As the sun heads south, nights are longer than days, and the temps settle to the colder side of freezing, sleep becomes irresistible. When the darkness of 5pm rolls around, it feels like bedtime, and I long to be a bear so I can hibernate.

​The thing is, we humans simply don't have what it takes to hibernate. Recent research shows hibernation to be more complex than simply taking a nap, and that there are some promising implications for human health.

Toward summer’s end and all autumn long, bears consume roughly 20,000 calories a day to attain the necessary fat to get through their extended winter nap. In Colorado, black bears (which can be cinnamon, brown or even blonde - black is the species name) head to their dens sometime in November. Part of that hibernation signal has to do with their food being unavailable: their natural diet consists mainly of grasses, berries, fruits, nuts and plants, with insects and scavenged carcasses filling in the rest. 
Colorado Parks and Wildlife: Living with Wildlife - Bears  (scroll down for “Black Bears at a Glance info and resources)

During hibernation from approximately November to mid-March, bears do not eat or drink, and their heart and breathing rate slow to about 75% of normal. Unique to hibernating animals, their body temperature does not drop very much. 

We humans were not made to hibernate. Two obvious problems for us taking a months-long snooze: bone loss and brain dysfunction. Interestingly, scientists have found that bears turn off the genes associated with bone loss during hibernation. Regarding brain function, there are tau proteins that cause tangles in the brains of humans with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Hibernating bears (and squirrels) also accumulate tau proteins in their brains. When they come out of hibernation though, the tau proteins clear, and their brain function is up and running as they emerge into spring. The implications for humans regarding both brain function and bone loss are encouraging, and research continues.
Smithsonian Magazine Article: Why Amazing Discoveries About Bear Hibernation May Help Improve Human Health

So how’s a non-hibernating human to get through winter? With, among other things, a lot of light. Anything from a light therapy lamp to an alarm that mimics the sun rising, to getting outside first thing - the important part is to set circadian rhythms by exposure to light. Since darkness encourages the body’s production of melatonin, getting out for midday or afternoon walks can be beneficial for afternoon fatigue. Sticking with a sleep routine, eating nutritious foods, drinking plenty of water and cutting screen time at least an hour before bed are all suggestions we’ve heard before, but worth repeating. Getting solid shut-eye, and bolstering your health with good choices 80% of the time will set you (and me) up for enjoying winter instead of slogging through it.
New York Times Article: How Not to Feel Dead Tired This Winter
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​Originally published November 2023

Look to the vast black sea above,
Stars glitter glacier-blue, 
four thousand years our elder,
heralds of our longest night.
Contemplate… 
fairy lights and candle glow,
talismans in the dark,
reminders of luminosity’s return. 

Winter solstice occurs this year on December 21 at 2:21AM Mountain Time. Also known as the hibernal solstice - “hibernal,” meaning of, characteristic of, or occurring in winter - it is when the sun has reached its farthest southern point over the earth. It marks the first day of winter for us, though we’ve been shoveling for weeks now, and the first day of summer in the southern hemisphere. 

Winter solstice is celebrated in different ways around the globe. There’s the Feast of Juul, where a large log (a Yule log) is burned in honor of  the Scandinavian god Thor, who will bring the light back to the people. In the Persian solstice festival of Yalda, the celebrants believe solstice night is when evil forces are the strongest, and so they stay up all night to welcome the rising of the sun the following day. 

For many of us, Stonehenge is the first place we think of for solstice celebrations. But it isn’t the only location by far. There is Newgrange in Ireland, built about 3200 BCE, predating Stonehenge by approximately 100 years. Newgrange consists of a mound with interior chambers, and was built to celebrate Alban Arthan, Welsh for “Light of Winter.” On winter solstice, the sun is at the exact position to fill the chambers with light. Catholic mission churches built during the Spanish colonial period also made use of the sun’s position on winter solstice to spotlight a particular object within the church.

Right here in the U.S. is Cahokia Mounds World Heritage and State Historic Site. It is the largest pre-Columbian site north of Mexico, had a population of roughly 20,000, and existed around 1050 - 1350 CE. There are about 80 mounds protected within the site, although there were more originally. The mounds were constructed to align with the sun on the solstices - one example of the indigenous understanding of the solar system. 

Sources/ Learn More

• Farmer’s Almanac: Winter Solstice
• PBS: Winter Solstice Significant in Cultures Across the World
• Cahokia Mounds World Heritage and State Historic Site
• Cahokia, Native American UNESCO world heritage site

​Snowflakes fall. Evergreen boughs cradle mounds of snow. Familiar tunes tickle the ear. The nights are long and velvety dark, lights strung up all over town shining bright in the cold air.

Yet, December brings the stress of overstuffed days and nights, the kind of busyness that can sap the spirit out of even the most joyful person. In the midst of the tension of the season, often one of the first things to go is exercise. Yet carving out a small slice of your day to move your body gives you a significant return on investment.

