Are you feeling cold, distant, and heavy these days? Or someone you know suddenly is?
Does it feel like the world has slowed down? Do you feel a heaviness in your chest or a lethargy in your limbs that coffee just can’t fix?
You aren’t alone. This isn’t just ‘sadness’; there is Science to SAD.
If you’ve been feeling the ‘Holiday Blues,’ you might blame the lack of sunshine. It could easily be nature’s inertia setting in because our most important source of energy seems “cold and distant”.
It’s easy to blame this feeling of “winter gloom” on the Sun abandoning us. But here is the cosmic irony: The Sun is actually getting closer.
The Sun is Not really “Cold and Distant” in December
Just a clarification:
It’s a common misconception that the Sun is farther from us in December — but not technically.
The Sun ‘seeming’ distant is definitely making the Earth colder.
And I say “seeming distant” because in January, the Sun is technically closer to the Earth (Perihelion). But since our axis is slightly titled and the majority of the world population lives on the Northern hemisphere, the Sun’s direct impact on us is reduced.
(If that was a piece of epiphany — official Epiphany celebrations are on the day the Earth is closest to the Sun — first week of January)
“Holiday depression” is a major problem in the West — understandable. It’s a time when people get together more in the Occident. Some interactions, anticipation, or the lack of a healthy social circle can take a toll on mental health. [1] [2] [3] [4]
But what about other countries — China and Japan face these problems, albeit to a lesser extent than the West? [5] [6]
Even Australia, with its paradoxical warm “Summer Christmas”, faces problems. [7] [8]
While “holiday depression” is a situational thing, “Seasonal Affective Disorder” (SAD) is a biological thing. I understand they are identified as different things. But hope to address both. Here’s a summary:
An Essential Global Downtime
So essentially, it is a global downtime — a mix of Nature’s Inertia and human pressure.
In the cold weather of Dakshinayana, blood flow is difficult. The pores close, and body heat is contained. The general coldness and stagnancy slow down digestion.
It is, in general, a time not for hibernation but internalization — a time for maintenance, stability, and meditation.
You don’t need to be told how great Yoga, meditation, and pranayama techniques are to overcome depression, anxiety, and stress. Yoga improves overall physical and mental health. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]
The “Eat Less” Rule
As per the Yogic tradition, eating 3–4 morsels less prevents the body from settling into lethargy (inertia) during this season. This aligns with the medical phenomenon of Postprandial Somnolence (Food Coma).
See, large meals, specifically those high in carbohydrates or overall volume, trigger a parasympathetic nervous system response (sort of a “rest and digest” mode). This diverts blood flow and energy toward digestion, leading to a drop in alertness and an increase in sleepiness.
By “eating less” (stopping before fullness), you prevent this massive energy diversion, keeping the sympathetic nervous system (alertness) active. [14] [15]
Cold Water can be Shockingly Good!
This too is a Yoga-based trick. If your body is healthy to start with, try getting used to cold showers. In ancient times, cold water dips before sunrise kept the body from “hibernating”. The cold wakes up the cells.
Now it is identified as Cold Water Immersion (CWI) shock response (shocking the System). Sudden exposure to cold water triggers an immediate release of catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline) and activates the Sympathetic Nervous System.
This increases heart rate, alertness, and beta-endorphin levels, effectively overriding any “morning grogginess” or inertia.
Taking the Idea of Comfort Food to Another Level
Did you notice that we discussed many countries before, but India was not on the list, at least for “holiday depression”
Indian economics and social systems also are influenced by the holiday season, as well as the cold weather.
Indian food rules, traditions, celebrations, and observances — traditions, in general — largely make up for these seasonal influences.
Read on, and you’ll notice that you’ve always been used to these food traditions that connect the body to the mind. They seamlessly sync us with nature’s dance so that we are always aligned and ready to rise with nature’s energy bursts each time.
So here’s how India’s winter kitchen rituals kept the darkness away.
Generating Heat with Food Traditions
In the winter months, we include more of these foods and food rules to generate “Ushna” (heat) and break inertia. This is supported by the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) and the specific nutritional profiles of these foods.
Horse Gram
Horse Gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum) is a winter and monsoon staple, to be fair.
It is a lentil exceptionally high in protein and fiber. Protein has the highest TEF (20–30%) of all macronutrients.
Eating it helps the body produce more heat metabolizing it compared to carbs or fats. Also, it has proven anti-obesity and hypolipidemic activity, meaning it actively ramps up lipid metabolism (burning fat), which generates body heat.
Sesame Seeds & Jaggery
It’s “Til Laddu” or “Ellunda” season, isn’t it?
Fair!
Mix sesame seeds with jaggery; add cardamom, cinnamon, or dry ginger — it’s not just a heavenly bite — it’s an otherworldly treasure.
As per Ayurveda, Sesame keeps the body warm and holds the energy (Ojas) while Jaggery provides quick energy (Urja) and heat (Ushna).
It’s not just the fragrance of roasted sesame or the aromatics that heal, apparently. Sesame Seeds (Sesamum indicum) contain Sesamin, a lignan shown to increase fatty acid oxidation (burning fat for fuel) in the liver. This metabolic up-regulation is a form of thermogenesis.
Jaggery is described by Ayurveda as a “Lung Cleansing” agent. In modern research, it has been proven to be cytoprotective (protects cells from toxicity) and effective in clearing the respiratory tract. Jaggery may heal lung lesions — something crucial during winter smog and fog. [19]
Jaggery is also high in magnesium. So it improves blood vessel dilation, which in turn improves circulation and creates a sensation of warmth. [20]
“Leafy Greens” is New — “Saag” is Tradition
It’s officially “sarson ka saag” and “palak paneer” season, right?
All over India, it’s “leafy greens” season, to the best of my knowledge. “Depression and Flu, Who?”
Spinach is a great source of Folate (Vitamin B9) and Phylloquinone (Vitamin K). A major study published in “Neurology” found that these specific nutrients protect our cognitive abilities.
Leafy greens are great for combating Seasonal Depression (SAD) and improving immunity. More importantly for winter, folate deficiency is directly linked to low serotonin and seasonal depression. [21]
That’s the “science” to it. But I have a simpler one — we’re solar-powered beings. Plants synthesize solar energy, and we feed off of that energy through food.
So why not eat the leaves? They are the best solar panels we know of!
“There’s No Turmeric in Lamb Curry”
Yup! I’m deliberately trying to boil your blood here!
Remember that “Master Chef” episode where a judge-chef judged a competing chef for saying “curry has turmeric”? Boiled the blood!
It was enough to make any Indian grandmother faint! What Indian dishes don’t have turmeric!?
To be fair, very few do — like Kerala-style Stew and Olan. But still… To an Indian mother, a curry without turmeric isn’t just a mistake; it’s a missed opportunity for immunity.
Also, studies from 2010 and 2023 say that turmeric is not just an “immunity booster”; it is as effective as some NSAIDs (painkillers) for inflammation, helping with the “stiff joints” people feel in cold weather.
Not just curries, my kitchen has embraced “golden milk” not just as tradition, but as a ritual!
Moms Rock! I didn’t know there’s an “Amla Mirch Ki Sabzi”!
While Amla is famous for Vitamin C (Immunity), new research shows it enhances Mitochondrial Spare Respiratory Capacity.
In winter, when the body feels “inert” or lethargic, Amla extract helps cells produce more energy under stress. It literally fights cellular lethargy.
Clinical studies show it reduces cough, dyspnea (shortness of breath), and improves pulmonary function, making it ideal for winter respiratory protection.