Did January feel extra long for you, too?
Updated: Oct 14
The Monthly-ish # 1: February 3rd 2026
We’re finally on the other side of January.
If it felt like it lasted for about 47 days, you’re not imagining it. Winter changes the information your nervous system receives, and that can subtly stretch your sense of time.
Our sense of time isn’t just about calendars. It’s shaped by the cues our nervous system takes in like light, movement, novelty, and variation. In winter, days tend to look and feel more repetitive. When there’s less sensory change, the brain registers fewer new cues. That can make the days feel longer and leave your body feeling a bit “off”.
Light plays a role here too. Daylight is one of the main signals that helps regulate our internal rhythms including sleep, energy, and nervous system tone. With shorter days and more time indoors, a lot fewer signals get sent out. Many of us experience this as stiffness, restlessness, disrupted sleep, or low-grade aches. Lately, I’m seeing this pattern in clinic nearly every day.
So, what can you do about it?
If a sunny trip south isn’t in the cards, sprinkle some novelty and variation into your day instead. Taking a different route to work, standing on one foot while brushing your teeth, or swapping your coffee mug out with one from the back of the cupboard can all give your nervous system the input it’s craving.
Try it and let me know how it goes. I’d especially love to hear about any creative variations you come up with.
By the way…
💬 This is the first of a series of monthly‑ish emails I’ll be sending your way. They’ll be short, sweet, and inspired by whatever’s coming up in clinic lately.
If you enjoy this kind of thing, I’m sharing more over on my recently re‑instated Instagram account (@osteokatie) each week.
Warmly,
Osteopathic Manual Practitioner
These ideas are supported by research on circadian rhythms, light exposure as a time cue, and how sensory input influences time perception and nervous system regulation.