A good workout that gets your heart pumping and makes you sweat also releases endorphins, decreases stress, and increases oxygen to the brain. This is all terrific for keeping your energy going through demanding days. Being outside boosts mood, decreases depression, and quiets the mind. A great way to find calm in the midst of the storm.

Not motivated? 
You just need to take the first step. Go for a walk - beneficial for your feet, your joints, your brain, your lungs, your heart, and your mood. (See my post Walk: A Win for Your Body and Brain.) Walking on a snowy trail is gentle on joints and connective tissues, and the birdsong and quiet are a bonus. When I’m really tired at the end of a work day and the thought of the cold is not enticing, I tell myself, “I’m just going for five minutes, for some fresh air.” Once I get out there I don’t want to stop, I just want to keep walking and drink it all in. This strategy works every time.

Don’t have time?
Decrease your normal workout time by a few minutes, and increase intensity. You’ll get the sweat, increased heart rate and oxygenation, but still have time for other items in your day. One way to do this is with Tabata workouts. Four minutes is all it takes, not counting warm up and cool down, with eight rounds of 20 seconds on (at almost all-out effort) and ten seconds off (rest). You can play around with the timing to suit your needs, but the idea is to get the intensity and also the rest in between. You can use specific exercises or apply this on a stationary bike or a run. These definitely kick your bum in very short order. 

Ice and snow not your thing?
Find a cleared sidewalk (in Steamboat, the Core Trail or even the sidewalks around the hospital), or take a class indoors at the gym. You can even get a great 30 minute workout right in your living room with streaming classes at essentrics.com. 
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Regardless of what you choose to do, I hope that you will find physical and mental relief and peace by moving your body every day, especially during this busy wintry season. 

Gratitude: a word that is overworked in many an exercise class or social gathering, or used superficially in speeches and ads, especially at this holiday time of year. But if we can step away from the phony and ubiquitous, gratitude is more than worthy of consideration. Let’s look at the actual meaning of the word, and how it can change our brains and lives for the better.

Grat·i·tude, noun: the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. (Oxford Languages Dictionary)

The second part of that definition grabs my attention. If I am ready to show appreciation for, I’ve got to be paying attention to what’s around me, and if someone does something nice, to be sure to return that kindness. An example: last week my daughter and I met for coffee, and the barista took extra care to feather the oat milk beautifully on our lattes. We both expressed our appreciation, and I said to the barista that it was the best latte around. Result? Huge happy smile!! This exchange was simple, yet I still remember it and it makes me smile, positively affecting my life.

Etymology of gratitude: from Latin gratitudinum, grati, gratis: thankfulness, pleasing. Further back in gratitude’s lineage, we see the word related to the Sanskrit grnati: "sings, praises, announces;" and the Lithuanian giriu, girti: "to praise, celebrate."

From this, the phrase “singing the praises” comes to mind. Again, being very aware of the present moment, and engaging with what is around you, is a prerequisite for authentically singing the praises. I have an example of this as well: last December, in the midst of the holiday crush at the post office, I recognized the worker at the side door retrieving packages. When I got to the front of the line, I sung the praises - gratitude for the hard work, the long hours, and being there to take care of folks like me getting our important packages. You should have seen her face light up! That, too, still gives me little goosebumps. I really care about this person and it was wonderful to see the smile on her lovely face. This too, has benefited my life.

Since neuroplasticity is one of my fave topics, check out this video: Christina Costa: How gratitude rewires your brain | TED Talk. Ms. Costa’s talk is quite poignant - she discusses how gratitude rewires the brain, using her own current experience with a brain tumor to demonstrate the positive changes she creates.

Gratitude can help if you are in the midst of a stressful day, with many worries, or you are feeling down or overwhelmed. Focusing on one thing for which you are thankful can shift that mindset. Some people keep a list on the refrigerator or near their computer of the things to remember to be thankful for. This article: Harvard Health: Giving Thanks Can Make You Happier provides additional information and suggestions for cultivating gratitude in your life.

Gratitude can also help with something called Hedonic Adaptation. Happiness can temporarily go up or down due to circumstances, but we pretty much return to our fixed happiness set-point. Related to this is the concept of Hedonic Adaptation, in which the amount of happiness something brings you fades over time. One way to address this adaptation is to practice gratitude for things in the moment, or even from the past. Savoring, taking the time to be present and appreciate what is happening right now, for example a lovely sunset or time with a loved one, is a great way to bring in that thankfulness. A gratitude journal, in which you note daily a number of items you are grateful for, is another way of focusing your attention on the good things, rather than taking them for granted. You can read this article: Verywell Mind: Hedonic Adaptation: Why You Are Not Happier to learn more.

In the past I’ve been at times stumped by coming up with new things to write in my gratitude journal. But I now look forward to this nightly practice that has become what I focus on before going to sleep, filling my head with the good stuff in my life. I rest more peacefully as a result. In the morning, I borrow from Louise Hay (“my day begins and ends with gratitude and joy”), and thank my bed for keeping me nice and cozy. This might seem strange, but I also remember learning from James Altucher that he is thankful for all of the things and people that he wants to continue to have in his life. Point taken.
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Originally published November 2022