start listening to it, this episode is your invitation to exhale. Winter is not a test you’re failing. It’s a season your body is already navigating—with wisdom you can learn to trust.
Connect with Michelle:
Instagram: @wayzahealth
Email: michelle@wayzahealth.com
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
