Are You Feeling the Change of Seasons?
Have you felt like you need more sleep as the days grow shorter? Do you feel foggier in the mornings, or less motivated to socialize on the weekends? You are not alone.
Our bodies are deeply responsive to seasonal shifts and cycles. Environmental cues like shorter days and lower temperatures can trigger the regulation of our circadian rhythms to adjust hormone production and timing. Levels of melatonin can rise earlier in the evening and serotonin can dip with reduced sunlight exposure. These biochemical shifts help explain why some people may feel more tired, experience mood changes, or notice their sleep patterns shift as autumn sets in.
Trees haven’t failed when they drop their leaves in the fall.
They are strategically conserving energy to survive winter and prepare for spring growth.
There’s also growing evidence that these seasonal cues influence our energy, cognition, and emotional regulation beyond simple mood changes. Studies have linked shorter photoperiods (daylight length) with changes in attention span, appetite, and even immune system activity. Our circannual rhythms, year-long cycles that evolved to help us adapt to external seasonal environments, still shape how we think, feel, and function today, even if we spend most of our time inside in climate-controlled environments. In other words, your urge to hibernate, slow down, or draw inward isn’t laziness or lack of willpower. Your body is responding to natural, environmental cues with an appropriate adjustment to it’s biological rhythm.
Energy Is Meant to Be Seasonal
Each fall, many of us sense the seasonal changes, yet we expect ourselves to operate at the same relentless pace we keep up all year. Most people feel this shift in small ways, like lower energy levels or changes in sleep. Others might experience seasonal affective disorder, or experience increased anxiety or depression. Recognizing these shifts is the first step to working with them.
Just like plants and other animals move through seasonal cycles of growth, rest, and renewal, humans do as well. Expecting ourselves (or our organizations) to stay in high production mode year-round is like asking a tree to bloom in the middle of winter. Aligning our expectations and strategies with seasonal patterns makes our work more sustainable.
Practical Ways to Work with Seasonal Energy
For Individuals
Track your rhythms. Keep a two-week journal of sleep, mood, and energy. Look for patterns tied to daylight or weather.
Get morning light. Even 10–15 minutes of natural light soon after waking helps regulate circadian rhythms.
Redefine productivity. Build in moments of reflection, slower mornings, or shorter to-do lists. Rest isn’t wasted time. Periods of renewal lead to more creativity in the long run.
For Families or Friend Groups
Shift routines together. Plan earlier dinners or fun, indoor activities to match the shorter days.
Build small rituals. Take walks, share seasonal meals, or have reflective check-ins to turn inward energy into connection.
Name the change. Talking openly about energy shifts normalizes them and makes it easier to support each other.
For Leaders and Organizations
Design around the cycle. Schedule strategic planning, evaluation, or reflective retreats in fall/winter, and high-output initiatives in spring/summer.
Rethink pacing. Offer flexible scheduling, more rest days, or lighter meeting loads during low-energy months.
Model adaptation. When leaders acknowledge seasonal changes and adjust expectations, it signals permission for the whole team to do the same.
Design a Seasonal Strategy
At Mirasol, we help mission-driven organizations align their inner rhythms with the realities of the world around them. Understanding seasonal patterns is one way your organization can develop a strategic advantage. Teams that adapt intentionally don’t burn out as quickly. They think more clearly, collaborate more deeply, and sustain their impact over time.
Let us help you rest, plan, and lead so that your next season of growth is stronger than ever.
Click here for a downloadable seasonal energy planning toolkit.