Goodbye January, We Won’t Miss You!
Patience, spring is coming!
No, spring isn’t quite here yet, but it certainly lifts our spirits to talk about it with you. :) We’re slowly but surely coming out of our hibernation months—those times of slow-paced life, fatigue, and a lack of energy, where the desire to stay in bed is ever-present... The SAD is partly to blame for that!
SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, is that infamous winter slump caused by a lack of natural light. A strong connection has been demonstrated by Dr. Rosenthal, a psychiatrist and researcher at the National Institute of Mental Health in the US. He studied the influence of light on our mood and also on our biological clock, the system that controls our wake/sleep cycles and the production of hormones like serotonin (the "happiness hormone") and melatonin (the "sleep hormone").
The Hibernation Mode
Here’s another thing we share with the plant and animal kingdoms! During winter, our metabolism slows down; we become lethargic, like bears or marmots.
Just like trees, which go dormant from autumn until the end of winter, halting sap circulation, they initiate protection mechanisms against the cold and frost, and repair damage to prepare for the arrival of spring.
On our side, our brains produce an excess of melatonin in winter, which leads to a greater desire for sleep (around half an hour more, they say—though it feels like two hours to us!). Our bodies also burn more energy to fight off the cold. That’s why we tend to feel drained when spring arrives, especially after months of more stress, richer food, and accumulated toxins. Additionally, our immune system has been exhausted from fighting off microbes.
In this hibernation mode, January is considered the worst month, as it accumulates the effects of the previous months: lack of light, cold, social isolation (yes, we’re less often out on terraces!), etc. Poor January is often said to be the most depressing month of the year, and it's the one where Anglo-Saxons created the infamous "Blue Monday."
Spring is Around the Corner
It’s imminent!
This period of February was already celebrated by the Celts with a festival called Imbolc, which heralded the awakening of nature and the arrival of spring.
Do you know what La Chandeleur (Candlemas) on February 2nd represents? Before being associated with Christianity, Candlemas had pagan origins, connected to fertility rites and the imminent return of spring. The round, yellow pancakes made for the occasion were meant to symbolize the sun. From this date onward, days start to get longer, nature awakens: plants begin to sprout, sap flows again in the trees, birds start singing, and it’s busy in burrows...
Carnival, too, originally celebrated the end of winter and the arrival of spring.
We love the signs of the season: wild geese coming out of hibernation in early February, bees buzzing, crocuses blooming in the TiL park, the daylight as we leave the office at 6 pm... and if we wait a little longer, the coats will be put away and we’ll enjoy the joy of daylight saving time!
So, let’s lift our spirits!
How to Prepare?
- Start lightening up your diet by prioritizing vitamins, minerals, and trace elements (oranges, dried fruits, avocados, parsley...).
- Detox your body with linden tree inner bark infusions (or in ampoules, available in health stores and herb shops). This part of the tree, between the bark and wood, is a powerful natural detoxifier: it helps eliminate toxins from the kidneys, liver, and gallbladder.
- Get enough sleep to fully recover, preferably before midnight. And for that, a book is always better than a screen!
- Take advantage of every ray of sunlight to stock up on vitamin D (while protecting your skin, of course!).
- For your skin, since the skin barrier has been weakened during the winter months, continue to hydrate it well during the day and repair it at night, while lightening up the textures.
- Occasionally perform gentle exfoliations (but not too often or too intensely, as that can damage the skin’s hydro-lipid barrier—definitely a bad idea).
- To look your best, switch from foundation to a tinted moisturizer, such as a BB cream. You could also apply a bit of self-tanner…
Most importantly, keep spring in your heart because it’s certain to show up year after year, bringing with it all the delightful promises it holds. :)
