As temperatures drop and daylight shortens, many people feel sluggish or low on energy — a response that may have roots in ancient survival strategies even though humans don’t truly hibernate like bears or dormice. Scientists studying modern physiology and brain regulation propose that allowing ourselves a bit more rest in winter could align with our biology’s seasonal cues and offer benefits for mood, cognition and overall well-being. Research shows that human sleep patterns adjust with the seasons, often increasing REM sleep during winter months, which may help regulate emotion and memory consolidation when days are shorter. This seasonal sleep shift suggests that our bodies still respond to environmental rhythms even if we no longer enter torpor states like other mammals.

Unlike true hibernators — animals that dramatically slow metabolism and body functions to conserve energy during food scarcity — humans evolved with tools like clothing, fire and shelter that reduced the need for metabolic dormancy. However, neuroscience has identified mechanisms by which body temperature and metabolic responses can be modulated in controlled settings, hinting that elements of hibernation biology could one day inform therapeutic approaches to protect tissues during medical emergencies or extreme stress.

In everyday life, embracing longer, quality sleep, lighter activity rhythms, and seasonal self-care during winter can help align our physiology with nature’s cycles. This isn’t literal hibernation, but a mini-hibernation mindset that prioritises recovery, mental balance and energy efficiency during the cold months when the body instinctively down-regulates.